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What I, a Hindu, learned from the Nupur Sharma case

manuvaishnav
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What I, a Hindu, learned from the Nupur Sharma case

For the past few months I’ve been tracking the Nupur Sharma Case and the developments I’ve seen made me think over the question of unity among us Hindus. Yes, we came in large numbers to support Mrs. Nupur Sharma, but there was still a lack of unity. Many people, and by people I refer to my fellow Hindus, were confused as to exactly what Mrs. Sharma said. Those who knew came to support but a united face was lacking somewhere, I may be wrong. We should exclude the ‘woke’ Hindus from this group as they are genetically far superior than us, they are the all-knowing messiahs of the world saving us from the backward thinking of ourselves.

My point of contention is that why do we wait for an incident to happen to show the world our unity? Why terrorist acts like the one we saw in Udaipur a few weeks back becomes our stage to bring the act of unity? Why aren’t we united to the core? Why as Hindus we cannot follow this shloka from Rigveda-

Agni, kindled in many places is but one;

One the all pervading Sun;

One the Dawn, spreading her light over the earth.

All that exists is one, whence is produced the whole world.

Rigveda VIII.58.2

Why some of us are still shackled in the chains of caste system? Some of us have forgotten that the caste system originally was an occupation-based system, not the vicious hierarchal system based on birth which we see now. For centuries our enemies have taken advantages of the disunity and chaos in our Sanatana Dharma. From the flag of Prithviraj Chauhan to the present time, we still have cracks in our society. In such challenging times, where our Bharat is the only nation where Hindus live in a majority, understanding of the fact that living in unity is the biggest blow to our enemies is necessary. Savarkar also advocated for this unity by initiates like building the Patit Pawan Mandir and the Shuddhi Movement (our woke jagatgurus must note these two contributions of Veer Savarkar before mentioning his petitions).

Caste system, wokeism (yes I’m daring to offend my woke brethren) all such vices dwarf in front of our Sanatana Dharma. The British reduced our Dharma to castes, cow worship and sacred thread, which unfortunately has become an image so difficult for some of us shatter. Our Dharma is much more than this and this fact should be realised by everyone, irrespective of our faiths and country. Let the jokes be the messiahs, for the world needs them and also there’s no way now that they could be brought back to the Hindu fold, there’s no way they could see the actual beauty of our religion because they are busy saving the world from Brahmanical patriarchy and tyranny through their tweets! I say let them enjoy their fundings!

What we should focus is on is in strengthening ourselves as a community through unity, just like the Jews all over the world. Their unity is the reason that we see powerful states like Israel. Stop bickering that your neighbour’s son married a girl from a different caste. Educate yourself, at your own pace, about the nuances of the Sanatana Dharma philosophy. Explore the various branches of our Dharma like Mimansa, Vedanta or Carvaka.

After educating yourself try to educate someone else, but don’t force somebody to accept your views we have seen what happens when we force religion on someone. If anyone has some contradictory notions then learn to accept it with a Stoic mind and have a constructive discussion. Don’t let the ‘peace lovers’ poetry us as Gau Mutra drinkers, for we are much more than this. Let us all stand united with one common goal, that is the advancement of our community. Let’s also make sure that no one or to some extent only a few numbers (out of their own ignorance) mock our Dharma.

The difference between a civilised man and a caveman is the depth of thought and reason. Har Har Mahadev

Does India need a population control law?

Sameer Jena
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Does India need a population control law?

On the occasion of Population Day, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath made a statement regarding population control. Yogi said that the population control program should proceed successfully but the situation of demographic imbalance should not arise. He said that it should not happen that the population of the original denizen decreases and on the other hand the population of any one section keeps on increasing. He expressed concern over an adverse fall out of disparity in the religious demography of India.

In any country when the population reaches an explosive state, it starts growing disproportionately with the resources, and it becomes necessary to bring stability in it. Resource is a very important component. In India the population growth rate is higher than the rate of development, which creates regional imbalance within country. For example, in Southern states of India the total fertility rate is about 1.8 which is considered as the stability rate, whereas in Northern states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, it’s about 3.0. When development is low and population is high, it forces people migrate from such places to other places in search of livelihood. The limitation of resources and excess of population create conflict; give birth to fights among people of different states based on ethnic group, region, and language.

English scholar Thomas Robert Malthus has explained population growth and its effects in An Essay on the Principle of Population. According to Malthus, population grows in a geometrical fashion, while resources increase in an arithmetic progression. Therefore the population doubles following every 25 years. Although the views of Malthus cannot be acquiesced literally; but it is veritable that the rate of growth of population is greater than the rate of growth of resources. On the coordination of population and resources, David Ricardo, the father of the land tax theory; Thomas Sadler; and Herbert Spencer have also expressed serious views on population growth.

India will overtake China by 2025

According to latest edition of World Population Prospects 2022 released by United Nations, India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country during 2023. According to the report, India’s population stands at 1.412 billion in 2022, compared to China’s 1.426 billion. India is projected to have a population of 1.668 billion in 2050, way ahead of China’s 1.317 billion people by the middle of the century.

China is now ahead of us in population, so it is also very big in area. India accounts for a meager 2.4 percent of the world surface area yet it supports and sustains a whopping 17.7 percent of the world population. However, India’s population is expected to stabilize after 2050 and may virtually stop growing by the end of this century, due in large part to falling fertility rates. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) projects a total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.29 births per woman in 2100 instead of 1.69 in the United Nations medium scenario for India, resulting in a population that is 433 million smaller than according to the United Nations projections at the end of the century.

Understanding ‘total fertility rate’

Total fertility rate refers to the average number of children that a hypothetical cohort of women would bear over the course of their reproductive life if they were subject to the age-specific fertility rates (usually referring to women aged 15 to 49 years) estimated over a given period and were not subject to mortality. It is expressed as children per woman. A TFR level above 5 children per woman is consider high fertility whereas below 1.3 children per woman is very low fertility. TFR levels of about 2.1 children per woman are replacement level fertility. According to the United Nations, “if replacement level fertility is sustained over a sufficiently long period, each generation will exactly replace itself in the absence of migration.”

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-21 found that India’s total fertility rate is 2.0 children per woman, which declined from 2.2 children in 2015-16 and is currently below the replacement level of fertility of 2.1 children per woman. This means that the population of India achieved the replacement level. At least the official figures tell the same. In most of the states/union territories the total fertility rate is well below replacement level. Bihar (3.0), Uttar Pradesh (2.35), Jharkhand (2.3), and some north-eastern states such as Meghalaya (2.9) were present as exceptions.

Economic Survey 2018-19: A different approach

The Economic Survey 2018-19 states that the rate of population growth in the country has hindered over the past few decades. During the year 1971-81 the annual growth rate was 2.5 percent, which has come down to 1.3 percent in the year 2011-16. Referring to the demographic trends in the survey, it has been highlighted that states like Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, which have historically had high population growth rates, have also shown a drop in the population growth rate. The states of South India and West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh have annual growth rate less than 1 percent. According to the survey, the population growth rate in India is expected to decline sharply in the coming two decades, with some states beginning to move towards the status of an aging society by 2030. The Economic Survey not only upholds an optimistic view of population control, but advocates that the focus of policy making in the country should be on the increasing number of elderly people in the future.

