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Let India grow

Arun Dash
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Let India grow

What I meant by “Constructive criticism” while writing this (four summers ago) is that: the Opposition along with the help of sincere journalists must come forward to find faults with the way things are progressing or highlight better and more efficient ways of handling a situation. But perhaps both the groups understood constructive criticism as stalling the development work of the Narendra Modi-led Government using all sorts of wrong means. Until it was Opposition alone, it was fine. But a common man like me had never imagined that the Opposition that had strong (and often proven) roots in corruption could buy these TRP-hungry, mercenary, agenda-driven, unethical journalists, barring a counted few.

A peddled lie, a cropped image, a pseudo-secular (read, ‘anti-Hindu’) and sometimes an anti-India narrative – these are some of the key tools that these left-liberal gang of journalists has amassed in abundance. And add to them, a section of the citizenry that never bothers for a better India if their selfish motives are met. They together make a healthy recipe to hinder the pace of development in MODI-vated India.

But history is witness to the fact that nothing can deter someone’s indomitable will to work for the nation especially when they are incorruptible. That is happening again in India now. It is this generation’s sheer good luck that a visionary leader of Narendra Modi’s stature is at the helm of affairs, with such leadership skill and contagious zeal. Firm decisions followed by decisive actions have so far been the mantra of his success. After Modi’s five-year term, India is in better shape now: better international stature; real digital India; better roads; more willing taxpayers; cleaner India; cheaper flights; responsible Indian railways; scam-less India; fully-electrified India; stronger India (increased Defence strength); and a lot more.

Of course, for people with dimmed national fervour and anti-Hindu attitude, these tangible truths may also be peddled as lies. And that is where the Fourth Pillar of Democracy should have come forward to help build a positive narrative so deserving of a visionary leadership. It is only unfortunate that they have sold their soul and now are hell-bent on returning the leadership to the corrupt lots yet again. But India’s youth, which the world now envies on, has time and again given the assurance that the blatant lies would never be able to suppress the mild voice of a single truth. So, let’s hope they succeed in that. Let India grow, as it does now, for a few more years!

वर्ण व्यवस्था के संदर्भ में फैली भ्रांतियाँ

anantpurohit
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वर्ण व्यवस्था के संदर्भ में फैली भ्रांतियाँ

मैं अपनी बात श्रीमद्भागवत गीता के अध्याय 4 श्लोक 13 से प्रारंभ करता हूँ:

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्ट्यं गुणकर्मविभागशः।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्।।

यह श्लोक बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण है, न केवल आध्यात्मिक दृष्टिकोण से बल्कि वैज्ञानिक दृष्टिकोण से भी। इसके अलावा इस श्लोक का अपना सामाजिक महत्व भी है। इस श्लोक का अर्थ समझने से पहले वर्तमान भारत की समसामयिक परिस्थितियों को समझना आवश्यक है। वर्तमान भारत एक कुशल नेतृत्व में जहाँ एक ओर आमूल-चूल परिवर्तन की दिशा में अग्रसर है वहीं कुछ असामाजिक तत्त्व इसे पुनः जातिवादी उन्माद में जकड़कर समाज को बाँटना चाहते हैं जो अंततः भारत की प्रगति में बाधक सिद्ध होगा। इस प्रकार के लोग जो समाज को जातिवादी उन्माद में जकड़ना चाहते हैं उनका सबसे सरल निशाना है हिन्दू धर्म और उसकी वर्ण व्यवस्था। और दुर्भाग्य की बात यह है आम हिन्दू जनमानस अपने धर्मग्रंथों से अनभिज्ञ है और ऐसी स्थिति में इन देशविरोधी ताकतों का सबसे आसान शिकार है। इन देशविरोधी ताकतों द्वारा वर्ण व्यवस्था को लेकर अनेक प्रकार की भ्रांतियाँ फैलाई जाती हैं जिनका खण्डन करना अत्यंत आवश्यक है।

अब हम इस श्लोक का अर्थ समझने का प्रयास करते हैं। वर्ण शब्द वर् धातु शब्द से बना है जिसके अनेक अर्थ होते हैं – चुनना, चुनाव करना, उद्यम करना, उद्योग, रंग, वर्णमाला का एक अक्षर। इस वर्ण शब्द को अंग्रेजी के कास्ट (caste) शब्द का पर्यायवाची समझना पूर्णतः गलत है। इस श्लोक का अर्थ निम्नानुसार है:

गुणों के आधार पर कर्मों का विभाजन करते हुए मैंने चार वर्णों की रचना की। अर्थात् मैंने चार प्रकार के उद्यमों (कर्मों) की रचना, उनका चुनाव करने की स्वतंत्रता देते हुए की। और, यद्यपि मैंने इनकी रचना की तथापि तुम मुझे उसका कर्ता मत समझो।

पहली बात यहाँ पर समझने की आवश्यकता है कि कर्मों का विभाजन गुणों के आधार पर है और दूसरा उन्हें चुनने की स्वतंत्रता है। वर्ण शब्द का अर्थ कतई अंग्रेजी के कास्ट (caste) के समान नहीं है, क्योंकि यह जन्म आधारित नहीं वरन् कर्म आधारित है। और इसके अलावा इसमें चुनाव करने की स्वतंत्रता है। ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय, वैश्य और शूद्र – ये चारों शब्द गुणवाचक संज्ञाएँ हैं। इस श्लोक का बहुत गहरा आध्यात्मिक अर्थ भी है। श्लोक के द्वितीय चरण में भगवान श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं – यद्यपि मैंने इनकी रचना की तथापि तुम मुझे उसका कर्ता मत समझो। कहने का तात्पर्य यह है कि कोई भी कार्य जब ‘मैंने’ किया इस भावना के साथ किया जाता है तो व्यक्ति के मन में अहंकार की भावना आ जाती है और अहंकार की भावना के साथ वह ईश्वर से उतना ही दूर हो जाता है। इसी को संत कबीर दास जी ने सरल शब्दों में लिखा है:

