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मीटू के कारनामे

Hindi
Satire

Shatrunjay

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19 October 2018

आजकल मीटू चलन में है। कुछ दिन पहले एक अभिनेत्री अमेरिका से आयी और अपने साथ मीटू का तूफान ले आयी। यह तूफान पहले अमेरिका में आया था, अब हिंदुस्तान में। आते ही इस तूफान ने अच्छे-अच्छों को उड़ा दिया। बड़े मुद्दे भूल गए, सब मीटू में उलझ गए।

हर व्यक्ति आजकल दहशत में है, कि कहीं उसका मीटू न हो जाये। कुछ चुटकुले व्हाट्सएप पर आ रहे हैं, जैसे कि जो कल तक आपकी स्वीटु थी, हो सकता है वो आज आपकी मीटू हो जाये या फलां व्यक्ति मृत्यु के बाद अपने पीछे एक पत्नी, दो बच्चे व पचास मीटू छोड़ गए, इत्यादि।

आलम यह है, कि रोज़ एक मीटू का बम फूटता है, और कोई घायल हो जाता है। कुछ केस असली होंगे, कुछ ऐंवेंई। इतने नाम आ गए है कि सड़क पर कोई घूमता दिखे तो लगता है यह भी मीटू का केस है। कोई युवती अगर तोते को मिट्ठू कर के बुलाये तो भी लोगों को लगे यह मिटू कह रही है। यह एक दहशतगर्द शब्द हो गया इस महीने।

डर तो ऐसा मेरे अंदर भी ऐसा समाया है कि दो दिन पहले जब मैं मॉल गया तो सब लड़कियों से दूर-दूर ही चला। जब एक से टकराया तो सबसे पहले यह देखा कि यह कोई लड़की तो नहीं, शांति मिली कि आदमी था। भई, आज कुछ न हो, पर कल ट्वीटर पर आपका नाम ट्रेंड हो जाये, कि यह रहा एक और दरिंदा। गलत तरीके से छुआ। झूठे केस तो वैसे भी थोक में मिलतें है। नज़र हटी दुर्घटना घटी। इसलिए हम संभल के चले। ज़माना वैसे भी खराब है। पुलिस सवाल बाद में पूछेगी, पहले अंदर कर देगी। मुफ्त की पब्लिसिटी मिले सो अलग।

मीटू तो साब ऐसा छाया कि जो लड़कियाँ-औरतें मीटू पर बड़ी-बड़ी बातें कर रहीं थी, उनके घर में ही मीटू निकल आया। और अब उनके यहाँ लंबी चुप्पी छायी हुई है। एक शब्द नहीं। नीरव (जिसमे रव न हो, मोदी नहीं)।

पूरा बॉलीवुड इस मीटू के चपेट में आ गया है। अब तक सिर्फ बारिश ही ऐसी चीज़ थी जो मुम्बई में तहलका मचाती थी, अब मीटू भी शुरू हो गया। बीएमसी भी अब क्या करे। फिर मीटू आया राजनेताओं पर। एक विदेश मामलों से जुड़े मंत्री साहब पर भी मीटू लग गया। उन्होंने मानहानि का दावा ठोक दिया। नेताजी ने इस्तीफा दे दिया। जिन्होंने आरोप लगाए उन्होंने कहा कि यह उनकी नैतिक जीत है। है?

नैतिक जीत भी आजकल बहुत होती है। यूँ कोर्ट में शायद हार जाए, पर नैतिक जीत ले ली। एक पत्रकार महोदय तो कब तरह-तरह के व्यंजन खाते-खाते मीटू के शिकार हो गए, पता ही नहीं चला। कल तक दिल्ली की गलियों में देखते थे इन्हें, अब मीटू में देख रहें है। अब बस लोग उन्हें ‘दुआ’ में याद रखें।

बीस साल-तीस साल पुराने मामले निकल के आ रहे हैं। जवानी के जोश में आपने एक तोप चलाई तीस साल पहले, गोला अब आकर आपके ऊपर ही गिर रहा है। हाल यह कि 20 साल का नवयुवक हो या 70 साल का बुजुर्ग, सब अपने-अपने मीटू की चिंता में हैं। कब कहाँ से कोई मीटू टपक जाए। पता नहीं कौन सा गड़ा मुर्दा कब उखड़ जाए, और वे पूरी दुनिया के सामने एक्सपोज़ हो जाये। वैसे भी दुनिया ज़ालिम है, और सोशल मीडिया तो कटार है ही। कुछ नहीं भूलती।

हमारे यहाँ प्रधानमंत्री जी को एक रेडियो समझा जाता है। बटन घुमाओ और रेडियो चालू हो जाये। कहीं कुछ हो, प्रधानमंत्री को बोलना चाहिए। पहले राफेल कार्यक्रम चल रहा था, अब मीटू पर बोलो। बस बोलो। प्रधानमंत्री जवाब ही नहीं देते। तो लोग कहने लगे कि आप मीटू के विरोध में है।

इधर एक अंग्रेजी चैनल तो इस कोशिश में लगा है कि मीटू के आरोपी को सबसे पहले फाँसी दो, फिर आरोप सिद्ध करो। अच्छा हुआ न्याय व्यवस्था कोर्ट देखता है, नहीं तो यह चैनल ज़िल्लेइलाही हो गया होता। अब चैनल वाले एक-एक व्यक्ति को पकड़-पकड़ के पूछ रहे हैं कि उनकी क्या राय है मीटू पर, जवाब दिया तो ठीक, नहीं तो यह बाईट मिल जाये कि फलां नेता सवालों से बचता दिखा। अब आप तो हर किसी से सवाल पूछो, ये क्या बात हुई।