Demographic dividend or demographic curse

Population of youth and working population in a country and the economic benefits from it are seen in the form of demographic dividend. India currently has the largest population of youth in the world, if this population is used to accelerate India’s economy, then it will provide demographic dividend to India. But if education is not of quality, employment opportunities are limited, means of health and economic security are not available, then large working population can take the form of a curse. Therefore, different countries emphasize on population growth in proportion to their resources. In the present situation in India, the young and working population is large but only limited employment opportunities are available for them. In such a situation, unless the population growth is regulated, the situation can become catastrophic.

Key challenges of growing population

First, to provide citizens with a minimum quality of life, investments have to be made on the development of education and health systems, maximum production of food grains, providing affordable houses, clean drinking water supply, and work on strengthening infrastructure such as roads, transport, and power generation and distribution. Second, to take advantage of the growing population, India has to build a strong base of human capital so that they can contribute significantly to the country’s economy. However India’s low literacy rate (about 74 percent) can be the biggest obstacle in this path. Third, the country’s urban population will double by the year 2050; due to which there will be a challenge to improve urban facilities and provide housing to all, as well as it will be necessary to save the environment. Additionally, unequal distribution of income and increasing inequality among people may result in negative consequences of overpopulation.

Poverty and population growth

Family health, child survival, and number of children are closely related to the health and level of education of the parents (especially the mother). Thus the poorer a couple is, the more children they tend to give birth to. This trend is concerned with the opportunities, options, and services available to the people. Poor people tend to give birth to more children because child survival is low in this class, the desire to have a son has always been high, and children help in economic activities and thus meet the economic and emotional needs of the family.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-21, women in the lowest wealth quintile have an average of 1.0 more children than women in the highest wealth quintile. Thus moving from the richest to the poorest, the fertility rate is found to be 2.6 instead of 1.6. Similarly, the number of children per woman decreases with the increase in the level of schooling of women. The TFR was 2.82 for women who did not attend school compared to 1.8 for women who had been schooled for 12 years or more. This reveals that health, education, and inequality are closely related to fertility rates and people with less access to health and education remain trapped in the vicious circle of poverty and give birth to more and more children.

Political demand for population control law

From time to time, there has been a demand from political parties to make laws to stop the population growth. Such demand has increased significantly after the Modi government came to power in 2014. On 15 August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while giving a speech from the Red Fort, said that the population explosion that is happening in India will create many troubles for the coming generation. He also recognized that a conscious section of the country, understanding the problems caused by rising population growth, keeps its family confined. These people display patriotism in a way, he held. Last year, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had also advised policy formulation regarding population control.

Many Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders keep raising this issue time and again. Rakesh Sinha, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament of BJP, introduced the Population Regulation Bill as a private bill in July 2019. Even before Sinha introduced the bill, in May same year, a Delhi BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay had filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court, demanding a stringent law for population control. The Delhi High Court had disposed off the case. Now the matter is with the Supreme Court.

In 2018, around 125 lawmakers urged the President to implement the two-child policy in India. In 2016, BJP MP Prahlad Singh Patel also introduced a private member’s bill on population control. However, like most private bills, it did not reach the voting stage. Since independence, about 36 such bills have been introduced by MPs of different parties, out of which 15 have been introduced by Congress MPs.

Many states have already implemented penal provisions to control population or encourage small households. Soon after Prime Minister Modi’s speech, the BJP-led Assam government decided to implement the Assam Population and Women Empowerment Policy, which was passed in September 2017. Under this policy, no person with more than two children shall be eligible for government jobs in Assam from January 2021 onwards. Similar provisions are in place in about a dozen states that impose eligibility and entitlement restrictions if the conditions of the two-child policy are not met. These restrictions also include barring people from contesting elections to Panchayati Raj institutions in some states.

Population growth and the M-factor

Once again Muslims are in the thick of a hysterical debate in India. While some groups are successful in creating a common belief among the people in the country that Muslims produce more children, on the other hand allegations are being made that the government is trying to bring population control law by conspiring against the Muslim population. What’s the truth? Are Muslims growing faster than other religions or is it a population myth?

According to Census 2011 data, population growth rate of various religions has come down during 2001 to 2011. Hindu population growth rate slowed down to 16.76% in 2011 from previous decade figure of 19.92% in 2001 while Muslim witness a fall in growth rate to 24.6% in 2011 from the previous decade figure of 29.52% in 2001. Similarly, the TFR among women in Hindus has declined from 2.8 children in 1998-99 to 1.9 children in 2019-21 while Muslims witness a fall in TFR to 2.4 children (2019-21) from the previous figure of 3.6 children (1999-99).

Although these numbers look comfortable, people who have been pointing out these numbers as an indication of the ceasing of the religious imbalance are wrong. A study of religion data of Census 2011 by Centre for Policy Studies (cpsindia.org) reveals that at the national aggregate level there was an increase in the share of Muslims in the population of India from 13.43 percent in 2001 to 14.23 percent in 2011, which means there was an addition of 0.8 percentage points to their share in the population. This level of increase was significant as it was the third decade in a row when their share had increased by or above 0.8 percentage points. Another important aspect is that the share of Muslims has been rising every decade since independence.

During 1951-61, the decadal increase in the growth of Muslim population was 0.24 percent and it has jumped to almost four times at 0.80 per cent in 2001-11. Studying the growth of Muslim population in absolute numbers, it can be seen Muslim population in India has grown to 172.2 million in 2011 compared to 37.7 million in 1951, implying a multiplication factor of 4.6. The population of others in the same period has multiplied only 3.2 times. Given the upward, most demographers agree that within two or three decades India will be home to the largest Muslim population in the world.

A report by Pew Research Center backs these concerns about the changing religious demography of India. According to the study India is expected have the largest population of Muslims in the world (11% of the global total) in 2050. In 2050 the Muslim population in India will be 31.10 million, an increase by 76 percent compared to 2021. At the same time the population of Hindus is projected at 1.3 billion, an increase of 33 percent.

Youngest median age and highest fertility rates among major religious groups are the reasons Indian Muslims are expected to grow faster than Hindus. The median age of Indian Muslims was 22 in 2010, compared with 26 for Hindus. Likewise, Muslim women have an average of 3.2 children per woman, compared with 2.5 for Hindus. Due to these factors, India’s Muslim community will expand faster than its Hindu population, rising from 14.4% in 2010 to 18.4% in 2050.

Lessons from the past

With 350 million people India was one of the most populous countries even during its independence. This was the reason the world’s first state campaign for population control was started in the year 1951 in India. But this did not lead to success. During the Emergency of 1975, efforts were made to control the population on a large scale. Many inhuman measures were used in these efforts. Not only did this program fail, but there was an atmosphere of fear among the people about the program and its execution, which hindered the efforts of population control for many years. After the disastrous experience of forced family planning during the Emergency, the term was rarely used by politicians. Population control remained politically untouched since then.