प्रेम गली अति साँकरी जा में दो न समाहीं
जब मैं था हरि नाहीं, हरि है तो मैं नाहीं

कहने का अर्थ केवल इतना है कि अपने गुणों के आधार पर कर्म का चुनाव करो और उसके अनुसार कर्म करो। कर्म करने के पश्चात ‘मैंने किया’ इस अहं भाव का त्याग करो अर्थात् न तो कर्म में आसक्ति रखो और न ही फल, परिणाम की आशा करो। बहुत ही सुंदर शब्दों में व्यक्ति के मन में उत्पन्न होने वाले दु:ख के दोनों कारणों को समाप्त करने की शिक्षा दे रहा है यह श्लोक। इस संसार में समस्त दुःखों के मूल में केवल दो ही कारण हैं – अहं (ego) और आशा (expectation)।

उपर्युक्त अर्थ में कहीं पर भी वर्ण को जन्मजात होना नहीं कहा गया है। पुनः इस बात का प्रमाण हमें श्रीमद्भागवत महापुराण प्रथम खण्ड सप्तम स्कंध अध्याय 11 श्लोक 35 में भी मिलता है:

यस्य यल्लक्षणं प्रोक्तं पुंसो वर्णाभिव्यञ्जकम्।
यदन्यत्रापि दृश्येत तत् तेनैव विनिर्दिशेत्।।

अर्थात् जिस पुरूष के वर्ण को बतलाने वाला जो लक्षण कहा गया है वह यदि दूसरे वर्ण वाले में भी मिले तो उसे भी उसी वर्ण का समझना चाहिए। तात्पर्य यह है कि गुण प्रधान है न कि जन्म। भले ही जन्म किसी भी वर्ण में हुआ हो परंतु व्यक्ति का गुण जिस वर्ण के गुण से मिले वह उस वर्ण का है।

पुनः इस बात की पुष्टि इस उदाहरण के माध्यम से भी होती है – विष्णु पुराण खण्ड 4 अध्याय 1 श्लोक 17:

तदन्वयाश्च क्षत्रियास्सर्वे दिक्ष्वभवन्।
पृषध्रस्तु मनुपुत्रो गुरुगोवधाच्छूद्रत्वमगमत्।।

अर्थात् मनु का पृषध नामक पुत्र गुरु के गाय की हत्या करने के कारण शूद्र हो गया। यह तो केवल एक उदाहरण है। ऐसे अनेक उदाहरण धर्मग्रंथों में मिलते हैं। विष्णु पुराण के इसी अध्याय के श्लोक 19 में मनु के पौत्र नाभाग, दिष्ट के पुत्र, का उल्लेख मिलता है जो कि अपने कर्मों के कारण वैश्य हो गए।

सारांश में यह कहा जा सकता है कि वर्ण व्यवस्था में किसी भी प्रकार से वंशवाद का समावेश नहीं था। यदि वर्ण व्यवस्था में वंशवाद का समावेश न हो तो वर्ण व्यवस्था से अच्छी कोई और व्यवस्था इस संसार में हो ही नहीं सकता। समाज में आज भी कर्मों को केवल चार प्रकार से ही विभाजित किया जा सकता है – बौद्धिक कार्य, रक्षा कार्य, व्यापारिक कार्य और सेवा कार्य। इस सेवा कार्य का तात्पर्य किसी के चरणों की सेवा से नहीं है बल्कि समाजोपयोगी उत्पादन कार्य करने या इसमें सहयोग करना, अपना समय देना है।

पुनश्च: समाज को तोड़ने वाले असामाजिक तत्त्वों द्वारा फैलाई जा रही भ्राँतियों को नकार कर हमें अपने धर्मग्रंथों का सूक्ष्मता से अध्ययन और विश्लेषण करना चाहिए, इससे हम निश्चित ही एक समतामूलक सौहार्द्रपूर्ण समाज और अखंड भारत का निर्माण कर सकेंगे। किसी भी समाज को उसकी सांस्कृतिक विरासत ही मजबूत स्नेहबंधन में बाँध सकती है। धर्मग्रंथों को भूलकर सांस्कृतिक रुप से विपन्न हुए समाज को विखंडित होने से बचा पाना संभव नहीं है।

Pulwama and the Left: Seven decades of cultural and intellectual banditry

Shantheri Mallaya
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Pulwama and the Left: Seven decades of cultural and intellectual banditry

Leader: Pulwama is one among the millions of instances of an attack not on 40 soldiers – but on a nation, by a Leftist ideology, of a cultural and intellectual banditry, which does its best to prevent us from standing together as a nation.

The recent Pulwama tragedy was not a mere terror attack. It is not about 45 CPRF Jawans losing their lives or getting injured in a brutal terror siege. It is not fully about Pakistan. It is, in reality, the culmination of a battle that is not being fought merely on the border or on the lines of control, it is about a country hugely and morally divided into the Right and the Left, about a culture that is now being questioned, about an established coterie whose nerves have been jangled. It is about the emergence of the Right in a hitherto Left-centric globe.