हमारे एक साथी ने एक लड़की को आई लव यू कहा, लड़की ने भी थोड़ा शरमाते हुए जवाब दिया मी टू। बस भाई को काटो तो खून नहीं। बहन-बहन कहते हुए राखी लेने दौड़े। पर मालूम पड़ा कि रक्षाबंधन तो गुज़र गया और अगले साल ही आएगा। अब वे ख़ौफ़ज़दा है।

पर असल बात यह है, कि इस मुहिम से उन लड़कियों की मुसीबत कितनी बढ़ेगी जो नौकरी करने बाहर जाती है? जिनके पास और कोई उपाय नहीं है? आपने ट्विटर पर कुछ लिख दिया, और आप शायद मुक्त भी हो गए लिख के, पर सड़क पर कोई लड़की कभी फँस गयी, तो क्या उसकी मदद की जाएगी तब? लड़कियों को नौकरी देने पर भी विचार किया जाएगा, अगर मिल गयी, तो हो सकता है कि उससे दूर रहा जाये।

गलत बात का विरोध होना चाहिए, करवाई भी होनी चाहिए, सज़ा भी मिलनी चाहिए, ताकि दोबारा ऐसा न हो। पर जब आप किसी के कंधे पर बंदूक रख कर चलाते हो, तो फिर आप पर भी उँगलियाँ उठती है। और इसकी गोली किसी का जीवन तबाह कर सकती है, इसलिए इसे बहुत सोच समझकर चलाएं तो ही अच्छा।

Reclaiming cultural identity is not antithetical to development

Opinions

anupam vats

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19 October 2018

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Reclaiming cultural identity is not antithetical to development

Yesterday Uttar Pradesh state government announced to restore the name of city “Allahabad” to its original name “Prayagraj”. And the decision has once again given an opportunity to pseudo liberals in India to show their hatred towards Indian culture and Hinduism.

Their criticism of restoration of name is based on their as usual hollow arguments under the veil of development, secularism etc. to target the majoritarian sentiments of country. But the root cause of their frustration is the rising consciousness of masses about their cultural identity. The apologetic attitude of pseudo-liberals and marxist historians towards Indian culture and values force them to hate everything which reflect the Indian values. It has nothing to do with development. Its their colonial mentality which taught them to feel ashamed of Hinduism and projecting Hindu Gods in always negative sense. They used to see perfection in western values and want to impose them here to spread their divisive agenda.

If development would have been the case, they would have compared Yogi government performance of one year with previous state governments. But they can’t put the facts in public domain because Yogi government has done much better job than previous governments. For Example take the case of health amenities; last year Yogi government had faced a lot of wrath of media and public on death of children in BRD Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur due to Japanese encephalitis. But this death toll crashed to six deaths from 86 of last year. This was due to various measures adopted by government to tackle the problem. Hence the problem is not lack of development but the problem is unapologetic nature of Yogi Adityanath.

The another aspect of their criticism is Hindu should not ask for temple, should not demand for correction of distorted history because basic amenities are still unavailable to masses. Their argument is quite similar to the statement that “don’t feed the animals till all the humans don’t get food”. It’s not that they want development but they want to halt the process of cultural renaissance in India. They need a fractured society and masses who feel ashamed to their traditions, festivals and religious identity, so that the country remains engaged in fighting with internal issues.

Truth of the time is we need reform in all fronts. While the government is investing hugely in improving physical infrastructure and has launched several programs, we also need to improve our social capital. We need a generation who feel proud in their tradition and culture and assert their cultural identity without being apologetic. And for this we need to reclaim our religious places, restore the names, and rewrite the history.

Here is why Sabarimala verdict is a perfect case for review

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shobhit27

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19 October 2018

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Here is why Sabarimala verdict is a perfect case for review

By looking at the heroic celebration, prima facie, it seems that recent Sabarimala verdict by Supreme Court of India where the women between the ages of 10 and 50 are allowed to enter Sabarimala temple is a kind of victory over bad by good backed by overdose of modern values. But the moment you will land on reality after this philosophical journey, you will see a blunder in making. Now, people’s reaction to Sabarimala verdict shows that Supreme Court should upheld the faith of Ayyapans. Even the women devotees of Lord Ayyapa are opposing this verdict and ready to die for the cause. This shows the kind of devotion they have towards the deity.

Since, the case represented as a case where reason has triumphed over prejudice. It has become mandatory to well verse with the facts, and so we need to start with the history of temple. In the 12th century, Manikandan, a prince of Pandalam dynasty meditated at the Sabarimala temple and became one with the divine. It has been believed that Manikandan was an avatar of Ayyappan and belief is the deity is a ‘Naishtika Brahmachari’ which means an eternal celibate, the one who practices strict penance, and the severest form of celibacy.

To be a part of the Sabarimala pilgrimage it is required to undertake 41 days of religious penance known as ‘Vratham’, barring the women of the age between 10 and 50. This practice had prevailed from centuries based on a belief that Lord Ayyappa was a ‘Naishtik Brahmachari’. Here it is important to mention that in the case of S. Mahendran v. The Secretary, Travancore Devaswom Board, Thiruvananthpuram, AIR 1993 Kerala 42, this practice was termed as an essential practice of the Sabarimala temple by the Kerala High Court.

