अंतरराष्ट्रीय वोक मीडिया रिपोर्ट द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से किये गये एक सर्वे की रिपोर्ट सामने आई है। रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि दीपावली की पूर्व संध्या पर अयोध्या में जो पंद्रह लाख दियों को प्रज्जवलित किया गया उससे धरती के वायुमंडल का ताप पौने-साढ़े एक गुना बढ़ गया है। इससे पृथ्वी के मौसम में बदलाव आने की संभावना है जो पृथ्वी के पर जीवन के लिए खतरा बन जाएगी।
अपनी इस रिपोर्ट में झांसा के वैज्ञानिकों ने गत रात्रि भारत के ऊपर मौनी-ट्रिंग के लिए छोड़े गए उपग्रहों से प्राप्त छायाचित्रों का विश्लेषण कर बताया कि प्रज्जवलित किए गए दीपों का ताप इतना अधिक था कि हिमालय के कई ग्लेशियर रिपोर्ट पढ़ते ही शर्म के मारे लाल होकर पिघल गए हैं जिससे भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप के तटीय देशों के अस्तित्व पर खतरा मंडराने लगा है। तटीय देशों की सामुद्रिक जैव विविधता पर भी संकट उत्पन्न हो गया है।
अंतरराष्ट्रीय वोक मीडिया संघ के प्रमुख मिस्टर हैदर सैमुअल ने रिपोर्ट जारी करते समय प्रेस कांफ्रेंस में कहा- ‘भारत एक परंपरावादी पिछड़ा देश है। इसकी परंपराएँ पिछड़ी और गंदी मानसिकता का प्रतीक हैं। आज देश में एक विशेष फासीवादी विचारधारा हावी होती जा रही है जिसके चलते जो काम पहले अस्तित्व में नहीं थे वे भी अब हो रहे हैं। अयोध्या में प्रज्जवलित पंद्रह लाख दीप इसी विचारधारा के प्रकटीकरण का हिस्सा हैं। आप स्वयं सोचिए कि हंगर इंडेक्स में 107वीं रैंक पर स्थित एक देश जिसमें लोगों के पास खाने के लिए भोजन नहीं है वह पंद्रह लाख दीपकों में टैक्सपेयर का धन खर्च कर रहा है। जरा सोचिए कि इसके लिए खर्च किए गए तेल से कितने गरीब परिवारों का भोजन बन सकता था।’
आप स्वयं सोचिए कि हंगर इंडेक्स में 107वीं रैंक पर स्थित एक देश जिसमें लोगों के पास खाने के लिए भोजन नहीं है वह पंद्रह लाख दीपकों में टैक्सपेयर का धन खर्च कर रहा है। जरा सोचिए कि इसके लिए खर्च किए गए तेल से कितने गरीब परिवारों का भोजन बन सकता था।
‘भारत में सत्ता द्वारा प्रायोजित इन दकियानूसी परंपराओं की वजह से आज दुनिया का क्लाइमेट तेजी से बदल रहा है। अयोध्या में जलाए गए इन दीपों से आसमान में जो बादल बरसने के लिए ठंडा हो रहे थे वे पुनः गर्म होकर दूर छिटक गए हैं। परिणामस्वरूप जिन क्षेत्रों में इस समय खेती के लिए जल की आवश्यकता होगी वहां अब जल बरसने की संभावना समाप्त हो गई है जिससे लाखों किसानों का जीवन संकटमय होने की संभावना है।’- सैमुअल महोदय ने आगे अपने वक्तव्य में रिपोर्ट के प्रमुख बिंदुओं पर चर्चा करते हुए कहा।
रिपोर्ट का एक भाग दीपावली का जीवों-कीटों-पक्षियों पर प्रभाव को समर्पित किया गया है। इसमें बताया गया है कि दीपावली पर जलने वाले दीपों और लाइट्स की अधिकता से जीवों की आँखें चौंधिया जाती हैं जिससे उन्हें विशेष परेशानियों का सामना करना पड़ता है। दीपावली के दीपों से उठने वाले धुएं से पक्षियों पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पड़ता है। धुआँ उनकी श्वांस क्षमता को प्रतिकूल रूप से प्रभावित करता है और उनके अंडों में पल रहे बच्चे भी विकृत होकर पैदा होते हैं। इसके साथ ही दीपावली के दीपों का प्रकाश अनेकों कीटों के विनाश का कारण बनता है जो कि हमारी जैव-विविधता के लिए घातक है।
दीपावली पर जलने वाले दीपों और लाइट्स की अधिकता से जीवों की आँखें चौंधिया जाती हैं जिससे उन्हें विशेष परेशानियों का सामना करना पड़ता है। दीपावली के दीपों से उठने वाले धुएं से पक्षियों पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पड़ता है।
रिपोर्ट के सामने आने के बाद भारत एवं दुनियाभर के तमाम बुद्धिजीवियों ने इस पर अपनी चिंता जाहिर की है। भारत का बॉलीवुड समूह समूची मानवता को बचाने आगे आ गया है एवं सभी से डिजिटल दीवाली मनाने की अपील कर रहा है ताकि सभी जीव स्वच्छ एवं शांत जीवन जी सकें। टीवी पर विशेष जागरुक विज्ञापनों के माध्यम से लोगों को दीपावली के दिए डिजिटल रूप से जलाने के लिए जागरुक किया जा रहा है।
एक पर्यावरण एकताविष्ठ का कहना है ‘देखिए जीवन जीने का अधिकार सभी का होता है। हमारा कोई हक नहीं बनता कि हम चंद घंटों की खुशी के लिए जीवों को परेशान करें। इसलिए इस बार हम प्रदूषण रहित दीवाली मनाकर एक नई पहल आरंभ करें एवं प्रकृति की रक्षा करें।’- यह कहकर उस एकताविष्ठ ने वीडियो सोशल मीडिया पर अपलोड किया और अपने कुक को ऑर्डर दिया- ‘अरे वो कबूतर का सूप मंगाया था, इतनी देर में भी नहीं बना?’
रिपोर्ट प्रकाशित होते ही भारत में राजनीतिक रूप से माहौल गर्म होने लगा है। जहाँ किसान नेता योया ने कहा है कि अगर सरकार ने पूरी तरह दीपावली पर प्रतिबंध नहीं लगाया तो भारत के किसान पुनः एक और आंदोलन करेंगे। इस दीप प्रज्जवलन की परंपरा से बारिश का चक्र प्रभावित हो रहा है जिससे किसानों की उत्पादकता लगातार गिर रही है।
उधर अल्पसंख्यक भड़काओ प्रकोष्ठ के एक नेता ने अपने बयान में कहा है कि भारत की फासीबादी सरकार लाखों दीपक जलाकर भगवा रंग के प्रकाश को दसों-दिशाओं में फैलाकर अल्पसंख्यकों पर एक विचारधारा जबरन थोप रही है। इससे अल्पसंख्यकों की भावनाएँ आहत हो रहीं हैं। नफरत भरे इन पर्व-त्यौहारों को बढ़ावा देकर सरकार अल्पसंख्यकों को प्रताड़ित कर रही है। बस पंद्रह मिनट के लिए पुलिस हटा लो फिर देखो क्या होता है?