Why precisely should we dissect this and probe this “upsetting of the apple cart” phenomenon further? Here are some compelling reasons, and myths that have been systematically built and fed into almost six generations of Indians since India’s year of Independence, it is the dissection of a calculated seizure of collective social, economic, cultural, political and historical narrative by a lobby of intellectual bandits, over the last seven decades.

Art, music, literature, theater, cinema narrative should condemn social structure, institutions, the establishment and the Government; eulogize class conflict

My early favorite filmmakers were inspired and derived by my father’s favorites – Satyajit Ray, Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, all of whom based their 1950s film themes on the class conflict – Pather Panchali, Do Bheega Zameen, Pyaasa, Shri 420 – let us observe, were all about class conflict. The mean rich man, the unrelenting society that will not make allowances for the unconventional, feudalism – we see a pattern in all of this. While the humanist in any of us would not deny the existence of all these elements, fact remains we have been systematically, under the able aegis of a successive line Left leaning writers, playwrights, artists, journalists and filmmakers, such as UR Ananthamurthy, Girish Karnad, Shyam Benegal, Gulzar, the list is endless – been made to believe that:

  • Social structure is bad, it is a cruel monolith – protest against every societal norm
  • Religion is deplorable – shun faith without any sense of rationale other than that it is deplorable. Blanket statement.
  • Establishments swallow up individual freedom – vandalize every institution
  • The State is oppressive – do not support it, remain cynical and distance yourself
  • The elite are villains by birth. Therefore, earning money and spending it is obnoxious – do not earn, keep protesting, no matter for what, in short, remain a rebel without a cause
  • Nationalism and patriotism are restricting, anarchic terms – do not use these terms or take pride in any of the symbols even remotely suggesting these words. In short, very subtly, you are not loving your country.
  • The Right stands for Fascism, Conservatism, Misogyny, Patriarchy – We don’t need such regressive narratives anywhere close to us, do we?

Over the last six to seven decades, the effect of this complex, dark narrative is multi-fold – it runs from the urban educated household to educational institutions to the rural agricultural landscape to the ravines of dacoits and naxals, right down to the trouble spots of insurgency in India – different sections and communities have absorbed this narrative according to their circumstances –  depending on who they are. This is the biggest victory of the Left – a victory that others should exercise all their minds to shake off, it is a collective consciousness that they have captured, if truth should be told. A lot of people genuinely subscribe to this, while there are many who craftily use the Left ideologies to brainwash the gullible even among the educated.

The media, particularly the print and now electronic has done this repeated assault on our senses – many have succumbed to its yarns, since the Left narrative is the stuff of scripts of cinema, plays and its utopian romanticism of a dark world, sombre – where everything is dark. Sahir Ludhianvi, a known Leftist from the IPWA class, wrote, “Yeh Mahalon Yeh Takhton ki duniya”, we fell like a pack of cards – little realizing that this clique of people have only stated problems, and will never talk of solutions – that is the Left for you. We fell for the parallel cinema movement, which was nothing but an offshoot of the Left. We loved the “angry young man” in AB – we were an angry socialist country which took pride in nothing and hated everything.

Look at two Communist bastions in this country and the sham of the Left will be exposed – if there was ever a bigger sham in the economy ever perpetrated, then I would say it has been in Kerala and West Bengal – natural resources wasted, people exodus to other states, and no future in sight – it is what the lovely  “State – questioning” Left stands for.

Now into this dark, noire Left world, our economy got liberalized, and money did not remain a tainted word anymore, people started earning, India did start shining – we started seeing ourselves differently.  It was all still fine. The new monies and a neo-prosperous economy was still fodder for their Left hedonistic stories. The Left and the Liberals positioned themselves conveniently as a friend of the youth, of women, of freedom of speech, and also of all that “liberal values” could hold. Till the rise of the Right. A rise that has disquieted the Left. Crude, raw counter narratives of the Truth have now begun to emerge. And it is indeed disquieting.

When an astutely planted idea starts to fail after it has run its full course, there is bound to be resentment. The Left is going through the same phase – of that of an old traditional organization that is threatened by the winds of change – it will try every trick in its book to retain its followers and brainwash as many more. A pity, since the populace it chooses to harm are the ones of its own nation. But, then, do they even want an unified nation? Pulwama is one among the millions of  instances of an attack not on 45 soldiers – but on a nation, by a Leftist ideology, of a cultural and intellectual banditry, which has robbed us of our inherent spirit of pride and unity and prevents us from standing together as a nation.

Modi government rounding up on shell companies with new MCA update

Archi Bhatia
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Modi government rounding up on shell companies with new MCA update

MCA has announced new verification for the firms and companies with the introduction of “E-form Active” after the passing of the new amendment for company rules 2019.

This new mandatory compliance tightens the noose around the dummy corporations that are opened and closed overnight. The stringent KYC regulation is compulsory for all the 12 lakh companies that are currently active in India and are present in the MCA master data.

Companies new amendment makes active company tagging and verification as per the 2019 company rules mandatory. The said compliance for the companies is to be completed before 25th April 2019, or the company will be charged a heavy Fine of Rs. 10,000.

Applicability

The companies falling under the ambit of the new amendment are companies that are registered on or before 31st December 2017. Further, companies need to have complete annual compliance and financial statement with the MCA.