In the present case of Indian Young Lawyers Association and others v. State of Kerala and others, petitioner challenged the rule 3(b) of the Kerala Places of Public Worship (Authorization of entry) Rules, 1965. Wherein, Hon’ble Supreme court said that exclusion of women in the age group of 10 and 50 from the Sabarimala temple represented a conflict between the group rights of the temple authorities in enforcing the presiding deity’s strict celibate status and the individual rights of women to offer worship there.

Principal defense from the side of managing authorities of the temple was that the Sabarimala devotees have constitutionally protected denominational rights that they were entitled to prevent the entry of women to preserve the strict celibate nature of the deity, and that allowing women would interfere with an essential religious practice.

Earlier, Hon’ble Supreme Court in Shirur Mutt Case, 1954 SCR 1005, held that the essential practice test and the only way to determine the essential practice test would be with reference to the practices prevailing since time immemorial, which may had scripted in religious texts. In the context of Lord Ayyappa, the practice of celibacy and austerity is the unique characteristic of the deity and as Hindu deities have both physical/temporal and philosophical form. Similarly, deity is capable of having different physical and spiritual forms or manifestations. Worship of each of these forms is unique, and all persons worship not all forms.

We have more than 1000 temples dedicated to the worship of Lord Ayyappa, where the deity is not in the form of a ‘Naishtik Brahmachari’. Since the deity has manifested himself in a different form, there is no similar restriction on the entry of women in the other Temples of Lord Ayyappa because those temples have a different “Pratishta” concept. Let’s take an example of Attukal Pongala, it is the female version of the Sabarimala pilgrimage and it has even mentioned in the Guinness book of world records for being the largest gathering of women on earth with over 3 million women offering Pongala to the Attukal Devi, a goddess worshiped in Kerala. Here, only women enjoy this privilege and it has not given to male.

In Hindu tradition, the basic reason or logic behind the places of worship is to create a ‘specific spiritual experience’. It is because of this ‘specific spiritual experience’, the rules & regulations of temples or pilgrimages differs from temple to temple and are solely based on who the reigning deity is. Every temple has choice of a particular aspect of a particular deity for worship as per “Pratishta Sankalpa”. Preventive restrictions are in place only for those women who are aged between 10 and 50 and this is primarily due to “Naishtika Brahmacharya Pratishta” wherein the reigning deity of the Sabarimala shrine is an absolute celibate. Also on the question whether Lord Ayyappa constitutes a religious denomination, one has to see the fact that who follow the ‘Ayyappan Dharma’, where all male devotees are called ‘Ayyappans’ and all female devotees below 10 years and above 50 years of age are known as ‘Malikapurams’. A devotee has to abide by the customs and usages of this Temple, if he has to mount the ‘Pathinettu Padikal’ and to enter into the Sabarimala Temple. This set of beliefs and faiths of the ‘Ayyappaswamis’, and the organization of the worshippers of Lord Ayyappa constitute a distinct religious denomination.

At the end of the day while ignoring the ground realities, court demolished the principal defense and said that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa do not constitute a separate religious denomination and that the prohibition on women is not an essential part of Hindu religion. In case of individual rights versus group rights, individual rights will prevail over group rights.

In the same line, the court, did not address the issue of exclusion as an “essential religious practice” and concluded that it was a mere exaggeration. Further, by applying the test of rationality implicitly held that Lord Ayyapa’s “Naishtika Brahmacharya Pratishta” was too abstruse to compromise with the absolute principles of the constitution. Thus, ignoring the deity’s seclusion from fertile women, which is an integral part of the Ayyappan tradition and accepted by all devotees including women, primacy attached to the academic objections by non-devotees.

Justice Indu Malhotra in her dissenting view said that issues of deep religious sentiments should not be ordinarily be interfered by the courts. Held that sabarimala shrine, and deity, is protected under Article 26 of the constitution of India. Religious practices cannot be solely tested on the basis of Article 14 (Equality before law) because it would compel the Court to undertake judicial review under Article 14 to delineate the rationality of the religious beliefs or practices, which would be outside the ken of the Courts. Because protection provided under Art 25 would only get protected by the protection of essential beliefs and practices of any religion. Thus, the notions of rationality cannot invoke in religion, what constitutes essential religious practice is for the religious communities to decide, not for the court. Further, she added that India is a diverse country and constitutional morality would allow all to practice their beliefs. The court should not interfere unless if there is any aggrieved person from that section of religion.

It is quite interesting to notice that the petitioners were not the devotees of Sabarimala temple. By a self-driven propaganda, they have exploited the belief of the devotees and as a by-product opened a pandora box of litigation on religious issues. Now, for someone it is obvious to ask question about mosques where in theory there is no bar to women going to mosques, but in practice, they have to pray at home. There are thousands of religious places in India, many with their own rituals and practices. There are some of them do not permit entry to women, and some to men. Should courts now start interfering in all these? In addition, it is not limited to one religion it existed in all the different kinds of religion. Whether court now intended to interfere with all the religious rituals & make them in conformity with the constitutional morality.

One has to bear in mind that our constitution provides the freedom of religion and not freedom from religion. Religion is a matter of faith, and all religious beliefs held to be sacred by those who shared the same faith. Faith and belief are internal, while expression and worship are external manifestations thereof. In the Sabarimala Temple, the manifestation is in the form of a ‘Naishtik Brahmachari’, which has to be conserved since it is a fundamental right provided under Art 25 &26 of the Constitution. In the end, it cannot be denied that freedom of religion is the inalienable and sacred of human rights, which is provided by our constitution as a fundamental right.