दीपावली पर हो रही इस बयानबाजी को देखते हुए सुप्रीम कोरट के जज ने अपने चक्षु खोलकर सुओ-मोटो लेकर दीपावली पर्व पर प्रतिबंध लगाने के आदेश केंद्र सरकार को दिए हैं। जज महोदय ने अपने जजमेंट में कहा है कि त्यौहार को हर्षोल्लास का प्रतीक होता है अगर उससे अल्पसंख्यकों की भावनाएँ आहत हो रही हैं तो ऐसे त्यौहार को मनाने का क्या औचित्य? इसलिए दीपावली त्यौहार पर पूरी तरह प्रतिबंध लगाकर इसमें से दीप हटाकर केवल ‘वली पर्व’ मनाया जाए।
भविष्य के ऐसे षड्यंत्रों से सावधान होकर अपने पर्व और त्यौहारों को पूरे उल्लास एवं समूह के साथ मनाइए। एक समुदाय के तौर पर सनातन की प्रतिष्ठा पूरे जगत में प्रसारित हो इसी कामना के साथ आप सभी को दीपावली पर्व की अनेकों शुभकामनाएँ।
We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. — Japanese proverb. The Congress presidential election is like that. Seriously, what is the outcome of the Congress presidential election? A spent-force, a time-tested party loyalist, an old-timer with no charisma, no new ideas, not a known face in the vast Hindi-Heartland, a person, who himself says that he is ever-willing to take dictates from the Gandhi family trio— shri Mallikarjun Kharge has become the president of the Congress Party.
In a democracy a ruling party needs a robust opposition. In fact, the BJP also wants it. The BJP can fight, willing and ready to fight, if the main opposition party gives the BJP a tough time. But with the president elect of the Congress, it is all a damp squib. Kharge could not prove himself as a capable debater in the parliament. As an opposition leader, he failed. How can he now prove outside?
As the president of the party, he needs to meet cadres rapidly i.e. in the fast pace, as and when required throughout the country. He needs to be always on toes. But at 80, his age goes against it. The president of the party should be impressive, articulate and prompt in answering questions by the media. He should be able to strategize how to win for the party. Let us think of Kharge’s home state of Karnataka. What was Kharge’s contribution compared to Yeddyurappa?
In an electoral democracy, a political party needs to win elections. In a series of elections, the Congress flopped. The party is out of sight in people’s minds. Like general elections, this party election is also a debacle for the Congress.
The Congress conducted elections out of compulsion: When Rahul Gandhi lost two parliamentary elections (2014 & 2019) back-to-back and gave up the presidency of the party, it became inevitable to conduct an election. Hence, for the Congress party, there is nothing to gloat over to have conducted elections democratically. To replace an unwilling- to -lead – dynast, the commoners need an election.
Apparently, this election is not free and fair. The Kharge’s candidature was backed by the high-command. Many Congress members believed Kharge’s opponent Shashi Tharoor to be an outsider to the party, though he professed himself a loyalist. Tharoor’s occasional honest praise for prime minister Modi, did not go down well with the Congress cadre. The Congress would not allow space to an intellectual to express his opinion. The Congress teases the BJP followers as Bhakts. If they are Bhakts, the Congress followers are servants of Gandhi-Parivar. What they are doing is mental-slavery. Bhakti is better than servitude.
Kharge and Dalit card
This Dalit-card is a tokenism. This was played by the Congress with Charanjit Singh Channi in Punjab. What was the result? Loss of face in the elections. Dalit issue matters, when the policies and strengths of the party are in the right place. There are Dalit leaders in other parties too. As a matter of fact, who will call shots in the Congress-Parivar-Party?
Not the Dalit-president but the defunct Parivar. The Dalit-leader is not groomed as such to have his say. Kharge (admittedly) says Gandhi-Parivar’s wisdom is paramount to him. Now, you could well-imagine the Parivar-trio’s wisdom and how it brought the party to gutters. Look at the strategy of Bharat Jodo and Congress’s president-election simultaneously. These two are divergent and one takes away the attention of the other. No proper planning for this party. How can they plan for the country?
Kharge and Biden comparison
When Kharge’s age is pointed out, the loyalist intellectuals of the Congress say — didn’t Joe Biden not compete in elections and win at seventy-nine? This is an odd-comparison. India has parliamentary elections and the U.S. has presidential elections. Joe Biden worked as Vice-President twice before becoming the president? What was Mallikarjun Kharge? At the most many times M.P. Like him, there are many M. Ps within the Congress and outside.
In parliamentary democracy, the president of a national party needs to be a well-entrenched 24/7 politician. In any case, the BJP tries to make the parliamentary election into a presidential one, as they have the strongest leader at the top i.e. the prime minister to win hearts and votes. Can Kharge face him—is the question. Right now the Congress party and the Congress cadre are satisfied because they are able to maintain the status-quo ante i.e. the Gandhi-Parivar at the helm and an ever-obedient Congress president to carry their command.
If there is any win (not likely in any case) the Parivar could take the credit and if there is loss the president-Kharge could have it. This tamasha will slowly unfold. Let Congressmen do as much servitude to Gandhi-Parivar as they wish to but should not drag the countrymen. Bharat is much bigger than the Congress-party or its loyalists, to join in their sycophancy.