Population support instead of population control

India has not seen population in terms of a problem and control over it, but as a thriving resource which is the life force of a growing economy. Seeing it in the terms of problem and control and acting from this point of view may not be a favorable step for the nation. This approach may stifle progress so far and set the ground for a weaker and worse health delivery system.

Despite supporting the population policy, experts are against making it a law and strictly implementing it. Many believe that the states should focus on the already existing system. At present, the work of family planning in rural areas is done by ASHA, Anganwadi, and ANM health workers. Their effort and work on the ground to the family planning program, specifically in rural India, is commendable. Modern contraceptive use by currently married women in the country has increased from 48 percent to 56 percent between 2015-16 and 2019-21.

The TFR among women in rural areas has declined from 3.7 children in 1992-93 to 2.1 children in 2019-21; it was 2.4 in 2015-16. Presently, the fertility rate in 23 states and union territories (including all the states of South India) has already reached below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. Thus a policy of support rather than control would be more effective.

Finally, do we need a law?

Although population growth has given rise to many challenges, legal course of action cannot be considered as a suitable step to control it. India’s position is different from China and unlike China, India is a democratic country where everyone has the right to decide about their personal life. In my view, instead of resorting to law, efforts should be made for population control by taking measures like awareness campaign, raising the level of education, and eradicating poverty. Financial incentives should be given to the families associated with family planning and such families who have not adopted family planning should be motivated for the same through various programs.

While everyone agrees that population growth rate of various religions has come down during past years, the fact that India’s Muslim community will expand faster than its Hindu population and the country is going to have the largest population of Muslims in the world cannot be repudiated. And this reality will continue to preoccupy a large section of the Hindu community and its leaders in this country.

ED’s questioning of Sonia Gandhi ends

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ED’s questioning of Sonia Gandhi ends

Sonia Gandhi left the ED office on Wednesday after about three hours of questioning. It is reported that ED may issue fresh summons to him if needed. The interrogation of Rahul Gandhi lasted for 5 days.

3 days, 12 hours, over 100 questions; ED’s questioning of Sonia Gandhi ends

Enforcement Directorate’s interrogation of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi has been completed.

Sonia gandhi ed

On the third day in the National Herald case, questions were asked to the Congress chief for about 3 hours.

It is reported that he will not have to appear before the central probe agency till the next summons is issued.

It is reported that the investigating agency has asked more than 100 questions to Sonia in about 12 hours during the three days.

Sonia Gandhi left the ED office on Wednesday after about three hours of questioning.

According to media reports, he will not be called for further production.

However, it is being said in the reports quoting sources that the investigating agency can issue summons if needed.

Sonia gave quick answers!

Recently there was a news that the question-and-answer round with Sonia in the ED office may end on Wednesday.

A report quoted sources as saying that the Congress chief is responding quickly.

It is reported that during the three days, the investigating agency has asked important questions to Sonia.

At the same time, Rahul was asked by the ED about 150 questions during 5 days.

On the third day also,

Congress leaders and workers protested against the questioning of Sonia Gandhi, protested fiercely.

During this, many leaders including MP Manish Tiwari were taken into custody by the police.

Here, during the press conference, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had said, ‘He called Rahul Gandhi for 5 days… Now he has called Sonia Gandhi for the third time.

ED has created an atmosphere of terror in the country.

BJP’s counterattack

Bharatiya Janata Party’s national president Jagat Prakash Nadda had also raised questions on the Congress and said that the Gandhi family considers itself above the law.

“They should answer to the law and follow the rules,” he had said.

At the same time, the BJP chief also said that the protests by the party are not ‘Satyagraha’ but an attempt to suppress the truth.

Of influence and ulterior motives—the Iran-Saudi proxy conflict and what its escalation means

ahaanjindal
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Of influence and ulterior motives—the Iran-Saudi proxy conflict and what its escalation means

For well over the past four decades, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two Middle Eastern heavyweights, have been at odds. Simmering geopolitical tensions have unraveled into proxy wars, with both parties backing militant groups in geopolitically weaker nations throughout the MENA region. While this high-stakes rivalry serves up the enticing prospect of ideological dominance in the Arab World, its intensification— and the highly plausible involvement of a third belligerent in Turkey—could have detrimental impacts on an already volatile Middle East, and further disrupt the global political and economic landscape.

Origins of the conflict—and why it persists

Hostilities between the two nations escalated after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when a coup spearheaded by the populist Shia cleric Ayatollah Khomeini closed the doors on nearly three decades of Western-backed rule under Mohammad Reza Shah. Khomeini completely transformed Iranian politics, replacing “Westernization” under the Shah with a theocratic system antagonistic to foreign influence, and adopting  populist “pro-poor” policies. Khomeini’s agenda also aimed to propagate the Islamic revolution to neighboring states, infuriating Saudi Arabia, which wanted to maintain a successful monarchy.

This fear of ideological upheaval has persisted, with both nations laying claim to being the true standard- bearer of Islam. While Sunni Saudi Arabia argues that their guardianship of the holy Mecca and Medina gives them this title, Iran’s Shia, anti-Western style has been branded as the ideal embodiment of Islamic leadership. A deeper analysis reveals that Saudi Arabia fears religious encirclement. This can be attributed to the “Shiite Crescent”, a region of influence with Shia-majority populations. This Shiite “axis of influence”, which consists of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, was established under slain military commander Qassem Soleimani, who consolidated Iranian influence over these nations through an amalgamation of military intervention and strategic alliances. Riyadh has perceived this as a veiled form of Iranian post-Revolution expansionism, deeming it a move to orchestrate a “regime change.”

This paranoia is interlaced with domestic politics in the region: Riyadh has magnified the threat of Iran to foster a faux sense of national danger. This gambit—rallying the public behind the prospect of neutralizing an external, seemingly anti-Sunni enemy—is probably intended to deflect attention away from poor domestic governance, ranging from an unstable oil-reliant economy hit by Covid-19, to a less-than-ideal human rights record. Therefore, one can understand that détente has not been reached owing to a

combination of political and ideological factors, with both parties exploiting the sectarian divide to keep the conflict alive.

A third in the mix

Enter: Turkey. Led by staunchly right-wing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, what was originally a secular nation open to globalization is now morphing into a highly pan-Islamist, anti-Western state. What is alarming about Erdoğan’s leadership is a newly developed foreign policy playbook: the evidence indicates that Ankara has expansionist designs in the Greater Middle East. This largely mirrors Turkey’s “Neo- Ottoman” foreign policy, which aims to geopolitically reintegrate regions formerly under the Ottoman Empire, such as those in Northern Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Balkans, with Turkey. Although Ankara has categorically denied pursuing Neo-Ottomanism, military interventions in Greece, Iraq, Syria, and even Libya demonstrate otherwise. A noteworthy instance of this aggressive foreign policy is Erdoğan’s militarization of North-Western Syria in 2019, to counter the YPG (Kurdish People Protection Units), a militant group fighting ISIS. As a result, Ankara now controls large areas of land throughout Northern Syria, where the Turkish lira is the currency.