*written by Alok Kumar Singh & Shobhit Awasthi student of law at Dr RML National Law University, Lucknow.

How Central Information Commission is stonewalling the implementation of the RTI Act

Opinions

RAJEEV GUPTA

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17 October 2018

0

How Central Information Commission is stonewalling the implementation of the RTI Act

Right to Information Act, 2005, more popularly known as RTI Act, was introduced to provide the information available with any notified public authority to any citizen of India.

Unfortunately, most of the public authorities are government departments and it is almost impossible to extract any information from these departments. People were of the opinion that once the RTI Act gets implemented, this problem will be solved and the information will be easily available to them in a time bound manner. But the authorities, and more particularly the Central Information Commission, is ensuring that people do not get the information they deserve under the RTI Act.

Things are not happening from government departments and up to the level of CIC, as per the provisions of the RTI Act. Government departments are either not providing the information or providing the incomplete, irrelevant or misleading information. When first appeal is made against the departments for not providing the desired information, then also the same incomplete and misleading information is repeated.

There is a provision under the RTI Act that if the desired information is not provided even after making the first appeal, then the RTI applicant can make a second appeal to the Central Information Commission. But RTI Act is silent on the situations, where the Central Information Commission itself acts in contravention of the provisions of RTI Act and tries to stonewall the RTI process.

I will explain with the help of an example, how CIC is stonewalling the RTI process. I have submitted an online RTI application to a Central government ministry on 13th September 2018 asking for certain information. Misleading and incomplete information was provided to me on 25th September 2018. I made the first appeal against this “Misleading and Incomplete” information on 25th September itself and got a response on 5th October 2018 from the First Appellate Authority that nothing more details or information can be provided except whatever information has already been provided.

As I was still not satisfied with the misleading and incomplete information, I submitted a second appeal to the Central Information Commission on 5th October 2018 itself vide Diary Number 633030. I was shocked when this appeal was returned by the CIC with the strange remarks that the “documents attached with the appeal are not readable”. RTI applications are filed online and all the documents are required to be submitted in PDF format. This false excuse of “documents are not readable” can be accepted when documents are filed in physical mode. When PDF documents are submitted, how far this excuse is valid, only CIC can tell.

On 11th October 2018, I again submitted the second appeal online along with all the Documents in PDF vide Diary Number 633343. As usual, CIC again returned the Appeal on 15th October 2018. This time the excuse was different-“No Documents are submitted with the appeal.” This excuse does not hold good in view of the fact that it is impossible to submit the online appeals without submitting the mandatory documents. I have again submitted the appeal on 15th October 2018 along with all the PDF documents vide Diary Number 633622. But I am sure, this appeal will also be returned definitely with some other strange excuse. This is how RTI Act, 2005 is being implemented in India. Interestingly, there is no provision under the RTI Act that CIC can return the Appeals of the Applicants on such flimsy pretexts and still, the Appeals are being returned by CIC with a view to help the unwilling and inefficient government departments.

SP is the low hanging fruit for BSP after entry of Shivpal into UP fray

Opinions

S Ranganathan

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17 October 2018

0

SP is the low hanging fruit for BSP after entry of Shivpal into UP fray

Shivpal Yadav is a very matured, tolerant, patient and highly experienced leader par excellence. He was insulted and infuriated by the dynastic son of former SP chief. The contrast between Shivpal Yadav and the dynast son Akilesh Yadav are like north and south poles. Shivpal rose to recognition and respect due his hard work, endurance, sufferings and sacrifices. Shivpal is highly experienced as well. He has started his political career as grass root worker, known for organizing capability and enjoys grass root level support. On the contrary, the dynast son Akilesh was dropped from heaven by his father, the father’s legacy was gifted to him, only because of power and money, he could entertain the supporters of his party, he was made as Chief Minister of UP without any merit, experience and his only merit was of being the son of Mulayam Singh yadav.

The followers of SP in all possibility would shift to Shivpal because Shivpal alone has the legacy to inherit the true identity and political culture of SP and not Akilesh Yadav. Akilesh got the gift of Chief Minister of UP, power and money purely due to his father and uncle Shivpal.

Akilesh is exactly like how the imperial rulers looted several precious spices from our country like cardamom, piper etc., to Britain thinking that India would go impoverished. But the imperial rulers could do nothing because the high range climate and soil conditions necessary for the cultivation of all such spices Britain could not steal from India so they had to again come back to India for all such condiments.

The dynast Akilesh in fact had stolen the fruits of the hard works of Shivpal Yadav and many others thinking that he is the real owner of SP for being the son of Mulayam Singh is the legal heir of his father’s wealth.

Mayawati was a grass root worker too like Shivpal Yadav and then inherited the political legacy of her mentor so she is accepted as undisputed leader of BSP.

The political analysts may presume that Shivpal Yadav can at best cause ‘little storm in tea cup effect’ to SP but the ground reality is different. If Mayawati is really shrewd and intelligent, she should go for hard bargain with SP. Today Mayawati has greater support base and acceptance in UP than SP. Today SP at emotional level is divided into two equal halves one is with the dynast and the other is with the true leader of SP – Shivpal Yadav. Shivpal Yadav is like a deep ocean and hence his real support base is not yet known.