भारत के गौरवशाली इतिहास में नारी शक्ति की सुरक्षा के लिए ना जाने कितने लोगों ने आदिकाल से ही बलिदान दिये हैं, इतिहास में अनेक ऐसे उदाहरण है जिसमें लोगों ने अनजान नारी के लिए भी अपने प्राणों को दांव पर लगाने में भी कोई संकोच नहीं किया था। वैसे तो देश-दुनिया की हर धर्म व संस्कृति में नारी का विशेष बेहद सम्मानित स्थान माना गया है। लेकिन भारत की बहुसंख्यक आबादी विश्व के सबसे प्राचीन सनातन धर्म की बेहद गौरवशाली संस्कृति में नारी शक्ति के विशेष महत्व का बखान बहुत ज्यादा मिलता है, हमारे बेहद प्राचीन धर्म ग्रंथों, शास्त्रों, वेदों और पुराणों में जगह-जगह नारी शक्ति को बेहद सम्मान जनक रूप से पूजनीय स्थान प्रदान किया गया है, हमारी संस्कृति में श्रेष्ठ स्थान प्राप्त नारी शक्ति के बारे में मनुस्मृति में क्या खूब कहा गया है कि-
अर्थात – जिस स्थान पर स्त्रियों की पूजा की जाती है और उनका सत्कार किया जाता है, उस स्थान पर देवता सदा निवास करते हैं और प्रसन्न रहते हैं। जहां ऐसा नहीं होता है, वहां सभी धर्म और कर्म निष्फ़ल होते हैं।
लेकिन उस सबके बाद भी देश में नारी शक्ति के प्रति बढ़ते अपराध सभ्य समाज को झकझोर देने वाले हैं, हाल में घटित लखीमपुर खीरी रेप कांड, उत्तराखंड की मासूम अंकिता हत्याकांड आदि ने एकबार फिर से हम लोगों को यह सोचने पर मजबूर कर दिया है कि क्या देश में नारी को उपभोग की एक वस्तु मात्र बनाकर रख दिया गया है। वैसे तो देश में नारी शक्ति की पूजा का सबसे बड़ा महापर्व नवरात्रि शुरू हो गये हैं, अष्टमी व नवमी के दिन उपवास खोलने के लिए हम कन्याओं का पूजा करने के लिए लोगों के दर-दर पर जाकर भटकते हुए उनको ढूंढते फिरते हैं।
लेकिन बेहद अफसोस की बात यह है कि जिस देश की धर्म व संस्कृति में नारी शक्ति की पल में पल में पूजा होती हो, उसी देश में आज कुछ राक्षसी प्रवृत्ति के दरिंदों की दरिंदगी के चलते लोग आयेदिन अपने कलेजे के टुकड़े बेटियों की चिता जलाने पर मजबूर क्यों हो रहे हैं। हालांकि दिलोदिमाग को बहुत ही बुरी तरह से झकझोर देने वाली इन सभी शर्मनाक घटनाओं पर नारी पर आयेदिन अत्याचार करने वाले लोग भी शर्मिंदा और दुखी होने का जबरदस्त पाखंड व नाटक करते हैं और यह भी दिखाते हैं कि वह नारी शक्ति का बहुत सम्मान करते हैं। वैसे देखा जाए तो देश में बहुत लंबे समय से आयेदिन बेटी अब चिताओं में केवल जल नहीं रही है, बल्कि अब उस चिता में हम लोगों का यह भ्रम भी जल रहा है कि हम एक बहुत ही सभ्य, संजीदा व सुरक्षित समाज में रह रहे हैं।
आंकड़ों को देखें तो यह बिल्कुल स्पष्ट है कि पिछले कुछ वर्षों में देश में नारी शक्ति के प्रति विभिन्न प्रकार के छोटे व बड़े अपराधों में बहुत तेजी आ गयी है, लेकिन आज सबसे अहम विचारणीय तथ्य यह है कि आखिरकार देश में ऐसे हालात क्यों बनते जा रहे हैं, इस स्थिति पर हम सभी लोगों को नारी शक्ति के हित में आत्ममंथन करना ही होगा। राष्ट्रीय अपराध रिकॉर्ड ब्यूरो (एनसीआरबी) की हाल में जारी रिपोर्ट के अनुसार देश में वर्ष 2021 में वर्ष 2020 के मुकाबले नारी शक्ति के खिलाफ अपराधों में 15.3 प्रतिशत की बढ़ोतरी हुई है, इन आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, वर्ष 2021 में महिलाओं के खिलाफ अपराधों के 4,28,278 मामले दर्ज हुए हैं, जबकि 2020 में 3,71,503 मामले दर्ज हुए थे। 15.3 प्रतिशत की भारी बढ़ोत्तरी देश में महिला सुरक्षा के तमाम वादों और इरादों से इतर एक अलग बेहद कड़वी व झकझोर देने वाली सच्चाई बयान करती है। वैसे भी इस रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक देश की राजधानी दिल्ली महिलाओं के लिए सबसे ज्यादा असुरक्षित स्थान है जो सभ्य समाज को बुरी तरह से डराने वाले हालात है।
वैसे देखा जाए तो देश में पिछले कुछ दशकों से भारतीय समाज को एक पुरुष प्रधान समाज बनाने के चक्कर में लोगों के मन में यह एक आम धारणा बना दी गयी है कि सभी वर्ग के लोगों में एक ऐसी पुरुष प्रधान व्यवस्था कायम रहनी ही चाहिए जिसमें हर वक्त पुरुष ताकतवर बनकर के मुख्य केन्द्र में रहकर नारी को उपभोग की एक वस्तु मात्र मानकर उसके साथ अपनी मनमर्जी व विभिन्न तरह से अत्याचार करता रहे, जो कि सभ्य समाज व नारी शक्ति के लिए बिल्कुल भी उचित नहीं है। हालांकि दुनिया में भारत के सबसे प्राचीन सनातन धर्म की संस्कृति, परंपराओं व व्यवस्थाओं में पुरुष व नारी दोनों का ही बेहद विशेष अहम स्थान है, लेकिन ध्यान देने योग्य बात यह है कि उस व्यवस्था में नारी शक्ति का आदिकाल से ही बेहद विशेष पूजनीय स्थान रहा है। लेकिन आज उस सबके होने के बाद भी हमारे प्यारे देश में नारी शक्ति पर अत्याचार अपने चरम पर हैं। आलम यह हो गया है कि शहर हो या गांव, घर हो या बाहर, आयेदिन कुछ लोगों की निकृष्ट राक्षसी मानसिकता के चलते देश में आज किसी भी आयु व वर्ग की नारी शक्ति पूरी तरह से घर के अंदर या घर के बाहर कहीं पर भी सुरक्षित नहीं बची है। देश में नारी शक्ति के साथ छेड़छाड़, मारपीट, उत्पीड़न, अश्लील वीडियो बना लेन, जबरन देह व्यापार करवाना, बलात्कार, हत्या आदि जैसे जघन्य अपराध आयेदिन होने के चलते अब अपने चरम पर हैं, उससे हर आयु व वर्ग की महिलाओं के प्रति तेजी से बढ़ते हुए अपराध का ग्राफ हमारे सभ्य समाज के लिए भविष्य में एक बड़े खतरें का संकेत दे रहा है। एनसीआरबी के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक देश में प्रतिदिन 90 नाबालिग लड़कियों से बलात्कार होता है, जो कि बेहद डरावना है। आज के हालात पर मेरा मानना है कि अपराध के घटित होने के बाद कुछ लोगों के द्वारा अपराधियों के पक्ष में जो तर्क व कुतर्क करके जाति व धर्म के आधार पर वर्गीकरण किया जाता हैं, उससे पीड़ित पक्ष के साथ तो बड़ा अन्याय होता ही है, साथ ही यह प्रवृत्ति अपराधियों के हौसले बढ़ाती है, जो कि सभ्य समाज के लिए भी बेहद घातक है। वैसे तो सभ्य समाज के लिए आज लोगों की इस तरह की पक्षपातपूर्ण व बेहद अमानवीय मानसिकता को समाप्त करने की तत्काल जरूरत है, जिस प्रकार सभ्य समाज में जन्म, क्षेत्र, जाति, धर्म और लिंग के आधार पर भेदभाव को बढ़ावा देना ठीक नहीं है, उसी प्रकार से इनके आधार पर एक अपराधी के पक्ष में खड़ा होना भी बेहद घातक है, क्योंकि उस संरक्षण के चलते ही व्यक्ति को भविष्य में फिर नारी शक्ति के खिलाफ तरह-तरह के अपराध घटित करने का हौसला मिलता है, जो कि ठीक नहीं है।
हालांकि भारत सरकार लगातार देश में नारी शक्ति की सुरक्षा करने के लिए और विशेष रूप से उनके प्रति अपराध की घटनाओं को रोकने के लिए राज्य सरकारों के साथ सामंजस्य बनाकर निरंतर कार्य करती रहती है, लेकिन फिर भी देश में जो नारी शक्ति के प्रति अपराध में तेजी के हालात बने हुए हैं, उसको देखकर लगता है कि देश में अभी अधिक कारगर उपाय किए जाने की जरूरत है, सभ्य समाज से राक्षसों के सफाए करने के लिए सख्त जरुरी कदमों को तत्काल उठाने की जरूरत है। इसके लिए सरकार व समाज दोनों को ही मिलकर पहल करनी होगी और समाज में मृतप्राय हो चुके संस्कारों को पुनर्जीवित करना होगा, तब ही भविष्य में जीवनदायिनी नारी शक्ति सुरक्षित रह सकती है।