Ankara’s motives for pursuing Neo-Ottomanism in the Middle East are also clear. The policy’s sentimental appeal could help Erdoğan muster domestic support, especially factoring in a loss of support from the vox populi, owing largely to a depressed domestic economy. Erdoğan’s plummeting support was emphatically substantiated by the results of the Istanbul Mayoral Elections in 2019, where Erdoğan’s AKP (Justice and Development Party) was annihilated. Another important dimension to consider is that Ankara is likely to

view an unstable and politically precarious Middle East as a region where it is possible to gain more influence. Erdoğan will thereby look to replicate Turkey’s prior Mediterranean success in the Middle East, by propagating pan-Islamist ideals and settling scores with Saudi Arabia to establish itself as the superior Sunni power.

Further, even though Ankara has consistently projected a spirit of diplomacy and goodwill, it has blatantly pursued its own interests. For instance, although Turkey welcomed the Gulf Reconciliation Agreement, it has relentlessly continued military expansion in Iraq and Syria. This could have adverse implications for stability in an already volatile region, with three hegemony-thirsty powers looking to further their spheres of influence in key battlegrounds such as Syria and Iraq. In addition, carrying on this “Neo-Ottoman” expansionist policy has not been viewed favorably by Iran. Recently, for instance, Iran strongly condemned Turkish attacks on Iranian military advisory bases in the Idlib region of Syria. This could sever close economic ties between Turkey and Iran, diminishing Turkey’s historic role as an “economic backup channel” for Iran, and disrupting flourishing bilateral trade that has benefitted both nations immensely.

What this means for global economies

Rapprochement is the need of the hour in this dynamically evolving conflict and can be facilitated by a perennial mediator in the United States under President Joe Biden. Biden has adopted a less hardline approach towards Iran than his predecessor, pushing for the re-activation of the 2015 Iranian Nuclear Deal. The United States also engaged in rare talks with both Iran and Saudi Arabia, reportedly discussing the de- escalation of the conflict in Yemen, among other issues. However, while concerted efforts by the Biden administration may temporarily help alleviate tensions, any hope for long-term rapprochement will need to factor in the intentions of Turkey. The implications of this potentially three-way conflict are significant.

First, from an economic standpoint, this conflict has the potential to drive up oil prices, which will impact a highly interconnected global economy. Iran may have grandiose ambitions for increasing influence in the oil-rich Eastern part of Saudi Arabia, which is dominated by a Shia minority critical of the Saudi monarchy, stemming from the 2016 execution of Shia opposition leader Nimr al-Nimr. This, coupled with likely Turkish interests in the oil-wealthy Iraq, will cause widespread military escalation, driving down oil supply and increasing prices. Asia—which imports 66% of its oil from the Middle East—would be immediately hit, followed by spillover effects worldwide, particularly disrupting sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, and utilities.

Second, the impact of these conflicts on Saudi Arabia’s sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF) could be egregious. The wealth fund has funded global icons such as Uber and Reliance, helping achieve both reduced Saudi reliance on oil and increased globalization. However, owing to the political risk associated with a nation entrenched in a military conflict, companies might look towards other nations for investment. This imperils a key avenue for economic integration and diversification and could reduce Riyadh’s “Vision 2030” goals to a mere pipe dream.

To conclude, settling this conflict is of interest to nations in Asia and beyond. With what could spiral into multiple hegemony-seeking powers vying for dominance, leaders need to acknowledge the conflict’s possible implications on economies, globalization, and geopolitics, and lay the groundwork for establishing a long-term peace.

Criminal justice system is ‘creaking’

Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan
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Criminal justice system is ‘creaking’

Justice N V Ramana, Chief Justice of India, due to retire on August 26th,2022 has waxed lyrical on human rights, alluding to the pathetic status of undertrials in India. And Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh, picked up the theme and  went beyond, to counsel for an exclusive ‘Bail Act’ in India, akin to the one in the United Kingdom. And the Union Law Minister was not mute, as he flagged of huge pendency before courts- 4 crores plus in the entire judiciary. Honestly, all three issues are inextricably linked to each other. As if an umbilical connect.

But is it new and novel? We are celebrating the 75th year of our Independence. We became a Republic on 26th Jan,1950 and our Supreme Court took guard from Jan 28,1950, with six stalwarts. And the saga of A K Gopalan, in prison, on 14th Aug,1947 under British mandate, continued to be in prison, unfurled the national tricolour,midnight, when we became free, was the first of Constitution of Bench decisions. Only Justice Fazl Ali passed the smell test and the others failed, for multiple reasons. It took more than two decades for A K Gopalan strangulation to be eased in Cooper and Maneka Gandhi cases. And we are still groping for clear answers as Sedition law awaits the test before Supreme Court.

Nanabhoy Ardeshir Palkhivala talked of our ‘legal, moral and ethical illiteracy’ not deficit. All three are all pervasive in our criminal justice system. Chief Justice of India is spot on when he says, “Process is the Punishment in our criminal justice system”. It is ‘creaking’ said Justice V S Malimath Committee, decades ago and the report is gathering dust- competing with the multiple directions of the apex court in Prakash Singh case, with clarion calls for reforms. Both are fathoms deep,  with no sight of getting second wind or any wind at all.

Justice V R Krishna Iyer infused life into ‘bail/jail reforms’ and put together a platform for free legal aid in Sunil Batra. Justice P N Bhagwati carried it forward to rescue undertrials in Hussainara Kharkov. Thereafter… it has been tall talk, more talk and more and more.

If anything, pendency has exacerbated the problems. Chief Justice of India countered Kirren Rijju, with ‘delay in appointments of judges and absence of adequate infrastructure support’. Well, there may be merit in it. But not wholesome truth. Truth is tainted by such back and forths. Seminar circuits have been busy offering platforms to resource persons to add to the mountainous heights. Tomes are not wanting.

Is there one core and good reason for the ills afflicting the judicial system impacting the lives of the commoners? Yes, said Chief Justice M Chagla. And he illustrated it with evidence. It all boiled down to the quality of personnel. The men who man the benches from the lowest in hierarchy to the pulpit, must have the ‘credentials’ to occupy the position. While we must aspire for ‘diversity and inclusiveness to avoid the Tyranny of Merit’ as the Harvard Professor Michael Sandel says, we should not be seen to be ‘sacrificing it for the sake of it’ said Chagla. Truth and reality must lie in the middle.

The incumbent Chief Justice of India did lead an overworked Collegium and got through a lot of appointments and transfers. Yet, the backlog continues. Not his fault. It is a systemic fault. Where is one to go for ‘quality’ when Nani’s illiteracy criteria looms large? Legal education is wanting. The better ones go for the Corporate portfolios and well established firm culture. The left overs come to practice as last resort or no other resort. Including me.

The ‘numbers’ on the Bench does not help. Me not saying it. Read M C Chagla, “ It is necessary to say a word about the judges I selected when I was Chief Justice. One principle I invariably followed was that any lawyer who came to see me to canvass for a judgeship was automatically ruled out as far as I was concerned. I hold the view that a lawyer must be invited to come to the Bench; he should not seek that high office on his own. And none of the judges I appointed ever canvassed, directly or indirectly, for that office. It was I who had to ask them and sometimes even beg them to accept a judgeship. I was also very clear in my mind that unless  I had a suitable person to fill a vacancy, I should allow the vacancy to remain infilled rather than appoint an unsuitable person to that post. Mere increase in the number of judges does not necessarily improve the quality of the work, nor does it result in reduction of the arrears”. Peter Principle in action!