Instead of opposing or abusing Narendra Modi or BJP, BSP must exploit the present opportunity in UP and must grow her political stature and relevance. If BSP misses this opportunity, the party may lose its future forever. The advantage of BSP is quite obvious. Shivpal Yadav is not yet tested politically and therefore at the perception level the SP of the dynast may be stronger and positioned better. However its base is quite weak and diffusible which BSP can easily achieve. Therefore BSP is in a better position to place a huge demand with SP for alliance and if SP refuse to comply, it is SP which is going to write own epitaph. On the other hand if Shivpal could isolate SP and could forge an alliance with BSP it is again a win-win deal for both Shivpal and BSP. Isolated SP would fare badly and would lose its base to Shivpal and BSP. Therefore BSP has great advantage in going it alone or aligning with either SP of Akilesh or Shivpal. In the intellectual sense, it would be good for BSP to align with Shivpal so that the SP of the dynast can be reduced to insignificant.

BSP must focus on growing the party than simply targeting BJP. Congress is already an insignificant party so aligning with congress is equal to self-immolation for any political party. It is always good for BSP to have two SP’s in UP so that the vote base is divided.

From the political sense, Shivpal will make a better leader for UP than the dynast – Akilesh. Considering the ongoing family feud in SP and divisive and destructive politics of opposition parties, UP must pool their heart and mind to vote Narendra Modi led BJP in 2019. A responsible UP is important for one India, one election, one tax, development and sab ka vikas.

Erudite quotes that highlight the importance of the Sanskrit

Opinions

hbrpatel54

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17 October 2018

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Erudite quotes that highlight the importance of the Sanskrit

Pseudo-Secularism has prevented many of us to dive deep into the treasured of our ancient knowledge. Preconceived notions and Biased view-points have resulted in semi-ignorance related to the Sanskrit Language in our generation.

Gauging the importance of Sanskrit Literature and the infinite wisdom it upheld, British Empire sends many scholars to translate those kinds of literature. They wanted to rule us by using that translated knowledge and they were successful. So much success that the effects of their deeds are still visible via some so-called liberals.

These quotes are uttered by the individuals who weren’t on a mission to prove the Sanskrit Superiority. These quotes were spoken by them as they have experienced and felt. Many cite foreign erudite to counterclaim the Magnificent Past of Bharat but lo and behold some of the quotes are from foreign scholars praising Sanskrit and the vast sea of knowledge that it holds.

Note please that this blog is not to brag about the importance of Sanskrit or prove the pseudo-liberals wrong, but it is simply to remind myself of the importance of Dev Vani.

So, Below are the Quotes that highlights the importance of Sanskrit (and if time permits, go through the books that are given with the quotes explanation).

The ideas must be taught in the language of the people; at the same time, Sanskrit education must go on along with it, because the very sound of Sanskrit words gives a prestige and a power and a strength to the race. Sanskrit and prestige go together in India.
Swami Vivekananda

Without the study of Sanskrit one cannot become a true Indian and a true learned man. – Mahatma Gandhi

The intellectual debt of Europe to Sanskrit literature has thus been undeniably great; it may perhaps become greater still in the years that are to come. – Arthur A. MacDonell (in his book A History of Sanskrit Literature)

It is quite interesting to note that Sir William Jones, one of the most brilliant men of the 18th century, came to India in 1783 as Judge of the then Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort Williams of Bengal. He observed as long ago as 1784: ‘The Sanskrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than the Greek, more copious than the Latin and more exquisitely refined than either: yet bearing to both of them a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs, and in the forms of grammar, than could possibly have been produced by accident; so strong indeed, that no philologer could examine them all without believing them to have sprung from some common source which perhaps no longer exists….’

Our modern languages in India are children of Sanskrit, and to it owe most of their vocabulary and their forms of expression. Many rich and significant words in Sanskrit poetry and philosophy, untranslatable in foreign languages, are still living parts of our popular languages.
Jawaharlal Nehru in The Discovery of India pg. 166

Sanskrit language, as has been universally recognized by those competent to form a judgement, as one of the most magnificient, the most perfect, the most prominent and wonderfully sufficient literary instruments developed by the human mind. -Sri Aurobindo (A philosophical magazine called Arya. Sri Aurobindo ‘Arya’, May to September 1920)

Hope this article highlights you the importance of the Sanskrit language.

This article was originally published on HBR Patel.

Real challenge of Congress is its cult leader- Why the mirror congress party refuses to see

Opinions

S Ranganathan

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16 October 2018

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Real challenge of Congress is its cult leader- Why the mirror congress party refuses to see

Days of cult leaders in Indian politics is over. For the sycophants and members on the pay list of the cult leader, the cult leader may appeal and look godly but not the people of India.

Nehru, then Indira Gandhi and then Rajiv Gandhi, all of them shined in Indian politics because in those days the cult leaders were believed, followed and respected. None of those cult leaders were questioned but their orders and instructions were followed by the followers just like how sheep follow the shepherd. The party that has been surviving all through these days under the shadow of cult leadership is therefore bound to promote only the same culture as they know only cult leadership style.

Merit based, democratic process based leadership selection is alien to congress. Today the problem faced by the congress party is exactly the same. The old order is not working to their favour as Indians have changed. However smartly the congress party try to oversell their cult leader that is not going to work because the cult leader lack merit, presence of mind, leadership quality and intelligence.

Narendra Modi has not just transformed India alone but the life of millions of poor people through various path breaking schemes.