।। जय हिन्द जय भारत ।।
।। मेरा भारत मेरी शान मेरी पहचान ।।
दीपक कुमार त्यागी / हस्तक्षेप
वरिष्ठ पत्रकार, स्तंभकार व राजनीतिक विश्लेषक
भारत के गौरवशाली इतिहास में नारी शक्ति की सुरक्षा के लिए ना जाने कितने लोगों ने आदिकाल से ही बलिदान दिये हैं, इतिहास में
भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस आजादी के बाद से आज तक के अपने सबसे बुरे दौर से गुजर रही है, 2 राज्यों में अपने दम पर व 2 राज्यों में गठबंधन की बैसाखी के सहारे दम भर रही है राहुल गांधी आम जनता की नब्ज भांपने में अभी तक नाकामयाब रहे हैं, व उत्तर प्रदेश के चुनाव में प्रियंका गांधी का नेतृत्व भी 1 सीट से आगे पार्टी को परिणाम नहीं दिला पाया।
राजस्थान हर 5 वर्ष बाद सत्ता परिवर्तन के लिए जाना जाता रहा है अगर यह भी चला गया तो कांग्रेस अपने दम पर केवल छत्तीसगढ़ में काबिज रहेगी इन सब के इतर 2019 में चुनाव हारने के बाद राहुल गांधी ने कांग्रेस के अध्यक्ष पद से इस्तीफा दिया था, उस घटना को 3 वर्ष गुजर जाने के बाद कांग्रेस पार्टी अपना नया अध्यक्ष नहीं चुन पाई है पिछले 3 वर्षों से सोनिया गांधी अंतरिम अध्यक्ष के तौर पर कार्य कर रही है बीते सप्ताह मधुसूदन मिस्त्री ने काँग्रेस के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष पद के लिए चुनाव की घोषणा की जिसके बाद यह चर्चा ज्यादा नहीं है कि नया राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष कौन बनेगा इससे भी ज्यादा चर्चा इस बात की है कि क्या कांग्रेस का नया राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष उनकी पटरी से उतर चुकी गाड़ी को वापस रफ्तार से दौड़ा पाएगा।
राजस्थान सीएलपी की मीटिंग के दिन हुए घटनाक्रम के बाद अशोक गहलौत राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष की दौड़ से बाहर हो चुके हैं, अब शशि थरूर व मल्लिकार्जुन खड़गे ही टक्कर हैं, यह देखना दिलचस्प होगा कि गांधी परिवार किसको अध्यक्ष बनाना चाहेगा, दिग्विजय सिंह ने शुरुआती दिलचस्पी दिखाने के बाद अपना नामांकन वापस लेने की घोषणा कर दी है वो वैसे भी अपने बयानों को लेकर चर्चा में रहते हैं हिंदू आतंकवाद शब्द भी उन्हीं के द्वारा ईजाद किया गया था जिस पर उनकी काफी आलोचना भी हुई राजनीतिक तौर पर भी उन्हें इस बयान से काफी नुकसान उठाना पड़ा, मल्लिकार्जुन नौ बार के विधायक व मंत्री, सांसद रह चुके है दलित परिवार से आते है।
वही शशि थरूर पढ़े लिखे व पूर्व में विदेश में राजदूत के तौर पर कई देशों में कार्य कर चुके हैं इनकी अंग्रेजी के चर्चे दूर-दूर तक है अच्छे खासे पढ़े-लिखे व्यक्ति को भी उनकी अंग्रेजी समझने के लिए डिक्शनरी लेकर बैठना पड़ता है, क्या उनका हिन्दी में संवाद ना कर पाना उनके अध्यक्ष बनने की राह में रोड़ा होगा क्योंकि देश में अधिकांश सीटें हिन्दी बेल्ट के राज्यों में है, व शशि थरूर अभी तक एक जन नेता के तौर पर खुद को स्थापित नहीं कर पाए हैं, मल्लिकार्जुन खड़गे कर्नाटक के दलित नेता है, लेकिन काँग्रेस के लिए दलित कार्ड कभी लाभ का सौदा नही रहा, चाहे पंजाब के मुख्यमंत्री चन्नी का उदाहरण हो या बाबू जगजीवन राम का दोनों ही एक्सपेरिमेंट फेल साबित हुए है, और खड़गे तो स्वयं के राज्य के शीर्ष दो नेताओं में भी शामिल नही है।
देखना दिलचस्प होगा कि कांग्रेस आलाकमान का आशीर्वाद किस नेता को मिल पाता है। अध्यक्ष बनने के बाद भी कांग्रेस की चुनोतियाँ कम नहीं होंगी, गुजरात, हिमाचल प्रदेश के चुनाव में चंद महीने शेष है, परंतु काँग्रेस का संगठन विलुप्त है, कर्नाटक में डीके शिवकुमार व सिद्धारमैया के बीच शक्ति प्रदर्शन जारी है, महाराष्ट्र में संगठन का अता पता नही है, झारखंड के विधायक लाखों रुपये के साथ पकड़े जा चुके है, चारों तरफ कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष के लिए संकट ही संकट दिखाए दे रहा है।
राहुल गाँधी भारत जोड़ो यात्रा कर रहे है, पर यात्रा चुनावी राज्यों से दूर रहेगी! इस प्रकार लड़कर काँग्रेस अपना अस्तित्व बचा पाएगी, क्या नया कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष नरेंद्र मोदी व अमित शाह के सांगठनिक कौशल को टक्कर दे पाएगा? यह काँग्रेस नेतृत्व के लिए सोचने का विषय है।
गैर गाँधी नेहरू परिवार के अध्यक्षों की एक खास बात जरूर रही है, सभी का कोई खास जनाधार नहीं रहा है, इस बार भी कुछ ऐसा ही होने जा रहा है, आमजन को दिखाने हेतु चुनाव भी हो रहा है, व गाँधी परिवार को कोई चुनौती न मिल पाए उस बात की ध्यान में रखते हुए अध्यक्ष भी बिना जनाधार वाला नेता ही बनेगा।
मल्लिकार्जुन खड़गे के प्रस्तावकों के नाम पढ़कर तो यह स्पष्ट हो ही चुका है कि उनका अध्यक्ष बनना तय है, लेकिन शशि थरूर भी कमजोर चुनाव नही लड़ेंगे जैसा दिखाई पड़ रहा है, कांग्रेस का एक युवा गुट शशि थरूर के साथ भी दिखाई पड़ रहा है, लेकिन एक बात तो तय है कांग्रेस पार्टी को अब हर की जिम्मेदारी डालने के लिए नया अध्यक्ष मिल जाएगा।
One may like it or not, but the fate of West Bengal is sealed. BJP supporters of the state may be jumping around with enthusiasm about the prospect of the fall of the TMC government in near future for corruption charges. But this is their daydream.
There may be a very large-scale financial corruption of different types by the ruling TMC government or breaking of law and order in the state or absence of developments in all spheres of life; – but these can’t dislodge TMC from power through electoral politics.
TMC could easily digest the largescale financial scams like “Saradha”, “Narada” and “Rose valley” earlier and could win three consecutive elections to remain in power. Since 2011 people of West Bengal have been fed with a Chief Minister who is “Satotar Pratik” (Symbol of honesty) and her “Onuprerona” (Inspiration) is the source of all activities (Khela, Mela, Utsav and Freebee schemes) in the state.
In all non-Muslim democratic secular areas of the world, Muslims always vote for their community’s interest only. West Bengal is no exception. Before 2011, Muslims of West Bengal were with Communists and from 2011, they are with TMC. On Rohinghya and CAA issues, Muslims of West Bengal have shown their bare fangs publicly with support from the TMC government.
For winning election and to remain in power, a party needs about 45 percent of vote share in West Bengal. When 30 percent of that vote comes from Muslims of West Bengal in favour of TMC and rest 15 percent from Secular-Liberal and TMC member Hindus, there is no democratic means to defeat TMC in foreseeable future.