Exempted Companies:

Few of the companies that have been exempted from completing the compliance with government are:

  • The companies that have been struck off or are under the process.
  • The companies that are being liquidated.
  • The companies that are amalgamated or are being dissolved.
  • Companies that were registered after 31st December 2017

The companies that do not complete the mandatory compliance within the prescribed time i.e 25 April 2019 will be charged a heavy penalty of Rs.10,000 and the company will be marked as ” ACTIVE: Non-compliant” in the MCA roster.

The following tag will only be removed once the compliance is completed and the penalty is paid. Remember the companies have not yet filed their financial statement and annual compliances will not be able to complete the said compliance

Hence the roundabout comes that companies that are formed as a dummy corporation are no longer be able to survive these stringent policies and eventually the Modi government will catch up on these defunct companies and bring them down.

The industry of human rights

mayuragrao
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The industry of human rights

Recently there was a theft case reported with the police against a maid by her employer at the apartment complex here. She was picked up for questioning by police and later sent home asking to present herself the next morning at the station. The following day there was a sudden twist – Humanity was wafting in the air – a lawyer and a Human Rights activist were standing behind her now. A case was filed with KSHRC alleging torture at the hands of the police, rumors of her hospitalization as a consequence of the torture were floated and a protest was organized by all above actors. Did you think it was in front of the police station, NO! It was organized in the apartment complex because a resident employer had dared to report.

There was ruckus at the entrance with a huge crowd headed by the allegedly tortured maid along with the lawyer and an external activist. They were instigated to sloganeer and protest by the lawyer and the activist. Even media reporters had fraudulently gained entry pretending to be Mufti Police. Since it was a large group of women the security guards could not physically stop the barging entrants.

It looked like a well-orchestrated legal package – there was a lawyer, a human rights activist and the media. They were now sloganeering and demanded that the resident apologize and be handed over to them. They had literally mobbed the resident’s doorstep creating ruckus that had to be controlled by calling the police. The just out of hospital accused maid was heading the protest along with the activist and lawyer duo. They had successfully traumatized and intimidated the resident who had only rightfully exercised his fundamental right and reported the matter to the law keeping forces.

A little background: The said lawyer assisting her in the case is an ex tenant who ran a cafeteria at the premises but was pulled up for defaulting on payments and had to shut shop. The man had also filed suits against the association office. Incidentally this maid now caught in a theft case was working for him previously hence she had sought his aid.

Whether or not she was guilty or tortured as alleged, whether the lawyer was genuinely assisting her on sympathetic grounds or vendetta is anybody’s guess but even while the investigations were still on ‘The Hindu’ carried a news article that canonized the theft story into that of victimhood with a false narrative that the residents too had protested when no resident had participated, there was not a single line about the employer’s side of the story. The media, the lawyer and the activist had trespassed into a residential apartment complex violating security norms and instigated the mob that had the potential to cause physical harm and damage to property clearly putting an entire community’s safety security and property at risk.

Now why would an activist go to the extent of supporting an accused by trespassing a resident complex and campaign for Human Rights when the case was still being investigated? Even if there was any truth in the torture theory why did they protest before the residents and not the police when they were the alleged perpetrators?

So who are these Human Rights activists and how do they work?

In this case the self-proclaimed activist who was instrumental in creating the ruckus is a TISS graduate who runs an organization called Stree Jagruti Samithi that claims to fight for the human rights and equal treatment of domestic laborers. This organization receives support from SICHREM (South India Cell For Human Rights Education and Monitoring) in association with Childline Foundation which is tied up with our Union Ministry Of Women and Child Development.

But why do such parallel activisms happen when we have an elaborate system of law and order under our constitution?

SICHREM talks about empowering the disempowered sections like Dalits, Tribals, Women, Children and Minorities to protect their individual and collective rights for a dignified life by making Human Rights a household concept by advocating rights based value system as they claim in their website. They also monitor RTE.

This kind of an empowerment of only few sections would mean negating another person’s fundamental right to seek justice under law or negating the very system of law itself by setting up parallel justice systems. Human rights violation across the world today is a reality where most international laws, policies of redressal are often ratified only to be misused by the predatory powerful vested interests in the geo-political one-upmanship. In the name of human rights many a stereotyped narratives are fanned and floated where vice or virtues are attributed according to the social or economic status or religious identities and have little to do with truth.

This is the reason why a car driver is at fault even when the bicyclist or the pedestrian breaks the rules, this is the reason a murderous activity like stone throwing is pushed as misled separatism. It is the same rights’ based value system with no obligation towards duties that these Human Rights activists dream to enforce. So what does it really mean when they say – making Human Rights a household concept, what really is the intent behind such activism (let us consider this case of theft here) and if enforced what would it achieve:

Firstly it would reduce the belief in scope of law and order by silencing the affected masses even when robbed of their possession by infusing theories of victimhood on the accused even when at fault. This would automatically brew hate for the rich and successful and vice-versa driving a wedge between employers and the domestic helpers. The thriving middle class and the domestic helpers form an integrated support system for mutual economic prosperity and any distrust would break this chain.

It would render the police forces toothless tying their hands to act against disrupters of law under the garb of Human rights. While there are genuine cases of human rights violation that really needs redressal, human rights activism to the police is what the stone pelters and article 370 is to the army. It would also take away an ordinary citizen’s right to justice and set up a parallel system of law and would eventually lead to increased rates of unemployment, crimes and mob culture.

How do they(SICHREM) operate?