If the congress wants to somehow sell their cult leader in Indian politics, they must be willing to pay huge price otherwise they cannot succeed. In MP and Rajasthan congress alleges that BSP made an unreasonable demand which congress could not fulfill and that is why they could not form an alliance. If we look at it from the common parlance, the demand of BSP was not unreasonable. Today the cult leader needs regional parties and not the other way. For the promotion of a meritless as somewhat meaningful, huge expense needs to be incurred by congress and that is what the BSP has demanded.

When BSP align with congress, it is advantage congress and not BSP therefore congress must agree to such unreasonable demand. The unreasonable demand has come from the regional parties not because congress is just weak, but it is led by a cult leader who lack merit, credibility and leadership quality and that is how Indians see the cult leader.

The challenge of congress is not Narendra Modi but the real challenge of congress is its cult leader.

When a pride of lion decided to take the guide-ship a mouse, naturally the world would see the pride of lion only as nest of mice.

It may be true for the members of the congress that only the cult leader from the dynasty alone can glue them up but India is not congress party. India is a land of sacred culture and tradition of Hinduism. Hinduism always believes in merit. Narendra Modi is a leader of unparalleled leadership quality. If congress is not willing to see within and simply engage in attacking and criticizing Modi, the true crusader of development and sab ka vikas, the messiah of peace and harmony, missionary of sacred Hindu culture and tradition, congress cannot survive in Indian politics.

The cult leader must develop maturity and common sense to respect Prime Minister and must participate in the mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop India and sab ka vikas. Indians cannot easily forgive or forget those meritless who attack and abuse the cradle of wisdom, mission, integrity and virtues – PM Modi.

Regional parties are making unreasonable demand to the congress because the party has gone crazy by choosing a cult leader to lead the party. Ever since the cult leader is crowned as prince, the party has started to lose its credibility and relevance. If the party restrain the cult leader from uttering lies and nonsense and use him as just a figure head leader, the party can improve its electoral prospects. Unfortunately the party has contracted and surrendered its brain, ears and eyes totally to the dynast – the cult leader and therefore the party is unlikely to do anything differently.

The regional parties must realize the absolute truth that it is the harvest time for them so they must maximize their profit by placing any amount of unreasonable demands to the congress for an electoral alliance. Congress has to agree otherwise congress would suffer the worst and not the regional parties. If this opportunity is missed, no regional party can ever grow. Only when the regional parties shrink the base of congress, they can grow and become relevant so the opposition parties must collectively exploit the congress instead of attacking and abusing Narendra Modi.

More they abuse Modi, more they earn the wrath of people and similarly the regional parties eat more the share of congress, grow better.

It is not the BJP congress party should be the target of the regional parties if they really wants to remain relevant in Indian politics. The regional parties must oppose and demand great price form congress if the regional parties wants to grow.

Evolving foreign policy of India under the current government

Opinions

sweta01

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16 October 2018

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Evolving foreign policy of India under the current government

India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is supposed to have built the foundations for the best foreign policy that India could ever have had. It can be argued that this is untrue. It is part of the propaganda that his followers have built around him right from 1947. Throughout his 17-year leadership, Nehru advocated democratic socialism and secularism and encouraged India’s industrialization beginning with the implementation of the first of his five-year plans in 1951. During the Cold War, Nehru adopted a policy of non-alignment in which he professed neutrality, but was criticized when he refused to condemn the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956 and later requested foreign aid after China invaded India’s northern border in 1962.

One big thing missed out is that the biggest component of Nehru’s foreign policy was “fear”. Far from being the bold Foreign Minister that he was touted to be, he was probably quite a fearful one. There are a number of examples that bear this out. When India and Pakistan got Independence, Kashmir Valley was in limbo land. It was sort of independent entity for some time because the British had left and it was neither in India’s and Pakistan’s hands. Nehru showed absolutely no interest in having anything to do with Kashmir despite he was a Kashmiri Pandit. The inaction continued even when Pakistan sent armed tribals to take over the Valley. It continued till the tribals seemed poised to take over Srinagar. This point was raised by Field Marshall SHFJ Manekshaw. During the post-Independence Kashmir crisis, Manekshaw was in the Directorate of Military Operations and in the thick of things. It was Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel who virtually gave the orders for the Kashmir operation. We should be thankful to Sardar Vallabhai for Kashmir rather than Pt Neheru.

In 1962 the Indian Air Force was superior to the Chinese Air Force and we could have given a good counter-punch. But for reasons best known to Nehru he refused to employ the IAF. The result was a humiliating defeat and an emboldened attack by Pakistan in 1965. After the war Nehru refused to show courage and take the blame for the debacle. During the Cold War, we were firmly allied with Russia and Nehru was too afraid to acknowledge that and formed something extremely hypocritical called the Non Aligned Movement. Nehru was reluctant to leave the Commonwealth of Nations even though he could have chosen to do so. According to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, Nehru even turned down a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and handed it on a platter to China!Coming to recent time, while most Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers were scared to deviate substantially from the path of Nehru, current Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a much bolder approach. Till recently most Indian leaders would be scared of engaging the Big 3 (US,Russia & China) in this manner but Modi has proved that it doesn’t have to be a Zero Sum Game. We can have good relations with all three and get benefits from them and not at the cost of the other.

Modi has also become aggressive on the Sino-Indian border to check their advances and is open to getting more allies in the rest of Asia to counter China. That’s the true art of diplomacy—to talk sweetly, act tough and focus on economic ties too. Modi has also signed crucial uranium fuel deals with Australia, Canada and Ukraine. He looks to be building ties with every country in the world, no matter what its ideology. Another example is his taking ties to the next level countries like Israel, Iran and UAE even though the former and the latter two are rivals. He has adapted this dual policy on Pakistan. By strengthening ties with every country around our neighbour, he is isolating it. Modi has given freedom to the troops at the border to fire back at Pakistani troops. He has increased surveillance at the border and helped the BSF with things like desert scooters. At the same time he showed no hesitation in visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at short notice.