The tone was set by the first TMC Education Minister of the state Mr Bratya Basu in 2011 when he publicly announced to the opening of 10,000 new Madrasa in West Bengal. West Bengal became a lost case that day. After that, it has been a downhill journey only.
However, TMC would not have dared to initiate Islam-based politics in West Bengal without the precedence of the previous Left Front government for 34 years in the state. Those evil Communists not only encouraged illegal Muslim infiltration from Bangladesh to West Bengal but also damaged the brain of their Hindu supporters with Islam-oriented secularism. TMC later took those initiatives to a higher level only.
West Bengal has reached the point of no return. If ED, CBI and Central BJP government try to do too much of problems for the TMC government, there will be large-scale and severe Muslim backlash against Hindus across the state. West Bengal is full of local and Bangladeshi Jihadis and they may repeat Moplah Massacre or Great Calcutta Killings type of riots on Hindus in West Bengal. In that case, TMC will pass on all the responsibility for the communal persecution of Hindus to the BJP government at the Centre for its Hindutva agenda.
The recent (second week of October 2022) anti-Hindu riot by Muslims in different parts of Kolkata is an indication of that effect. Can any Hindu Bengali of West Bengal dare to imagine, even in his wildest dream, of Hindus doing an anti-Muslim riot in Dhaka? This evil gang of Left-Secular-TMC Hindus of West Bengal has lost the state to the Islamists in the name of non-existent and wishful Hindu-Muslim unity just for the sake of vote bank politics.
The red revolution which fought against the dynasties and dictatorship now has the same visage.
In today’s world where people want more freedom and happiness in their lives, communism has its fence before them. It is communist China that has shown the world how much it can be cruel. China imposed an over-strict lockdown at the time of COVID leaving Chinese people inaccessible to basic human rights. The irresponsible attack on the pro-democracy people of Hong Kong by the communist police is another example of limitless others.
Communism means social disconnection: The new age popular social media are banned in China. Chinese people are forcefully barred from expressing their lives to the world under the communist regime. In the name of communism, China has only one-party rule and the same choice to its people. A lighted dark of the 21st century. A huge 1.4 billion people are in a choiceless oppressive State. There is no happiness index, no criminal records, and no poverty data- all are scripted by the communist party. The error is its economy works as per capitalism. The party needs money with unlimited power. Expansionism comes lastly and vastly in its rule book to downplay rationalism over a narrow nationalism. It is the only way to divert its people’s attention from oppression.
Interesting, Russia is in a hybrid communist state. It counts itself as a democracy but Putin is the only ruler. Moreover, Russia is in a transition to become a strong eastern democracy in future.
Communism in West: West the selfish mad guy. The West never gives a permanent platform to anybody with different interests. West means self-interest, and self-interest means West. The only good thing is they truly want a free and happy society. Undoubtedly, the USA in the chair and Europe is its blind follower. So, they simply promote democracy as its soft power to influence the whole world. They want to shape the world as per their comfort zone. It will help people all over the world, because, again, it has freedom and happiness in its core.
The West has the biggest media and its reach all over the world. Communist people are using the very same means to secretly spread communist propaganda. The Communist community uses democracy to propagate but bars it for others in its own land. In India, Chinese government officials publish pro-communism articles in leading newspapers. But, on the other hand, the communist party put a ban on Indian and western news media in China.
West, the big boss USA know all of these. Then why is the West allowing it? It goes against the spirit of democracy?
USA, the clever power is using these communist people just to control the rising power like India as its internal politics is very much vulnerable. Western media influences Indian politics and the USA controls India with Pakistan.
Basically, USA; west using anti-India forces to manage India and allowing communist people to write against India. The West, the USA never allow communism in its land. Once the USA’s need is over, the communist ideology will shrink in the West. It will be a Communism of Errors in West.
India needs to maintain its non-alignment policy. The success of self-reliant movement can give India an extra mileage to stand strong and take unbiased decisions. All the pro-democracy people ought to stand by India in this changing world order. India’s rise is the rise of Democracy. India’s emergence is the emersion of International Equality.
Name of the greatest ruler prior to emergence of Islam in India, Maharaja Jaichand has been employed as slur for a traitor by all hues of historians and politicians. The narrative has so effectively been integrated into the national consciousness that the name Jaichand has become symbolic of betrayal and collaboration with the enemy. Interestingly, no historical evidence exists to substantiate the allegations so expansively employed by all and sundry. Not one Muslim chronicles of the times had mentioned it, no Indian sources speak of this perfidy or any other sources are available to abuse the name of a Dharma Parayan Chakrawarti Maharaja. It shall be an endeavour of this article to study the accuracy and truthfulness of the claim of betrayal made against Dal-Pangul, Narapati, Asvapati, Gajpati, Vidhyavachaspati Maharaja Jaichand.
Principal of Scientific Methodology
Today’s world is a scientific age where every thing is judged based on the scientific methodology and evidence. The said Facts must stand scrutiny of the elements of application of mind, a supposed Fact cannot be accepted merely because it’s been repeated ad nauseam by certain persons or a work of an individual. Discovery of truth is not supplicant to the established theories for the researchers, it must stand the test of methods applied by the researcher in his pursuit of Truth. New evidence has often been found to change the established history into irrelevance. We shall examine the factors which proves the innocence of Maharaja Jaichand in a scientific context.
Cause for Second Battle of Tarain 1192 !
The most compelling reason for the attack by Ghori was to retrieve his honour after the demoralising defeat by Prithviraj Chauhan on battlefield of Tarain, the previous year. Ghori who suffered an injury in the First Battle of Tarain and barely escaped being captured was rescued by his personal bodyguard who staked his life to save the Sultan. JH Gense in History of India, 1954, writes thus…
Briggs in his translation of Ferishta’s Tarikh has reiterated that Jaichand had no role in the second battle of Tarain as has been perpetuated in history. He ascribes the second attack to the shame of defeat in the year preceding his attempt at regaining his honour. There is no mention of any invite by any contemporary ruler in India. The basis of this conjecture is a story with dubious evidence.
Briggs’ translation & Cause of Ghori’s second attack.
Basis for the Alleged Betrayal !
The alleged betrayal has its genesis in the work of Rajshekhar Suri in Prabandhkosha writing around 1345 CE, a 150 years after Maharaja Jaichand met his glorious death in the battlefield of Chandawar in 1194. Suri in the chapter ‘ShriHarsh-Jayantchandra-Prabandh mentions a concubine named Suhab Devi. This Suhab Devi or Suhaba Devi was a widow of one Shalapati, probably a feudatory of Jaichand. She was a renowned beauty and accomplished in the art of politics and governance. She was obtained by a minister named Padmakar and presented to Jaichand who took her as his Bhog-Patni or a concubine. She had tremendous influence over the Maharaja and interfered in the running of affairs, was also called Kala-Bharti. ShriHarsha, the poet laureate of the court of Jaichand was titled Nara-Bharti, Suhab Devi developed an animosity owing to her zealousness for ShriHarsha. The incident of her asking ShriHarsha to put her footwear on her, thus humiliated the wise Minister retired from court and spent his remaining life as a hermit.