Their mode of operation is through counselling programs and helplines across Karnataka and Andra Pradesh. They have an army of advocates, rights activists mostly TISS products who run the show. If JNU is a laboratory, TISS is a university. They connect with laborers and maids and instigate them about how they are denied the stars and kill the spirit of working hard. They also run mobile legal cells in slums and Dalit colonies.

It is a dangerous society in the making with where people would protest and demand for rights and feel humiliated, punished and victimized when reminded of duties! These activists and advocate comrades participate in state and national advocacy campaigns in association with Press Council of India (PCI), public hearings, criticize existing statutes, conduct mass signature campaigns, network with elected representatives in relation to various human rights and facilitate passing of Bills in the parliament. It is also campaigning for human rights for TADA accused, RTE and against death penalty.

But who benefits from these activities and why and how do they do it?

SICHREM is associated with Childline Foundation of India that is run by one Ms. Jeroo Billimoria, who is again a TISS graduate and is designated as ‘Social entrepreneur’ (whatever that means)! She receives funding for Childline Foundation from the Dutch Government and Mastercard Foundation as per Wikipedia. Incidentally she has also received a Royal Honor from the King of Netherlands by being appointed as an officer of Order of Orange-Nassau. Now why on earth is a Protestant Christian Monarchy so interested in the human rights and welfare of only few Indians through channels like ILO is a known interventionist mechanism deployed but that our MCWD continues to act as a gateway to these societal disintegration forces is worrying for the cause of whatever little humanity is left and is setting the stage for making humans lesser human.

Some quick shuffling of the stagnated evangelical minds in the ministry and a restricted policy towards foreign funded human rights adventurism alongside some holistic police reforms would go a long way in undoing the farce of feministic commissions that has done little or nothing for the cause of women and contain the menace of human rights lobby for sustaining an egalitarian society in its true sense.

An endorsement of a personality called Narendra Modi #SeoulPeacePrize2018

madhugayar
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An endorsement of a personality called Narendra Modi #SeoulPeacePrize2018

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of a common man to congratulate our Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi for having received the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize 2018. This is conferred in recognition of his contribution towards global peace through comprehensive economic growth and proactive policies with countries around the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first Indian to receive this prestigious award

It is a matter of fact that that he is the first Indian to have received this award till date since its inception in 1990. This is by no means a mean feat. It puts him alongside some of the past laureates who went on to get nominated and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. More importantly, it serves as a global endorsement of a majority perception in India of our current Prime Minister.

While the sickulars (as ever) fail to acknowledge and laud the achievement by undermining it in the #PulwamaAftermath, its time all the #Modibelievers celebrated (though subdued) the feat.

Hope this prize serves the NDA as another feather in its cap for its #2019PollCampaign to justify #ModiBakts.

The unsolicited FEAR

Anant Chetan
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The unsolicited FEAR

It was around 3:30 PM everybody looked happy; Mr. I, his wife Mrs. I, their parents and their 6 year old little munchkin had recently finished a comedy movie along with tasty chai and samosa. The little one was still toying with the green peas he picked from the samosas; he does not like Green Peas and would always without failing pick them out from every thing. Mr. I helped him wash his hands and started his favorite video game Tekken 3. Just then the postman arrived. Mrs. I opened the door and received the letter. As soon as she opened the envelope to read the letter, her face turned pale, her breathing pattern changed, it looked as if she is just going to burst in tears. Her mother in law saw her and within a fraction of a second realized that something was wrong. She asked “kya hua beta? (what happened?).” The Mrs. I neither gave an answer to the question nor looked in her mother’s eyes. Just handed the letter over to her and tears flew.

The letter was directed to Mr. I. Mother read the letter and the important part in the letter was “your leaves are cut short due to some unforeseen circumstances that have evolved recently and you have to report immediately.” They both knew, he will have to follow the orders and go. He has no choice and moreover he would want to go like he did in the past. 

They set down, took their time to process the information. After a few minutes they started talking. They have to make the best of whatever time was left. The mother went and looked in the fridge, there was no capsicum and no cottage cheese, she wanted to cook Kadhai Paneer, fried aloos along with the tikona parantha the ever green favorite of her son. As soon as she started to head towards the market, Mrs. I stopped her and volunteered to go on her behalf to get the veggies. She generally does not like to get the vegetables by herself, as the place was a little too far. But that day she volunteered because she had to get herself a particular dress along with pink shade of lipstick that her husband had pointed to once while window shopping. She was planning to put them on on her wedding anniversary which was due  next month but that was not going to happen now.

The next morning they showed the letter to Mr. I. Everybody pretended to be strong and as if it is not that serious. But they all knew it might be the last time they see each other. Every body had some hidden guilt. The mother was thinking of all his son’s favorite dishes she could have cooked, the wife was thinking on the similar lines, Mr. I was thinking that he didn’t do much for his family; they all had thought they have enough time to do what all they had planned for their loved ones.

The family’s happiness was screwed the moment they read that letter. They were living, breathing but in a constant fear that they might never see their loved one again. They might not live the moments they always relished with him.

Every time they turn on the television and watch troubling news from Kashmir, their hearts beat – faster and louder. They don’t know where to go, what to do. They do only one thing; pray. What else could they do?