Modi has finally brought out Indo-Israel ties into the open. We can expect great help from Israel on matters like defence, security, intelligence and agriculture. Interestingly this is not at the cost of ties with Arab and Muslim countries which are paradoxically getting better. Modi is not afraid of engaging any country in the world in any fashion. As complete re-evaluation of Nehru’s foreign policy is needed so Modi is trying to rectify it as per the recent time political Map. He has taken foreign policy to the next level.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Kashmir_conflict

https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/altruistic/pm-modi-is-absolutely-correct-in-blaming-pandit-nehru-for-the-kashmir-issue/

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/86907/12/12_chapter%205.pdf

https://www.gatewayhouse.in/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/GH_History-of-Indias-Foreign-Policy.pdf

http://irgu.unigoa.ac.in/drs/bitstream/handle/unigoa/99/Studies_on_Nehru_147-159.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Nehru’s Foreign Policy

जनहित में सूचना जारी की जाती है: फेसबुक, वाट्सैप अथवा ट्विटर पर बढ़ेगा वायु प्रदूषण

Hindi
Satire

Abhay Tripathi

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16 October 2018

0

जनहित में सूचना जारी की जाती है: फेसबुक, वाट्सैप अथवा ट्विटर पर बढ़ेगा वायु प्रदूषण

आप सभी को सचेत किया जाता है कि आने वाले कुछ दिनों में आपके फेसबुक, वाट्सैप अथवा ट्विटर पर वायु प्रदूषण के बढ़ते खतरे को लेकर यूएन के आंकड़े आदि देखने को मिल सकते हैं। साथ ही साथ पशु-पक्षियों को होने वाली हानि के प्रति आपको जागरूक करने वाले पोस्ट भी देखने को मिलेंगे। स्कूलों में बच्चों को पटाखे आदि ना जलाने की कसमें खिलाईं जाएंगी। आम बोलचाल की भाषा मे ‘क्लीन’ अथवा ‘ग्रीन’ नामक शब्दों का प्रचलन भी बढ़ते हुए महसूस होगा। यह गतिविधियां कुछ दिन तक हावी रहेंगी।

आखिरकार दीपावली की रात जब आप लक्ष्मी-गणेश की पूजा समाप्त कर बच्चों को अपने साथ पटाखे छूटाने ले जाएंगे तो हो सकता है की वो आपके साथ आने से मना कर दें। वह आपको घर के सामने बैठने वाले कल्लू डॉगी की संवेदनाओं के प्रति जागरूक कर सकते हैं या फिर दादाजी को होने वाली साँस की बीमारी के प्रति। यह सब बातें सुनकर आपकी उत्सुकता भी दम तोड़ देगी, जलने की प्रतीक्षा मे बैठे हुए अनार को समेट कर आप वापस अपने झोले में भर लेंगे और कल्लू को उसके हिस्से का खाना डाल कर घर के बाहर का दरवाज़ा बंद कर लेंगे। पटाखों को स्टोर की अलमारी में रख दिया जाएगा इस उम्मीद में की शायद भारत पाकिस्तान मैच के दिन शायद इन्हें घृणा से नही देखा जाएगा, तब तक स्टोर के अंधेरे में अपना उजियारा समेटे वो बैठे रहेंगे।

सफाई एवं सजावट की थकान आपको टीवी के सामने शिथिल होकर बैठने पर मजबूर कर देगी। टीवी पर लोगों को दीपावली मनाते हुए देख आप आंखे बंद कर नींद की ओर पलायन कर जाएंगे। अगले दिन आपको थोड़ी हैरानी अवश्य हो सकती है जब वायु समस्या पर लिखे लेख आपकी आंखों से ओझल होते हुए प्रतीत होंगे। वातावरण रक्षण पर वाद विवाद करने वाली जागरूक महिलाएं भी आपको दूर-दूर तक नज़र नही आएंगी। ऐसे में आपको घबराना नही है क्यूंकि कुछ ही महीनों में जल संकट का खतरा सामने खड़ा होगा और आप होली के लिये रंग खरीद चुके होंगे।

The gruesome triple murder of police personnel in Kashmir and this “threesome” is responsible

Opinions

Krishna Baalu Iyer

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15 October 2018

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The gruesome triple murder of police personnel in Kashmir and this “threesome” is responsible

The gruesome murder of 3 police personnel in Kashmir last month should and must send a stern warning to the BJP Government at Delhi. This is first of its kind in J & K, that the terrorists barging into the residences of the police personnel, kidnapping them at gunpoint in front of the wailing family members, and killing them in a gruesome manner.

The Journo-Naxal Shekhar Gupta, the menial Mani Shankar Iyer and the turncoat Navjot Singh Sidhu were the motivational push to Pakistan to indulge in this kind of Timur acts. The failure on the part of the BJP Government in prosecuting this threesome is further pushing our nation’s self-respect into the deep gorge. The penal provisions of the law of the land in respect of the nature of the offences committed by this band is crystal clear and stands for a strong case for prosecution for ‘treason’. Yet, that itself is not enough to send them to jail, unless a confident and a gallant Government of the day, take a resolute decision in this regard.