Rajshekhar speaks of another incident involving the Prime Minister Vidhyadhara of Jaichand & Suhab Devi. Jaichand had two sons, one a legitimate son from his Queen and another from Suhab Devi. On coming of age, Jaichand sought the counsel of Vidhyadhara on the question of his heir. Vidhyadhara, an adept at art of polity advised the King that his legitimate son is the rightful heir to the throne of Kannauj and Antarvedi, the Ganga-Yamuna Doab. Thus denied the throne for her son Suhab Devi sent a missive to TakshashiladheeshwarSurtan to attack Jaichand. Vidhyadhara informed the King of the conspiracy hatched by Suhab Devi but Jaichand blind in love with this character of Suhab Devi paid no heed to the warnings of Vidhyadhara. The wise Minister thus humiliated committed Jal-Samadhi in Ganga. However, it’s clear on certain things even we accept the theory provided by Rajshekhar some 150 years after death of Jaichand:
1. That ‘Surtan’ or Ghori was never invited by Jaichand and he had no information of the same
2. It was Suhab Devi who invited Sihabuddin Ghori when frustrated in her designs to get her son appointment as heir apparent.
3. Though Rajshekhar has blamed Suhab Devi, it still doesn’t prove that Ghori attacked on invitation of the concubine.
Merutung in his Prabandh Chintamani has mentioned Suhab Devi as the protagonist of the conspiracy against Jaichand. Vidhyapati in Purush Pariksha also alludes to the death of Jaichand at conspiracy by Shubha Devi or Suhab Devi.
Views and Opinions of Historians !
Generally historians have accepted that the claim made against Maharaja Jaichand is not true. They have declared this assertion as untrue & ill logical as there exists no evidence whatsoever to substantiate the supposed Fact that Maharaja Jaichand invited Ghori to attack Prithviraj Chauhan. We present the views of some of the the leading historians who have formulated their own views independently. Dr RK Dikshit and Dr KD Vajpeyi writing in their work ‘Kannauj’ in 1955, “Prithviraj was defeated by Ghori in the second battle of Talawari, it paved the way for establishment of Muslim Rule in India. Jaichand had not assisted Prithviraj for which he paid soon after when he too died on the battlefield of Chandawar. This is an uncontested fact that Jaichand did not assist Prithviraj in the battle against Ghori and it was a great political blunder but it in no way implicates Maharaja Jaichand of betrayal or inviting Ghori against Prithviraj. It should be noted that Kannauj was the imperial capital of India not Delhi or Ajmer. The consequences of the decision of Jaichand not assisting Prithviraj were far reaching and catastrophic for the Country but there is no evidence of a collusion between Ghori and Jaichand. Muslim chronicles have acknowledged Maharaja Jaichand as the paramount ruler in India. Ibn Nasir in Kamil ut Tawarikh has called Maharaja Jaichand as the most powerful sovereign of India.
RC Mazumdar in his book Ancient India has stated that the allegation of Jaichand inviting Ghori has no legs to stand upon. In his words, “There’s is, however, nothing to support the current story that Jayachandra invited the Muslim King to India to wreak his vengeance against Prithviraj”. In his another book, Advanced History of India, pg 278, RC Mazumdar again rebuts the story of Jaichand inviting Ghori. He writes, “… the invasion of this country became inevitable corollary to Ghori’s complete victory over the Ghaznavids in Punjab”.
Dr Roma Niyogi in her History of Gahadvala Dynasty has refuted Chand Bardai and wrote that this allegation has been rejected by almost all historians. J C Powell-Price in History of Indiahas called the allegation baseless, he writes, “The story that Jaichand invited Mohammad Ghori to attack Prithviraj is presuming too much”.
Dr Niyogi
Dr R S Tripathi too has called this accusation as baseless. He based his observation on the fact that no Muslim chronicles have ever mentioned this in their writings over the centuries. Shri Mahendra Nath Mishra, renowned historian dismissed the charge against Maharaja Jaichand being a traitor to the country. He states that Chand was a court poet of Prithviraj and accepting his epic as history is far fetched. He wrote this in his article in National Herald in 1958.
Dr RS Tripathi and Shri Mahendranath Mishra
Dr Ishwari Prasad too has rejected the accusations against Jaichand however has stated that Jaichand was a powerful sovereign who did not assist Prithviraj. Jaichand fought bravely on the battlefield of Chandawar where he died during fighting. Ibn Nasir in Kamil ut Tawarikhsays, Ghori knew that his hold on North was not permanent as long as Kannauj remains under Jaichand. Vincent Smith in Early History of India, Prithviraj led a Confedracy of Rajputs against Ghori at the second battle of Tarain. Though Prithviraj lost the battle but Smith has not blamed Jaichand for betrayal or invitation to Sihabuddin Ghori.
Lack of Contemporary Sources and Writings !
No contemporary author has even bothered to mention this accusation against Maharaja Jaichand. Not even the Persian or Islamic sources. Had there even been an iota of truth in this allegation, it definitely would have found a mention in any of the multitude of Muslim chronicles since Ghori. Some important observations on this accusation are as follows :
1. There is no mention of Jaichand inviting Sultan Ghori in Prithviraj Raso. It speaks of the story of abduction of Sayongita by Prithviraj leading to great animosity between the two. This rivalry led to establishment of Islamic Rule in India and destruction of both Prithviraj and Jaichand.
2. No Indian contemporary source mentions this important fact about betrayal by Maharaja Jaichand. Prithviraj Vijaya, Hammira Mahakavya, Rambha Manjari, Prabandh Koshanone speaks of this incident.
Later authors taking Bardai’s Raso as historical source have interpolated the story of Sanyogita in love with Prithviraj, the Swayamvara of Sanyogita and the institution of Rajyasuya Yagna by Jaichand and created a myth of Prithviraj-Sanyogita. Jaichand had no daughter, no historical records or evidence exists of Sanyogita except in Bardai’s Raso. Abul Fazal in Ain i Akbari has put out the Raso as authentic history and thus makes the same mistake as many others.
Another important aspect which has been missed by the detractors of Maharaja Jaichand is the fact that there is no evidence of either Prithviraj attacking Jaichand or the opposite. Both Jaichand and Prithviraj have been extensively written about in their own times, their exploits, their victories and conquests have been thoroughly documented but never did these two main protagonists prior to establishment of Islamic Rule faced each other on a battlefield. If that be the case why would Maharaja Jaichand invite Sihabuddin Ghori. Importantly, Jaichand is universally acknowledged the paramount ruler of North India.
It is also an accepted fact that Jaichand was powerful enough by himself to take on Prithviraj Chauhan, then where was the need to invite Ghori to attack the Chahamana.
Gahadvals after the fall of Imperial Pratiharas assumed the paramountcy of North. They had successfully faced the Islamic invasions over the centuries. Chandra Dev Gahadval (1085-1100) had defeated the Turushkas says KM Pannikar in his book, ‘A Survey of Indian History’. Madanpala or Madanchandra (1104-1113) also successfully repelled a Turushka army, he spent his years fighting the Muslims. His heir and the most powerful Gahadvala ruler Govindchandra defeated Turks many times. So did his heir Vijaychandra. Jaichand or Jayachandra before dying bravely in 1194 at Chandawar had successfully defeated the Turushka Hammir (Amir). He was titled “Nikhil-Yavana-Kshaykarta(Destroyer of Yavanas), The word ‘Yavana’ is used for the Greeks in Indian history but it was generally applied to all foreigners and Turks in particular in later years. Vidhyapati in his work Purush Pariksha has mentioned that Jayachandra many a times defeated the Yavana King, he says “बारंबारचयवनेश्वर: पराजयीपलायते” though it is not conclusive that Jaichand had faced Ghori before Chandawar in 1194.
The fable of Sanyogita-Prithviraj on which Chand Bardai based his epic Prithviraj Raso, has over the centuries had many recensions with newer additions. The earliest copy was found in possession of the Royal House of Bikaner which has no such mention. Raso has lost its historical relevance in light of critical studies of the epic and is relegated to being the foremost creation in Hindi language. GH Ojha, Dasharatha Sharma, HB Sarda, RV Somani, CV Vaidya and others have long gone discredited Raso as a historical source.