Here is my two penny contribution. The system is creaking. No doubt. Senior Advocate Harish Salve goes brutal to say it is ‘broken’. And it needs fixing. The issues flagged off by the Justices and the Union Law Minister are intermingled. It deserves structural changes. And we have reports galore gathering dust. We have to make do with the system we have. We are like that only!

But then the million dollar or the inflationary rupee question, falling close to Rs.80/- per dollar is – Where are we to go for quality that M C Chagla alludes to? Is our legal education and legal,ethical,moral literacy that Nani Palkhivala spoke of, up to speed? Let us be real. We can exchange words. We can debate on reasons. We can even loudly blame each other across the aisle. Where is the TRUTH?

For, the  bottom line is the inexorable TRUTH, that stares at us. You be the JUDGE.

(Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan- Author of Making/Working of Constitution- OakBridge, 2020/2021- practising advocate in the Madras High Court)

भारत में पनपती तालिबानी मानसिकता

Abhishek Kumar
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भारत में पनपती तालिबानी मानसिकता

राजस्थान के उदयपुर और महाराष्ट्र के अमरावती में हुई बर्बर हत्या ने साबित कर दिया हैं कि सिर तन से जुदा की सनक वाले देश में जिहाद करने के लिए बेख़ौफ़ बेलगाम होते जा रहे हैं. कइयों को ऐसी धमकियाँ मिल रही हैं जो नूपुर शर्मा के समर्थन में बोल रहे हैं, चाहे वो भाजपा नेता कपिल मिश्रा को ईमेल के माध्यम से दी गई धमकी हो. इससे पहले भी ऐसी वीभत्स घटनाएँ हो चुकी हैं. आपको याद होगा ही कर्नाटक के शिवमोगा में हर्षा नामक युवक की केवल इसलिए हत्या कर दी गई थी उसने शिक्षण संस्थानों में हिजाब पहनने की जिद की जगह भगवा शाल पहनने की वकालत की थी.

इसी तरह गुजरात के अहमदाबाद में कथित ईशनिंदा के नाम पर किशन भरवाड की हत्या कर दी गई थी. हालांकि, ये घटनाएँ नुपुर शर्मा के बयां से वास्ता नहीं रखती हैं. लिहाजा, सुप्रीम कोर्ट की यह टिप्पणी भी मायने नहीं रखती जिसमे सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने उन्हें देश का माहौल ख़राब करने के लिए जिम्मेदार बता दिया. मदरसों में इस्लाम के नाम पर दी जाने वाली तालीम आज की बात नहीं है. इन संस्थानों में इस्लाम के नाम पर कैसी जिहादी ट्रेनिंग दी जा रही हैं, क्या उसकी वजह भी कोई बयान भर है या यह गलाकाट हिंसा को विस्तार देने वाले सुनियोजित एजेंडे का हिस्सा है? मुस्लिम युवायों को एक नैरेटिव के साथ बहुसंख्यक हिंदू समाज के खिलाफ उकसाने का कुचक्र भी क्या किसी नूपुर शर्मा के कारण संभव हुआ हैं? विभिन्न शहरोँ की आतंकवादी घटनाओं में अंतर्राष्ट्रीय आतंकी संगठनों भी भागीदारी और आरोपी मुस्लिम युवकों की संलिप्तता उजागर होती आ रही हैं. क्या इसके पीछे भी किसी नूपुर शर्मा का बयान ही हैं?

देश के विभिन्न शहरोँ में अपने खिलाफ दर्ज मामलों को दिल्ली स्थानांतरित करने की नूपुर की मांग पर न्यायधीशों ने देश की हालिया हिंसक घटनाओं के पीछे नूपुर शर्मा को जिम्मेदार बताने वाली टिप्पणी कर दी, जिस पर देश में एक बहस छिड़ गई हैं. यह साबित हुए बिना ही कि नूपुर शर्मा के कारण ही उदयपुर की घटना हुई, शीर्ष अदालत ने उन पर टिपण्णी कर दी जो फ़ैसले का लिखत हिस्सा नहीं हैं. अदालत ने जिस तरह सुनवाई के दौरान ही उन्हें उदयपुर में कन्हैया लाल की हत्या के लिए जिम्मेदार ठहरा दिया उससे उन तत्वों का मनोबल बढ़ने का ख़तरा बढ़ सकता हैं जो सिर तन से जुदा करने की धमकियाँ दे रहे हैं और विरोध करने वालों के खिलाफ दहशत फैला रहे हैं.

शीर्ष अदालत की ऐसी टिप्पणियों से सड़क पर उत्पात मचाने वालोँ को शह मिल जाती हैं. मान भी लिया जाये की टीवी पर बहस में नूपुर शर्मा के बयान से एक पक्ष की भावनाएं आहात होती हैं, इसका मतलब ये तो बिलकुल नहीं हैं कि उद्देलित लोग हिंसा फैलाएं और हत्या को अंजाम देने लगे. नूपुर शर्मा का बयान गलत हैं तो मुस्लिम नेता तस्लीम रहमानी ने भी हिंदू धर्म में भगवान शिव पर घटिया टिप्पणी की थी वो अभी तक शीर्ष अदालत की टिप्पणी और जेल जाने से कैसे बचा हुआ हैं! सरकार को देश में तेजी से फ़ैल रही जिहादी और सिर तन से जुदा वाली खतरनाक तालिबानी मानसिकता को कुचलने के लिए ठोस और प्रभावी कदम उठाने होंगे.

Persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

snehamoy1998
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Persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

As many as 17 victims lost their valuables worth hundreds of thousands of taka due to the barbaric attack on Friday.

The law enforcement agency was strictly monitoring the activities of the angry mob to protect the accused Akash Saha’s house in the southern part of Sahapara. However, the agitators quickly moved to the eastern part of Sahapara and carried out a reprehensible act of vandalism by setting off fires and looting temples and houses. Before the authorities realized their mistake, 17 houses and shops, including four temples, were vandalized. At the same time, a house was also set on fire. The residence of Tarun Saha in the eastern part of Sahapara was one of the first houses to be vandalized. He said: “Police were patrolling in the southern part of Sahapara where Akash resides. So, the eastern part of Sahapara was outside police surveillance.”

The assailants razed Tarun Saha’s roof and two doors and then moved on to attack and loot Master Dilip’s house and family temple, Gobindo Saha’s house was set on fire, Dr Swapan’s house was attacked and vandalized, and idols in the family temple were desecrated.

They continued on to attack and vandalize the Sarbajanin Temple in Akra in the southern part of Sahapara from the rear. The attackers also attacked and set fire to the temple on the banks of the Nabaganga. An act of persecutionTarun Saha said: “Many Muslim families live around Sahapara. So the attackers combined both familiar and unfamiliar faces. The term ‘communal conflict’ used for it is not correct. Because in a conflict, both parties need to be active. But this was a one-sided affair. “It would be correct to call it Hindu persecution since only the Hindus of Sahapara were attacked in this incident. Shops owned by anyone other than Hindu people were left unscathed.”