We have been observing for the last 4 yrs, this BJP Government under Modi’s leadership is fearing the ‘Media’ more than the UPA did in the past. It is a fact that our media is pro-Congress and a die-hard antagonist of the BJP. Yet, that should not be the excuse anymore. And the BJP Government cannot rest its hope of winning elections always on ‘self-pity’ or “sympathy” factors. At any point in time, this ‘pity’ factor may turn around and boomerang on BJP’s election prospects. The people would only appreciate the Government’s resolute action against traitors and terrorists, but not mollycoddling them, fearing the media backlash, always.

Journo Naxal Shekhar Gupta: I still remember, how Shekhar Gupta had put up a false brave face when the then India Today’s first Gujarati edition was released and received badly in Gujarat. The Gujaratis were in fact badly hurt for its anti-Hindu tirade. His April 2012 article (co-written with Ritu Sarin and Pranab Dhal Samanta) in the Indian Express titled ”The January night Raisina Hill was spooked”. Two key Army units moved towards Delhi without notifying Govt” had created quite a tumult in the nation. The people were in fact quite confused and shocked by this smear propaganda orchestrated by Shekhar Gupta. Lots of criticism and admonishments were followed after this publication appeared in the Indian Express daily yet the point was, the authors and the IE were ignored by the Government despite the content of the article being highly in bad taste and utterly whimsical in nature. The message of the article was that “the Indian Army was preparing to revolt in a mutiny fashion against the elected Government headed by the PM Mr Manmohan Singh”. Almost all critics including the critics from the Leftist domain had rejected this report as pure imagination.

Their target was the then Army Chief General V K Singh. The reason why the Left lenient liberal media had the then Army Chief their target was, he was showing right-wing traits and exhibiting unadulterated true patriotism, which was not in conformity with the left lenient media’s definition of plastic patriotism that was also not supposed to hurt Pakistan in any manner.

This smear article was enough to create Xenophobia and Philophobia, among the citizens. This article despite entirely based on false and fancy grounds was not taken seriously either by the UPA Government or by the succeeding Modi Government in 2014. So, prosecuting the writers was totally unlikely then. The UPA Government had its own reservation in moving against the writers, and similarly the succeeding Modi Government. It is pertinent to recollect that our PM Modi was then Gujarat CM when this story was broke and surprisingly Modi remarked via a tweet saying “read IE story about armed forces. PM (MMS) should clear the air so that the confidence of the people is not moved’.

So PM Modi having said this on the IE Story while he was the CM of Gujarat at the relevant time, it would be unthinkable that his own Government would later initiate an enquiry against the story and file an FIR against the authors?

Apart, let us examine how strong the case would have been under the Indian Penal Code and Army’s Act.

IPC Section 505 in IPC

“Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report.

(b) with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity; or

It is so clear from the above the article under reference had caused commotion, alarm, fear and tarnished the hitherto held ‘clean’ image of the Indian Army in one stroke.

The Indian Army Act

-Section 36,37 and many other sections in the IAA 1950, prescribes punishments for similar offences like creating a false alarm, mayhem with an intent to create enmity, apprehensions, degrade the reputation of the Armed Forces and its integrity. However, in India, civilians cannot be court-martialed for offences relating to the Armed Personnel unlike in Pakistan. Pakistan has diligently included civilians in the relevant Acts so as to punish the civilians who violates the Army Act in deserving cases. Indian Government should look into this aspect as it has become more warranted in changing situations.

Mani Shankar Iyer gave a clarion call for war against India from our enemy land Pakistan.

That infamous absurdity call given by the Congress leader Mani Shankar Iyer from a Pakistani TV studio, seeking the help of our arch enemy Pakistan for ousting our PM Modi, is still fresh in our memories. He first dared the Indian Government before entering Pakistan, dared India from Pakistan soil and dared to return India smilingly. No action was taken by our Government for this pure ‘treason’.

Navjot Singh Sidhu. I once considered him as BJP’s asset. He is most of the time intelligent, always articulate, good speaker, but with a weak heart. His ideological adherence is a total zero. In some people, self-indulgence takes over ideological commitment. This is what happened with Sidhu. He too dared 126 crores Indians and the Government of the day, visited Pakistan on the invitation of Imran Khan the would be PM then, his one-time Cricket colleague, and as if all is not enough, hugged the ‘Timur of Pakistan’ the Army General Bajwa. What an awkwardness experience back home for Indians! Is this what we expected from Sidhu in return?

Why the Government never even think of punishing such traitors? The reason is we are ‘done’ with such humiliations in the past. It can no more be called, a ‘humiliation’ and the other political reason could be panic. The fear of media backlash in case if any stringent action taken against the above ‘band’ of three. I wish to warn the Government that any smugness on the Government part may cost the nation very dearly.

The incident of the gruesome murder of 3 cops in Kashmir last month is the direct result of our haplessness in punishing our own traitors, which is sending a wrong message to even ‘terror outfits’. If the Government is silent and pusillanimous, then the perpetrators will be more inspired and continue their blaze only to destroy this unity of India. Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu is continuing his pro-Pakistan and anti-India rant till date, because of the inaction of our Government in punishing such elements timely.

People would appreciate bravery rather than pampering. Lost is lost, be brave for the future.

About the author: Krishna Baalu Iyer: Retd Central Govt officer-Right WingActivist- ‘Citizens for true secularism’ Hyderabad and Bengaluru-Poet, columnist, writer, traveller, Indian History, Heritage.