Conclusion
Gahadvala Kings have been known in history as Protectors of Hinduism, their contribution to Religion has been documented in their inscriptions, in their temple building, in their grants to Brahmins and even to Buddhists. Gahadvala Kings were Vaishnavas and had faced the Turks over more than a century, they knew of the iconoclastic zeal, brutalities and destruction by the Muslim armies and resultant consequences of such an invite. Mahmud Ghaznavi attack on Kannauj and subsequent attacks on Indian mainland had been fresh on the memories of the Hindu populace. Muslim armies were notorious for forcible abduction of women and slavery, it is incomprehensible that Maharaja Jaichand, an ardent follower of Vaishnavism would have invited Sihabuddin to attack Prithviraj even after knowing the conduct of Muslim armies in India over the centuries.
The only thing which remains unanswered is that why did Jaichand not extend his support to Prithviraj in the times of a calamitous attack on the Hindu heartland ?
I don’t want to venture into the unknown but have this distinct idea that neither did Prithviraj seek assistance from Maharaja Jaichand nor did Jayachandra offered help to him in his fight against Sihabuddin Ghori. Besides, an unwritten law of Statecraft needs an applicant to ask for assistance from his neighbouring State to wage a war against an opponent. This aspect has been overlooked by the over zealous proponents of Prithviraj and find it convenient to make Maharaja Jaichand a scapegoat in the historical narrative being created at behest of vested interests.
Leading up to the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the Karnataka Hijab controversy, there were many opinions being expressed on both sides of the argument.
Muslim intellectuals tell you that Hijab is a symbol of Muslim Identity, or that it stands for a woman’s Modesty or represents her Piety as a Believer. Across the world today, intellectuals and liberals see Hijabism in their community as a healthy proof of their own Inclusivity, Diversity and Tolerance. The right to wear a Hijab is seen as a fundamental freedom, particularly in societies that claim to be free or secular. On school walls in the West, you will now always find a banner of little tots of different races holding hands in a circle with one little girl in a hijab – a proud proclamation of diversity.
An argument in support of allowing Karnataka school girls the choice to wear the Hijab asks a fair question – Why not allow the Hijab in school if it does not adversely affect followers of other faiths? Here is an inconvenient possible answer – Hijab hurts the other communities as it has throughout our history of conquests and freedoms.
Islam as a religion is unique in that it defines itself in the context of other faiths. A binary exists for every Muslim through the first pillar of Islam – “There is no God but Allah”, which clearly differentiates between the brotherhood of Muslims who swear allegiance to Allah and the non-believers who don’t. Superiority over non-believers is attributed to religious texts and in the living domain through rituals. Examples of rituals are purity in Muslim foods through Halaal, Religiosity in a forehead callus (“Zabiba”) resulting from repeated prostration in prayer, personal sacrifice through rigorous fasting during Ramadan, Devoutness and Virtuosity through sporting a distinguishing long beard, the predominant use of the Arabic script in which Allah’s words were revealed to mankind. With the Hijab, add Modesty and Piety to that list.
For the conservative Muslim eyes, a woman covering herself in black from head-to-toe Niqab or Burqa could be seen as superior – more pious than one covering her arms and torso in a Hijab or one just covering her head in a convenient scarf. Naturally, in the binary, any non-Muslim woman who has let her hair loose and is not similarly covering herself is seen as an inferior – impious, immodest, lust-seeking, ignorant being. The superior-inferior binary in faith is reinforced with a binary in attire.
Secularists and Muslim intellectuals will defiantly deny such a binary exists or that it matters, especially towards the female gender. They may attribute such conservative attitudes to poverty or incorrect interpretation of religious texts or being misguided.
The rest of us are divided. For one camp, Love Jihad, the abduction of Hindu women from streets in Pakistan, or the enslavement of Yezidi women by ISIS is evidence that Muslim men have a predatory attitude stemming from this superior-inferior equation of skin coverage. What matters is what the aggressor believes and acts on, not what we believe.
For the liberal-intellectual types, Love Jihad is a phrase concocted by Hindutva forces to malign and marginalize the minority community. Indian Muslims are different, they claim and Hijab is a matter of choice.
That claim is also debatable. If Hijab is a symbol of modesty, would any girl dare to look immodest among her peers? Modesty is naturally tied to the honour of the family. There is family pressure and peer pressure to conform. Then there are difficult choices when a Muslim girl chooses to rebel, as seen among some princesses who have dared in the Arab world or the occasional loss of someone’s life if she falls in love with a Hindu boy.
Whether a link exists or not between the Hijab and the attitude of Muslims towards others, the impact of Hijabism on the homogeneity of a free society is undeniable. Separateness through physical attire on a societal scale reinforces attitudes and hardens stereotyping on both sides. This then leads to the greater evil – self-segregation, where each side creates physical and artificial boundaries, which then further limits choices. You feel safer among your own and in the attire, your community will allow you to wear. Isolated communities breed radicalism and a youth dissonant from the mainstream. Hijab makes a woman “feel safe” or “protected” they say – from what exactly?
In America, the “Separate but Equal” doctrine for White and African-origin communities did not work in life or in education as the American Civil Rights movement proves. In 1954, the American courts decided that “Separate but Equal is not equal” ending legal segregation. The colour of the skin is not a matter of choice. White skin, black, pale or brown – you are born with it. The hijab in that sense is a self-imposed racial identity, which enables Muslims to collectively see themselves and act like a superior race. Do we have the courage to call out a medieval practice for its supremacist behaviour and belief?
The education institutions in Dakshina Kannada were equal to all students with no distinction of identity until the Hijab row. Indian courts should therefore deny this attempt to introduce clothing-based racial identity and reverse this equality. Just like “Separate but Equal” is not equal, “Equal but Separate” is also not Equal. Supreme Court must now decide whether the Right to Education for a few is more important than a Right to Coexist as equals for all.
The political Hindutva identity with which Yogi Adityanath is associated and with the huge public support behind what he himself has created, the yogi will never be defeated.
Yogi Adityanath, this name has its own meaning in politics. A political identity was attached to this name. And this name was considered a self-hero of a stream of politics. But it was never expected that this Yogi Adityanath would be defeated so quickly in the battle of politics.
It was expected that the entire Sangh and the conspiratorial faction within the BJP were trying to defeat Baba. But there was also hope that the political Hindutva identity with which Jogi was associated. And with the huge public support behind what he himself has created, Yogi will never be defeated. But the same thing happened which was not expected, in front of a single election in UP and the conspiracies of the Sangh, Baba was shattered. The political messages coming from Yogi Adityanath for the last few months are saying the same thing.
Yogi Adityanath had gone to Rampur just a few days ago. There he distributed government schemes in the program. A photo appeared on his page giving benefits of the scheme to a hijab-wearing Islamic Khatoon about that event. That is, Yogi Baba started giving secular messages. Similarly, for the program of the day of Teacher’s Day, an award is announced to an Islamic teacher. There are hidden messages in both of these things.
These things will seem very small in sight, but this is a big message for those who have a close look at Jogi Baba’s political image and the politics of his leadership. In which Yogi is seen to be made secular, and he is becoming. Just a few days ago, a folk singer’s chamche futuristic Facebook writer’s book, Sadak Chhap Sanghi Agenda, in which Hindu avatars and gods were described as human. In that too there was the testimony of Yogi Baba. All this happened under the influence of a minor folk singer. That is, if seen carefully, Jogi Baba is also being taken on the anti-Hindu line. And the DNA of the Sangh and the line making Ram the Imam are visible.