Another victim, Gobindo Saha said the attackers set fire to his living room in the evening. The blaze quickly spread throughout the house within moments burning all valuables. When the fire broke out, local people came to the rescue and tried to extinguish the blaze with water. But by the time the fire was extinguished, everything in the house had been destroyed. “Later, the government took measures to fix my house through the administration; now it is being renovated,” he added. Mala Rani Saha said the assailants took four bhori of gold ornaments and Tk4,000 from her house. They tried to break the cupboard too.

Again, on Monday night, a group of people warned her not to disclose the incident of looting and vandalism to the authorities. Molina Roy from Akra area complained that a day after the incident, on July 16, few miscreants came and forcibly took away two cows from her cattle shed. “Now we are concerned about protecting the people and other assets of the house,” he added. Everything lost according to the list involving 17 victims of the attack, the shutters of Anupam Saha’s shop were broken and medicines inside the shop were damaged, causing a loss of Tk30,000. Gobinda Chandra Saha’s house worth Tk200,000 was set on fire while Dilip Kumar Saha lost TV, fridge, gold ornaments worth Tk200,000. Digholia Shamshan Kali Mata temple gate, tube well, the concrete idol of Kali Mata were vandalized and burnt, causing a loss of Tk200,000, Sachidananda Roy’s temple grill and idol were broken and two cows were taken away, causing a Tk150,000 loss.

The attackers damaged properties worth at least Tk1.5 lakh at the Dighalia Radha Govind temple while it was Tk1 lakh at Akrabari Sarbjanin temple. Gautam Saha incurred a loss of Tk40,000 due to the damage caused to his shop. Ashok Saha also lost Tk20,000 worth of properties at this shop due to the destruction carried out by the attackers. The shutters of Uttam Ghosh’s shop were damaged, causing a loss of Tk15,000 while Biplab Kumar Saha also saw his assets worth Tk15,000 lost due to the vandalism. Gaurchandra Saha’s door and some goods, including showcases, were damaged to the cost of Tk15,000. Nityadulal Saha’s shop was damaged, causing a loss of Tk15,000.

Padmarani Chakraborty incurred a loss of Tk3,000. What happened earlier, angry villagers took to the streets on Friday, attacking and vandalizing several homes on the allegation that a youth named Akash Saha had hurt their religious sentiments through a post on Facebook. Two cases were filed in connection with the incident. Akash, the prime accused, is now on a three-day remand in one case and five people are in custody in another case, said the police super. The village is home to around 300 families, about one third of whom are Hindu. Following the attack on Friday, around 80% of the female members of the community had fled.

Around 4,000 incidents of violence against Hindus, who constitute less than 9% of Bangladesh’s population, have been reported since 2013.At least 13 people were killed and 1,037 were injured in different incidents between 2013 and June 2022, alongside damage to households, businesses and temples, according to the rights group Ain O Salish Kendra.

Rebranding a nation: The emblem design controversy

Koustubh Bhattacharya
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Rebranding a nation: The emblem design controversy

When companies introduce a new version of their brand logo to keep up with the world, it is often accepted as a much-needed change, a need to update as the use of typefaces change, colour palettes change and so do the public perceptions, design trends and company’s products, and services over the time. Some of the most drastic rebranding exercises which must be noted here are Apple, Mcdonald’s, Pepsi, and Starbucks there are countless examples of successful rebranding. Most importantly, rebranding also sometimes implies a shift in the values of the company. Organisations go to great lengths in conveying such changes to both the internal and the external stakeholders very carefully.

Seldom does such a change is a matter of intense debate and controversy as it was recently in the case of the Indian national emblem which is the adapted version (remember it’s a version only) of the ancient artefact which is known as the Ashoka Stambh (staff) or the Lion Capital found in the excavations at Sarnath (the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have delivered his first sermon). This artefact is at present kept in the Sarnath museum.

For those who are not aware of the matter, here’s a summary of it. On 11th July 2022 the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi unveiled a massive 33 Meter high, 9500 Kilogram sculpture of the Indian National Emblem which is to be mounted on the new Parliament Building of India. This sculpture cast in bronze by master sculptors Laxman Vyas and Sunil Deore and had visible differences from the original Ashok Stambh located in the museum mentioned previously. Almost immediately opposition leaders and some so-called historians and critics started questioning the design of this new sculpture. Objections were especially targeted at the face of the lions which had visibly larger fangs and the expression seemed “aggressive” and “angry”. These “changes” were stated by some in the media as a mutilation of the original emblem and thus were deemed offensive. Comparisons with the Sarnath artefact were made and the “new” design was criticized by some who believed that it was a departure from the “calm” and “gentle” lions in the original design. The Indian Government issued statements defending the design and stating that the changes were felt due to the scale of the sculpture and the angle from which it was viewed.

The controversy in its depth raised concerns about India’s newfound stature in global politics and the evolving diplomatic stand surrounding the border disputes with neighbouring countries like China and Pakistan. The matter is not simple as it seems. If the visible differences are deliberate and are meant to reflect the changing predisposition of India towards the factors which threaten its democracy then there is a lot to be read between the lines. However, whether such changes are at all permissible is an entirely different question.

Let’s first understand how drastic the changes are…

On preliminary observation of the pictures being circulated in the media, we can see the obvious changes. Without going into any insinuation as to what those visual differences mean, we can safely say that the new representation of the lion faces in the sculpture has more refined features which are closer to a real adult male lion. Now there is a clear difference in style from the original artefact but that is only adding to the realism of the lions in the emblem. You must take into account the different scales of the sculptures and different materials being used which would result in the changes.

One has to remember that the artists who created the respective sculptures are 2500 years apart and have very different design techniques and technologies available to them. The Mauryan school of art which reached its epitome during the period of Emperor Ashoka’s rule was noted for its very accurate, highly skillful yet simplistic expression. This goes to further say that the lions on the Sarnath pillar are close to the real but are artistically simplified. The bronze version of the Lion capital looks like a sincere effort to replicate the defining features of the original with a bit of improvement and keeping in mind that people will be viewing it from afar. The sculptor himself has come in defense of his art and has stated that no tampering has been done with the specifications.

Let’s see if the so-called differences are legally permissible…

Every organisation has a brand book that defines the allowed usage of its logo or trademark. The Indian Government has The State Emblem of India (Prohibition Of Improper Use) Act, 2005 which is the standard document governing the usage of the emblem. The description of the emblem in the Act mentions – “The profile of the Lion Capital showing three lions mounted on the abacus with a Dharma Chakra in the centre, a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left has been adopted as the State Emblem of India. The bell-shaped lotus has been omitted.”

This nowhere specifies any particular facial expression of the Lions in question as long as the representation resembles a Lion. There is always scope for improvement.