Every time the postman shows up, their hearts sink! If the letter is from Mr. I or related to him Mrs. I would keep the sealed envelope under her pillow, afraid to read what is in the letter.“What happened to him? Is he fine? God help him, please reward him for my good deeds, give him my part of the life, let him live more!” Think positive! easier said than done. But not for long, she finally gathers some courage to open that up and read. Even if everything is okay, the tears flow. May be this is the reason why she believes in something, be it god or a stone or a thread, it is the faith that keeps her sane and gives them the strength to cope with the anxiety and extreme fear that she experienced from receiving the letter to opening it. She knew whatever is done is done, but the dearest of all was at stake, her life would have changed with any bad news. She sees him in his handwriting, she hears his voice in his sentences, in his words that’s all how she can connect.

Every moment of their lives when they are not busy doing something, they live like this. Every day, every hour, every minute and second!

This might be my imagination based on news articles, documentaries or movies etc, but I believe in each and every word I wrote.

How would you live when you know that your loved one might never return? The feeling that you would have then is called FEAR.

They stop living like this only when a coffin trapped in tri-color arrives at their door step because they don’t have the loved one to lose now. The pain never goes away. Mr. I becomes Mr. India for the rest of the India; he ceases to exist, nobody sees him, people only count; 44 this time, 25 last time, 2 beheaded before that etc etc. Their anger is directly proportional to size of the number. Bigger the number more is  the  anger. But Mr. I was everything for his family who became a memory but not the number. The pain never goes away. May be time heals. May god give them the strength.

Atheists seem quite proud of themselves for not believing in anything but in themselves, let them put themselves in situations like this and tell the difference, everybody tends to believe in themselves till everything goes well for them. I have literally seen atheists who used to make fun of a lot of things but started even following vastu-shastra (as in, which direction to face while studying) once they failed a few subjects. Let science tell me the difference as in what did the 44 CRPF soldiers do different then the rest in the convoy to deserve martyrdom? Or what did the families of the 2446 solders do to keep living in extreme fear and haunted day and night by the thought of losing their loved ones?

As if the misery of those families is not enough by itself, a lot of so-called intellectuals add to their misery by using words. Words are powerful instruments, they have changed the course of the history in the past and have the potential to change the future as well. Some journalists try to dig up the reasons to justify the act of terrorism. Some out of their politics end up saying it was a soldier’s duty to die for the nation. Or even worse, people die! Shame!!

What a nice way to torture the families who have lost their loved ones! I cannot think of a better way.

People in Indian not only add to the misery of such families but also mock their fear. I don’t understand what kind of fear haunts Mr. Aamir Khan and Mr. Naseeruddin Shah. They go where they like, live how so ever they like. They do whatever they like in their lives even if it is despicable like when they come up with movies like PK humiliating a majority community in the country, or openly discriminate against them while recruiting for a show like Satyamev Jayate, which is supposed to be a social activist show, nothing happens to them. I am glad and proud that nothing happens and would hope and pray it stays like that. I seriously don’t understand their definitions of fear and intolerance.

But I seriously think that they are emotionally retard. People like them don’t keep a track of how many wives they have, or where and how many children they have or even allegedly fall in love with a girl as old as his daughter with his previous wife and that too when he was playing a role of her dad in the movie. It is our fault that we expect people like them to feel the pain for a sane family. “They” here is not limited to the two names or even some journalists, google it, look for them, they won’t know the pain of losing someone, because they don’t care, they can find another one, big deal.

Every fugitive or criminal be it a fraud, kidnapper, drug peddler, murderer, rapist or even a terrorist is fearful. They have to be, they asked for it. They had the freedom to choose, to say ‘No’ to whatever they don’t want in their lives; unlike that soldier and his family who know they might never see each other but still cannot say ‘NO’, their fear is unsolicited, they never asked for it.

It just makes me wonder, what did Aamir Khan and Naseeruddin Shah do in their lives that haunts them? May be they know something that we don’t.

A soldier also has the rights that we all enjoy. He has a right to love and to be loved. He has a right to enjoy his favorite dishes and other delicious meals cooked by his mother. He has a right to take care of his old parents. He has a right to flirt with his wife, see her all dressed up, go for long walks. He has a right to spend time with his little munchkins, play video games with them, see them growing up. He has a right to live. But he voluntarily sacrifices his rights and his freedom, so that we live free and exercise all our rights that he will not.

Even with all this Mr. I’s old father still shares his son’s brave stories with his old pals. Even though a tear or two trickles down his cheeks every time he returns home after sharing the stories, but he is proud of his son. Even though he lost his pillar of support in his old age, but he has no regrets for his son’s decision to choose nation over him. Even though Mrs. I now lives a life of solitude, but she doesn’t complain. And above all, the little munchkin, who grew up without a dad, saw the sufferings of his family, wants to be like his dad and joins Army.

But what did we the selfish, self-centered civilians do? — Counted the bodies! Kicked up a storm on Facebook or Twitter! Changed our display pics! Or even asked for a proxy or full fledged war! That’s nice, asked for even more sacrifices from families like these.

But what can we do as common law abiding citizens? Nothing but crib, blame the government. If you think so, you need to read my previous blog: They make sacrifices for ‘pathetic, losers with no self respect’, you would get some of the ideas that you could do to isolate the terror-istan and that too without using any sort of violence or protests. If you have more ideas like that, please do mention in the comment box.

Say no to war mongering, think different.

If you liked this article of mine, please stay tuned for the next one: “Step by step tutorial to destroy a nation without firing a single bullet.”

Thanks for reading!