Is this happening like this? No it is not possible just like that. So has Yogi Baba lost in front of the conspiracies of the Sangh? And will he carry forward the anti-Hindu and pro-Islamic politics of the Sangh? Cheap Chanakya, Sangh and a faction of BJP put all their power to defeat Baba in UP 2022 with the help of tickets, Jats, Ahirs and Muslims. But due to the Hindutva image, the people unilaterally went in favor of Yogi. Has Jogi Baba not believed in this public? Or has the public stopped seeing them in flattery of special officers of the Sangh?
Yogi Baba’s biggest weakness, he lacks vision and a sensible team. The people having very simple vision with limited thinking up to Gorakhpur and making themselves VIPs by tying their status on the officers, is the game of the left hand of the officers. In the power of Yogi Baba, there is no right and political current. Perhaps that is why he has gradually come under the trap of the Sangh.
The dissolution of Hindu Yuva Vahini and more exposure of his Deputy Chief Minister also shows the weakness of Yogi. Let it be, but politics runs on a message. And if yogi baba is going against his own image and failing to deliver the message under the flattery of the Sangh officials. So it is declaring their defeat.
On 5th October Delhi Cabinet Minister of Social Welfare, SC, ST and Gurudwara Election, Rajendra Pal Gautam attended a conversion event in the National capital where around 10000 people converted to Buddhism. In the event, people took the 22 vows originally taken by Dr BR Ambedkar in 1956. Of those 22 pledges (I don’t intend to write them down here) first 5 are the vows to not worship Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Soon after the incident, he was accused by the BJP of disrespecting the Hindu religion. Under pressure, he resigned from his post on the 9th of October. I will not go into politics about this rather I will try to examine the vows that were drafted by Dr Ambedkar and whether these vows are integral to Buddhism per se.
Buddhism basic principles
Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism taught about four noble truths, (1) “Suffering”, (2) “Samudaya (Origin of suffering-desire)”, (3) “Nirodha (Cessation of sufferings) and (4) “Magga (Path to the cessation of suffering- the middle way)”. The ultimate goal of life is Nirvana (free from the cycle of death and rebirth) through enlightening oneself. There is no concept of God in Buddhism though it has the concept of Karma. People’s rebirth is decided by the deeds in their past life. It is true that Buddhism is a nontheistic religion but some of Dr. Ambedkar’s vows take this nontheism to another level.
Dr. Ambedkar’s Vows
Here are the first five vows of Ambedkar.
I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, nor shall I worship them.
I shall have no faith in Rama and Krishna, nor shall I worship them.
I shall have no faith in “Gouri”, “Ganpathi” and other Gods and Goddesses of Hindu religion, nor shall I worship them.
I do not believe in the theory of incarnation of Gods.
I do not and shall not believe that the Lord Buddha was the incarnation of Vishnu. I believe this to be, mischievous and false propaganda.
These five vows can be summed up in one line – I don’t believe in God and the Gautam Buddha himself has said it. But does Gautam Buddha mention some of the Gods in the Hindu religion and specifically tell people not to worship them? No.
When I was writing these five first vows, it felt like I am repeating myself in every sentence. It seems like a student who just wants to attempt a lengthy question but doesn’t have much material. If a person doesn’t believe in God, which is perfectly fine but if he mentions some of the names of Gods and Goddesses from his previous religion, what does that mean besides disrespecting the particular Gods? Nevertheless, the concept of Sagun Gods and Goddesses are very unique in Hinduism and it doesn’t work like people think it is.
Gods in Hindu religion.
As a child, I always used to think about why there are so many Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu religion. And also I used to hear that these are the forms of one God but that didn’t make sense then. But the deep study of Hinduism offers a very unique approach to this large nos. of Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism.
In his Book “The Great Indian Civilization” Pawan Khera has beautifully explained the concept of Sagun Gods in Hinduism. Unlike popular belief, Hindus also believe in a single universal spirit called Brahman. The ultimate goal of Hindus is to reunite their Atman (Soul) with Brahman. Here comes the main difference between monolithic religion V/s Hinduism – in Hinduism, it is believed that there are many ways by which an Atman can reunite with Brahman and different Gods are the different ways to reach the ultimate Goal. Different forms of Gods are aspects of that single entity called Brahman. When a Hindu worships a God, he or she is not worshipping the God per se, but through him, he is trying to reach his/her ultimate Goal, which means reuniting with Brahman. It is like thousands of rivers that lead to the same ocean. This flexibility to find our own path is the most beautiful thing about Hinduism. When Dr Ambedkar wrote his vows, it is very clear that he had a different kind of thinking about Hindu Gods and Goddesses. In Hinduism, there is no compulsion of worshiping a definite God or Goddess. Ambedkar’s pledging about some Gods and Goddess doesn’t make any sense. In fact, the ultimate goal of Hinduism and Buddhism is the same only the ways are different.
Negation V/S Name calling.
Almost all religions don’t believe in the Gods of other religions. They believe in their own God however they refrain from calling the names. Monolithic religions like Islam and Christianity believe in their God. It itself has the negation for Gods in other religions. It needs not to be specified. Name-calling of Gods may be insensitive to people who worship them. Hinduism is the only religion which recognizes other Gods as other ways to reach the ultimate truth. Unlike others, we do respect and truly practice tolerance. All other religions should do the same, if not at least should show sensitivity to others’ beliefs.
Religion is a deeply private affair and depends on an individual’s beliefs. One can pursue his own beliefs without being insensitive to others. It is very clear that some of the vows by Dr Ambedkar are inspired by the ill-treatment of Dalits in Hinduism. His personal experiences led him to write them down. But do all the new Buddhists need to repeat them?
Hindus and their introspections.
Hindus have realized that discrimination is based on caste and have taken multiple steps to discourage it. Hindu Gods can’t be attributed to the ill-treatment of Dalits in Hinduism. It is the social structure that is responsible for it. Shortcomings of social practices are completely different things and they have nothing to do with religion. In a religion like Hinduism which has thousands of religious texts and multiple theories, society can act in a way that is inhumane but the other texts provide the remediation as well. Texts like Upanishads talk about Brahman and Atman and encourage everyone to reach the highest goal. “Not only humans even every living entity is entitled to compassion and dignity” is the teaching of Hinduism. “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” is integral to Hinduism. It is wrong to say that caste-based discrimination is the only way to describe Hinduism. Hinduism is the only religion where everyone is welcome even the atheist. “Enlightenment of oneself” is also the core principle of Hinduism. No matter how Buddhism stands different nowadays but the fact is that Buddha was against the pageantry of religion and his philosophy is deeply inspired by Hinduism.
Neo-Buddhist and their obsession with Hinduism.
Once Osho said if your religion is good, you don’t have to repeat it before people. People will see it through your action. Similarly, some Neo-Buddhists are less focused on Buddhism but rather mock Hindus for their beliefs. If someone goes into another religion, he needs not abuse his past religion, should rather focus if he gets something meaningful in his new life. But in today’s world, everything has become a show of strength, even the religion which explicitly prohibits it. Many people are doing it without understanding the concept of multiple Gods in Hinduism. Hindus have shown great respect for Buddhism and the Dalai Lama is the official guest of the Indian Government. Dalai Lama himself said that India is the country that he would love to die in. There is no need to mock Hindus for their beliefs. In a democratic country, everybody is free to practice his own religion but none should be allowed to disrespect others.