In that same Act, two design versions of the emblem are specified in Annexure 1 and Annexure 2. The design in Annexure 1 is “in simplified form and meant for reproduction in small sizes, such as for use in stationery, seals, and die-printing” while the design in Annexure 2 is “more detailed and meant for reproduction in bigger sizes”. There are some interesting differences between the two simply because of the design details. The teeth are present in the prescribed designs too. There are no toothless lions in actuality unless a lion may have lost its teeth in an accident or because of bad oral hygiene. Just kidding.

Any logo comAny logo comes under Trademark registration. Any design which may carry an element of the logo can be protected by a Design Registration. However, any Government emblem, insignia or coat-of-arms, etc. are on the prohibited list and cannot be registered either as a trademark or as a design. Furthermore, archeological artefacts are public domain. Things like Tutenkhamun’s mask or Rosetta Stone cannot be copyrighted or registered as design. So, the design of Sarnath Lion Capital cannot be subjected to copyrights or design registrations.

Hence, the State Emblem of India cannot be subjected to trademark regime and the Central Government has every right to make any changes to the design or specifications of the State Emblem as per the Section 6(2)(f) of the State Emblem of India (Prohibition Of Improper Use) Act, 2005.

Let’s look at this controversy from the perspective of rebranding.  

The notion that the Lions in the original Lion Capital look “calm” or “peaceful” is just a psychological superimposition of the interpreter. One has to note that the period of Ashoka’s rule was one filled with violence towards the dissidents whether it was at home or the borders. Ashoka being a Buddhist himself was an expansionist in effect and waged many wars with neighbouring nations. The war with the Hindu rulers of Kalinga is the most famous. The peace and prosperity of the era were achieved on basis of authoritarian attitude and military superiority. It is a habit of historians to misattribute the artistic qualities of ancient artefacts to perceived notions.

The “peaceful” missions of Ashoka’s son Mahendra and daughter Sanghmitra to foreign lands like Sri Lanka point towards a neo-colonial effort through proselytization. Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the edicts and the pillars of Ashoka were also part of the state propaganda machinery of that time. One might argue that being Buddhists on the ascetic path of peace, the choice of imagery with a wild violent carnivorous animal like a Lion is a contradiction in itself. On that basis, it makes very little difference if the lions look “angry” or “calm”. By that logic propounded by certain liberal factions, some people would probably prefer a Cow (probably too controversial), a Deer or a Kitty Cat perhaps as the state emblem which better suites to their sensibilities.   

It is alleged that the deliberate “distortions” in the design of the bronze Ashoka Stambh by the Government reflects the radical shift in India’s outlook on geopolitics. Now, it is important to ask who is so concerned with it? Maybe those Indians who do not pride themselves to be part of this ‘resurgence’ of India on the global stage. Foreigners are frankly not concerned about it. The “aggression” is a perceived value.

If India is arguably getting more aggressive, then it is the need of the hour. Weak nations are constantly being bullied, overpowered, and exploited by powerful nations and that’s the reality. Resisting such things as invasions, ruthless and barbaric oppression, ethnic cleansing, forced conversions, and intellectual belittlement for over 700 years does that damage to the psyche. There has never been a proper reconciliation of the crimes committed by occupiers and colonialists on Indians like in the case of the Jews after World War II.

Hence, a “rebranding” is much needed for India in the sense that not only the nation is rising but is also ready to take on any challenge. In that spirit, if the new emblem tends to represent even roaring lions, it would be fine.

Decoding South Asia : Hope or hopeless?

Arin Kumar Shukla FRAS
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Decoding South Asia : Hope or hopeless?

Introduction

South Asia is one of the most emerging regions of the globe, both politically and economically. When talking about South Asia, were considering eight countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. These are broadly the countries that are also part of the Indian Subcontinent. Indian Continent can be assumed to spread from the Hindu Kush to the Indu Sagara (Sanskrit of the Indian Nation).

South Asia has a magnificent history to trace. The story of this region dates back to 3300 BCE when the Indus Valley witnessed the most advanced civilization of its time at the urban centers of Harappa and Mohenjodaro. But today the matter of discussion is the quest for democracy by South Asia after gaining independence from colonial powers. And yes, the colonial legacy is common across the region. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh were under the direct control of the British empire. Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives were small monarchs but weren’t left out of the hegemony of the Brits. Therefore, the whole of South Asia shares scars of a colonial experience, and the common ground obtained from it.

India

India is arguably the most powerful nation in South Asia. This country of 1.3 billion strong is the second most populous and seventh largest in terms of land area. The global stature of India is growing unquestionably with the increased strategic Indo-US partnership. The Global Firepower Index 2022 has ranked India 4th out of 142 nations, just behind superpowers like the United States, Russia, and China. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has ranked India 3rd in terms of GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP). India is a nuclear state since 1998, which makes it even more powerful. But the country still lags in terms of HDI (Rank 131) and Per capita income (Rank 142).

Despite many turbulences, India has been successful in working under a democratic framework. Since its independence from Britain in 1947, India has never seen any attempts of a military takeover. Instead, India has demonstrated signs of a mature democracy, as the transfer of power has always been peaceful and warm in the country. But there are still question marks on the democratic system of India due to poor development, poverty, corruption, and poison of casteism. Nepotism and fierce regionalism are also a question of the democratic process.

Pakistan

Pakistan is the second most powerful country in the region. Since its inception in 1947, it has retained close ties with the US and the West. For the last couple of decades, its friendship with China is not to hide. The strategic location of Pakistan, connecting Central Asia with the Indian Ocean, gives it a unique opportunity. Both, the West and China need Pakistan to increase its influence in Central Asia, especially Afghanistan under the Talibani regime. Not to forget, Pakistan is a nuclear state and holds more nuclear weapons than India. The Pakistani army is ranked 9th on the Global Firepower Index. not far behind countries like Britain and France. But Pakistan has its problems.

Democracy is a failed dream for the country. Pakistan has witnessed military dictatorship three times under different leaders, most recently during 1999-2008 under Parvez Musharraf. Even when democratic leaders are in charge, the influence of the military in decision-making is prevalent. The country is very weak in terms of nominal GDP (Rank 44) and Per Capita Income (Rank 178). Performance in HDI is also unsatisfactory at 154th rank. Challenges of down-falling economy, terrorism, poverty, human rights violation, corruption, and increasing debt trap in curbing Pakistan, hence side-lining scope for a free democracy.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful island nation in the Indian ocean. Sri Lanka is known as the “Teardrop of the Indian Ocean”. Sri Lanka has witnessed many challenges since gaining independence in 1948 – a majoritarian regime, ethnic conflict, civil war, and a humongous economic crisis. The civil war between the Sinhalese government and the Tamil rebels under LTTE claimed the lives of about a hundred thousand people. Despite such a serious threat, the democracy of the nation has survived all storms. Former Lankan PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the first female head of government in the modern world.  The country was successful in maintaining a boosting economy with strong economic indicators.

The HDI performance of Sri Lanka was seen as a miracle in south Asia given the unstable situation in the island nation. But after the post covid economic crisis, the situation in Sri Lanka is unfortunate. After getting into the debt trap, the economy and the Lankan state collapsed. President Gotbaya has fled his residence. The presidential palace is under the control of the protesting masses. Prime Minister has resigned. Markets are struck by hyperinflation. It’s complete chaos. The future of Sri Lanka is uncertain, and the present is dark.