Also Read: Entangled Kashmir: A web of poor and selfish decisions

Cross pathy by AYUSH vaidya and AYUSH Ministry

S Ranganathan
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Cross pathy by AYUSH vaidya and AYUSH Ministry

Science can grow and develop in India only through private organization and certainly not by research institutions that are run by state or central government. One of the reasons is the behaviour and value systems of people that prevail in Indian soil. Indians by and large are futuristic, security seeking type of people. If we carefully analyse the mind set of majority of people in India, they would often claim that government job to be safe as it offers job security. In simple term, most people expect safety and security from the organization they work and not from own skill, expertise or educational qualification. Naturally when security is assured, people are bound to bury their skill, knowledge or expertise because they are not required for job security. This is the reason why large sections of people in most Government establishments and establishments that offers unquestionable job security are inefficient, indifferent, irresponsible and unproductive.

If we analyse the research output from several research institutes that are run by government from the above perspective, we can undeniably accept the fact that the poor performance of people are only due to the so called job security offered by all these institutions.

The story of AYUSH is no way different. Expecting any great research outcome from the government AYUSH research institutions has no meaning and any dramatic change in AYUSH research is possible only if the AYUSH vaidyas in private practice are integrated.

India has derailed the mission of AYUSH research by being indifferent and irresponsible towards cross pathy by AYUSH vaidyas in private practice. The vaidyas when engaged in cross pathy are bound to neglect AYUSH and such situation would progressively erode the credibility of AYUSH. As a result, people have started to give AYUSH only the value of pickle during lunch or dinner. Further cross pathy also has threatened our health care delivery especially in rural India. Although remembering the names of certain basic allopathic drugs are quite easy but treating poor patients based on such wisdom will be fatal because allopathic system is deeply rooted in science of diagnosis, condition of the disease and other health aspects; before administering the drugs. In truth, AYUSH vaidyas does not have such knowledge or training in allopathic system although many may claim that they have dual expertise both in AYUSH as well in allopathic science. Such viadya take pride to promote their identity more as MBBS doctors than AYUSH vaidya.

If cross pathy is declared as national disaster and crime against humanity, many AYUSH vaidyas in private practice would be compelled to re-validate the real efficacy of several AYUSH recipes and such rigorous scientific scrutiny would result in several effective AYUSH recipes to humanity for paramedical and wellness benefits. Those who do not have such passion would move away from AYUSH. The end result would be only committed AYUSH vaidyas working for the cause of humanity and AYUSH.

When the society started to get effective and well proven AYUSH recipes from AYUSH vaidyas in private practice, such situation would compel the government to question the relevance and significance of all those AYUSH research institutions. In order to avoid such situation, the government AYUSH research institutions also may start doing some research at least for the name sake.

Today, corss pathy by AYUSH vaidyas in private practice impede the growth and development of AYUSH. Most of the AYUSH vaidyas in private practice through cross pathy lose interest in own system and fail to validate the efficacy of AYUSH products. With the help of scientifically proven allopathic drugs (cross pathy), some vaidyas in private practice in fact are engaged in quackery. They in fact use AYUSH to attract the innocent patients as most patients believe AYUSH to be safe, time tested, removes the root cause of the disease but engage in cross pathy.

By banning cross pathy and positioning AYUSH as paramedical wellness based system and AYUSH vaidyas as health & wellness experts that as doctor, AYUSH can be made distinguishable to humanity.

Increasing the ratio of doctors to patients should not result in promoting quackery and cross pathy. AYUSH is meant for making healthy society wherein both mind and body are treated together.

Several recipes of AYUSH are nothing but the extension of food like ginger, pepper, neem, clove, tulsi, turmeric etc. Cross pathy will do no good either to AYUSH or to the society.

Tamil Nadu government and the new Health Secretary must take every step to weed out cross pathy by several Siddha vaidyas in private practice in rural Tamil Nadu.

Siddha system of healing is linked with Tamil tradition, culture and is part and parcel of saiva siddanda. Therefore the government of Tamil Nadu and the Health Secretary has great responsibility to develop the Siddha system of healing and which is possible only if cross pathy by several institutionally qualified Siddha vaidyas in rural Tamil Nadu is stopped and swift legal action is initiated against the offenders.

A feather in the BJP-led NDA Government’s cap

G Indira
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A feather in the BJP-led NDA Government’s cap

The invitation to India as a ‘guest of honour’ by United Arab Emirates (UAE) that hosts the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) Conclave to be held on 1st March indicates the success of this BJP-led Central Government’s foreign policy. This offer creates a platform to put subtly but effectively India’s stand on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism to the Islamic countries. This is the first time after a long gap, India has been invited to OIC. With the backdrop of Pulwama-soldiers terror attack, with escalating tensions between the two- countries (Indo-Pak), this is an opportunity for India to seize and to put forth her (India’s) point of view to the Islamic world. India got this chance after fifty years of humiliation as it was literally thrown out at Pakistan’s insistence from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Moroccan Capital Rabat in 1969.

The entire credit for the invite goes to Narendra Modi government for its improved ties with the Islamic nations right from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia and also with countries like Qatar and Oman. These partnerships converge in security, economic and political ties. India has a strong bilateral ties with UAE and an extradition treaty to handover economic offenders/fugitives running out of India to UAE. That’s how India got back Christian Michel of -AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case who is lodged now in judicial custody in the CBI case related to the scam.

The geographic factors, economic factors and strategic factors dictate a country’s foreign policy. Geographically, our country cannot change its neighbor Pakistan. Pakistan is always a pain in the neck. That country has a grouse on India since the time of its inception. Kashmir seems to be an alibi. The growth and development of India is an eye-sore to Pakistan. And China’s sole strategy is to contain India in the region in anyway.

India has to keep in mind that a war with Pakistan is a war with China. Limited attacks would definitely escalate and mount up tensions. From Pulwama incident, India should learn lessons: that it should always be vigilant in the Valley and also to an extent in the rest of country for such Fidayeen attacks. It should gear up its intelligence to a higher degree. Internationally, Pakistan should be isolated, which anyhow the government has been doing. Though the war-mongering is understandable in the present situation, it should be kept in view that it costs dearly to our country and it impedes progress and development and it throws the country into the clutches of poverty.

To avenge Pulwama, the BJP government is fit to take action, at least next time round, when it comes to power. For the party is nationalistic, it could strategize and execute covert operations if needed whereas the other parties have no such gumption. These covert ones need time and strategic mechanization. Pakistan is hitting hard India by backdoor methods and heinous acts. It needs to be answered in the same coin. Pulwama attack happened as India was complacent at that point of time though the intelligence sent feelers. Somehow, it could not connect the dots. It should be our turn to retaliate on Pakistan, when Pakistan is complacent and is enjoying its me-moment in future. For one attack of Pakistan, a counter one of such nature, is the only answer.
Days of resilience are over. India cannot sit as a lame duck any more. All the Islamic countries are not in one voice. Iran is clearly against Pakistan. America requires Pakistan now for a short time, for its troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and to negotiate a dialogue with the Taliban. So, once Taliban agrees to American conditionality and is set-free to rule, Pakistan gets again emboldened. Their combined vengeful ire would be on India to free Kashmir. So, India needs preparedness for all these contingencies.

Hopefully, Sushma Swaraj’s presence at the OIC plenary may give different perspective on J&K and Pakistan to the Islamic Heads, as she is a seasoned politician and an articulate speaker. The opening-up of OIC to India, in itself, is a good sign of achievement.

Busting the TANDOORI CHICKEN myth

Desi Writer
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Busting the TANDOORI CHICKEN myth

Undoubtedly, every non-veg Indian is a die-hard fan of Tandoori Chicken. We take pride in calling ourselves Indians when the topic of discussion is Tandoori Chicken. But it is a common belief, or rather the ‘so-called’ that Tandoori Chicken is a Mughlai Dish. But is it really a dish Mughals can take credit for? Is it really the dish the Bawarchis of Shahi Bawarchi Khana could take credit for? Let’s see. Here is a point by point rebuttal of the most popular beliefs that force us to believe that Tandoori Chicken is a Mughal Dish.

  1. THE TANDOOR 

Historians in gastronomy have over the years established the fact that Tandoor originated in Central Asia or the Middle East. But there are many archaeological pieces of evidence that show that similar cooking was existent in India and not brought by the Mughals. A recent archaeological survey brought forth the fact that clay and mud ovens resembling Tandoor are numerous at Harappa and Lothal, two major sites of Indus Valley Civilisation. They have also found charred chicken bones, suggesting that the ovens were used to prepare non-veg delicacies as well. Now, one can as well debate that was it Indus Valley Civilisation from where the Middle East got the influence of Tandoor? As Indus Valley Civilization vanished, so did the facts that Tandoor originated in the valleys of Indus. So did Humayun, actually return us what was once gifted by our ancestors to his?

2. THE RECIPE

On a close survey of the recipe of Tandoori chicken, one can deduce many astonishing facts. We know that Mughals descended from Genghis Khan, a Mongol and Timur Lane, a Central Asian. Both these geographical regions are famous for many things but their spice. It is not a hidden fact that all countries on the world traded spices from India. So it is very doubtful that a recipe with use of such intricate spicing could have come via the Mughals. Another possibility is that the recipe was created in India, by the Mughals. But this can be easily denied as there are no mentions of this blockbuster recipe in any Mughal texts or literature. Further, the use of chilli for colour in Tandoori Chicken is a great example of traditional Indian cooking.

3. THE MOST ACCEPTED VERSION

The most accepted modern version of the Tandoori Chicken recipe belongs to Peshawar. In the late 1940s, this dish made its first worldwide public appearance. The dish is said to have originated in Moti Mahal restaurant, in modern-day Peshawar. It was created by Kundan Lal Jaggi, Thakur Dass and Kundan Lal Gujral, all Punjabi Hindus. This dish reached the US around the 1960s. This popular story also has no mention of Mughals. The reason they get their undeserving credit is due to the word Tandoor, for the oven in which it was cooked, was believed to have been brought by Mughals.

Further, it is very evident that Tandoors and similar ovens, both in the West and the Middle East are predominantly used for baking stuff, like bread, pizzas etc. Two most important inferences thus are that Tandoori Chicken can’t be Mughlai because of the use of extravagant Indian spices, and its recent origin from Peshawar. This has been fashioned by Indian liberals, who have always been attempting to whitewashing the image of the Mughal rule in India, sometimes using cuisine and sometimes architecture. It is time we stop blindly following myths and try digging the truth, as the distortionists have been dismantling the truth and it is our responsibility to know the truth.

So, the next time you order Tandoori Chicken, don’t forget to thank the Harappans, while you devour into the beauty that is- The Tandoori Chicken!

P.S.: This article, however, does not rubbish the claim that Mughlai dishes like Biriyani, Kofta, etc. was brought by Mughals.

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