Bangladesh

Next on our list is Bangladesh. This country came into existence in 1972 after the fierce Indo-Pak war. From 1947 to 1972, Bangladesh was part of Pakistan and was known as East Pakistan. This Muslim-majority region was partitioned from India in 1947 in hope of more liberty and democracy. But the Urdu-speaking elite of West Pakistan treated Bengali speakers of East Pakistan as second-grade citizens. Pakistani military unleashed barbaric genocide on the Bengalis claiming the lives of more than three hundred thousand people. This ignited the fire of dignity in the hearts of Bengalis, who fought for self-rule. This quest for democracy was supported by India, which sent its army to liberate what is today Bangladesh.

After liberation in 1972, Bangladesh witnessed turbulences as the family of Shiekh Mujibur Rehman was murdered and the military took over the reins of the country. But after protests, democracy was restored in the 1990s and has been working since then. Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing economies in South Asia and is performing well in development indicators such as GDP and HDI.

Afghanistan

The heart-wrenching story of Afghanistan is not unknown to anybody. Often referred to as the “Graveyard of Empires”, Afghanistan has witnessed invasions by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. All of them failed and had to retreat. After decades of hard-pitched confrontation between the US and Taliban, the Taliban succeded. The grand legacy of Gandhara civilization, to the hopes of the Afghan people, everything died. Afghanistan is going through a shameful period of human history, and the future is not so bright either.

Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives

Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan all have a monarchical legacy in common. While Nepal and Maldives are republics now, Bhutan is working under a constitutional monarchy. These are small states, but of great strategic importance. Nepal and Bhutan are situated in the Himalayas between the powerful states of India and China. Both want their hegemony over the snow-laden mountains. The Maldives is located in the strategically important Indian ocean and that too on in close vicinity to the middle east and Africa. Nepal witnessed blood spilling struggle for democracy while in Bhutan it was a peaceful process. For the Maldives, it was a struggle with Britain and its Sultan.

Conclusion

Though there are internal conflicts between the states of South Asia on issues like internal security, border demarcation, river water sharing, and marine boundaries. There have been attempts to establish regional peace and harmony. One such attempt was the establishment of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) in 1985, with all 8 south Asian countries as member states. Though it’s not peaceful and cooperative like the EU, the quest for cooperation is still underway. And there is still hope in eyes of every south Asian child – for a better future.

“Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.”

– Gautam Buddha

BJP and Rajinikanth

girijajinnaa
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BJP and Rajinikanth

The state of Tamil Nadu is one that has always remained elusive to the Hindi politicians of Delhi since 1968, when the Congress was trounced and the DMK captured power. So, for more than five decades, no national party could make it to Fort St. George, the seat of power in the state. There are regional parties in other states too, but there there are one or two regional parties and so the national party, be it Congress or the BJP, had a share, at least in the fight. But in Tamil Nadu, the scenario is different and the DMK has broken into various parties, the most important being the AIADMK, and the fight has always been between these two parties, leaving no space for the national parties.

Indira Gandhi, instead of strengthening her party, found an easy way out just to get the support and seats she needed to start piggy-riding on either of these regional parties. The BJP is now struggling, and the main aim of this article is only to highlight the mistakes that are being made by the BJP in its quest to wrest power in the elusive state of Tamil Nadu.

Since MGR and Jayalalithaa rode the TamilNadu political space like a colossus, the Chanakya of the BJP thinks that the easiest route to power in this cinema-crazy state is through a film star, and for that, they are trying to please Rajinikanth in more than one way.

In 2014, when Modi was leading the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls, only in this state, he met two film stars. He went to Rajinikanth’s residence personally to coax him to canvass for him and asked the young actor Vijay to come and visit, and the photos of them together were flashed in the next day’s papers. Both actors were too intelligent and remained silent without uttering a word.

But neither Modi nor Shah learned a lesson from this insult.

It is true that in Tamil Nadu, every actor worth his name dreams of getting into the shoes of the Chief Minister of this state, and all Tamil films are invariably laden with politically charged dialogues,

Still, the BJP and, of course, Chanakya depend on Rajinikanth and are looking at him like a thirsty chatak bird aspiring to drop at least a sentence in favour of the BJP, which would do miracles and make the party sweep the polls, annihilating all the regional parties.

The young Rajinikanth was first introduced to politics by journalist (again, a man with a strong cine background) Cho Ramaswamy during the 1996 elections, when Rajinikanth famously stated against then-Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa that if she is re-elected, even God cannot save Tamil Nadu.And not only did Jayalalithaa herself lose the battle; her party was badly drubbed, with some of her cabinet colleagues losing their deposits.

This incident seems to have been engraved in the minds of politicians in Delhi. This idea was further nourished by Cho (who somehow gained proximity to Modi even when he was the CM of Gujarat) and his associate Gurumurthy (a man with an RSS background and, further, he was against Rajiv Gandhi working for Goenka). They dinned into the ears of Modi and Shah that Rajinikanth is a great force to reckon with or that he can do wonders in changing the vote equation just like MGR and Jayalalitha.

Let us not discuss the dead MGR and Jayalalithaa—but the bitter truth is that Rajinikanth is a zero when compared to the erstwhile AIADMK leaders. But Rajinikanth was extremely smart and cunning. From the year 1996, when he heard people like Cho saying that it was because of Rajinikanth’s propaganda that DMK got to power, he started playing his role.

Yes, he wanted to taste power, so he maintained proximity with Cho and Gurumurthy, and they, at the drop of a hat, failed not to praise Rajinikanth and projected as though he was the messiah who would do wonders for this state. And Rajinikanth made the longing BJP fall in love with him again and again, telling them that he would usher in “spiritual politics” (how foolish politics and spirituality? are these not an oxymoron?) and comparing Shah-Modi’s combination to that of Arjuna and Krishna; this made the BJP fall in love with Rajinikanth again and again, and they did everything to please him.

When the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest award in the country for actors, was given to Rajinkanth just before elections, Rajinikanth himself was shocked as he took the full 24 hours to come before the media to thank the government for honouring him. His contribution to cinema is zero—he had gained much from cinema and had given nothing to cinema.

According to the grapevine, the present Rajya Sabha seat that has been offered to Music Maestro Ilayaraja was also due to Rajinikanth’s recommendation. So the BJP is still hoping for Rajinikanth’s one sentence – “Please vote for the BJP.”And Modi and Shah think that Tamil voters will immediately vote for them.

Around the 2024 elections, Modi and Shah may decide to gift Rajinikanth with the Bharar Ratna too.!

The Modi-Shah duo may work wonders in the Hindi belt, but in Tamil Nadu, they are being led by Rajinikanth, who is not as powerful a political force (his film career has ended) as Gurumurthy portrays him to the Delhi rulers.

Wake up Modi and Shah before it is too late. You have a good leader in Mr. Annamalai. Depend on him and encourage him instead of running behind Rajinikanth, who instead of promoting you will promote himself in every possible way.

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