India cries for Freedom from the destruction of the country’s democratic ethos and framework! The V-Dem Institute at Sweden’s University of Gothenburg in its ‘Democracy Report 2024’ says that India is “among the ‘worst autocratisers’ in recent years. Adding that, “autocratisation process has been well documented, including gradual but substantial deterioration of freedom of expression, compromising independence of the media, crackdowns on social media, harassments of journalists critical of the government, as well as attacks on civil society; the “anti-pluralist” BJP government has used laws on sedition, defamation, and counterterrorism to silence critics. The Modi-led government also continues to suppress the freedom of religion rights. Intimidation of political opponents and people protesting government policies, as well as silencing of dissent in academia are now prevalent” India has also been named in the top 10 autocratising countries in the last 10 years; it is placed 104 in the Liberal Democracy Index (LDI).

India cries for Freedom from want, poverty, hunger and deprivation: millions in our country, still live below the poverty line. The country still does not have any official relevant, reliable updated data with regard to poverty. There are at least five different estimates of the number of poor people in India, which put the number of poor in India between 35 million and 375 million; between 2.5% of the population to 29.5%, based on different estimates between 2014 and 2022. In the 2023.The Global Hunger Index, ranked India 111 out of 125 countries with a level of hunger that is serious.

India cries for Freedom from the throttling of the right of free speech and expression. Most print and electronic media are ‘godified’ (lapdog). India’s position in the World Press Freedom Index 2024, was 159 out of the 180 countries ranked. The ‘Reporters without Borders’ (RSF), ranks countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. The report declares India as one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media. The right to dissent is fundamental to a vibrant democracy. Media personnel who take a visible and vocal stand for truth and justice are harassed, incarcerated and even killed! What is happening in Parliament (both in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha) is there for all to see. The Speakers of these Houses, make every effort to curb, to mute, and to stop members of the Opposition from voicing the legitimate cries of the people.

India cries for Freedom for Human rights defenders (HRDs), right to information seekers and others who take a stand for truth, justice and human rights. They are at the receiving end of a vicious and vindictive system. They are intimidated, incarcerated and even killed!  These include those in the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case; Jesuit Father Stan Swamy is a case in point. He worked and lived for the legitimate rights of the tribal people. He was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 8 October 2020 and died on 5 July 2021 at the age of 84, whilst still incarcerated. His death is regarded as ‘institutional murder’. Highly committed activists like Teesta Setalvad, Arundhati Roy, Prof. G. N. Saibaba, Umar Khalid, Medha Patkar and others, have false cases foisted on them and are victims of vendetta. NGOs who work with the poor and powerless, are denied their FCRA licence.

India cries for Freedom from the demonization, discrimination and denigration of minorities. This is happening today with frightening regularity. Minorities (particularly Muslims Christians and Sikhs) continue to be attacked and are at the receiving end of a communally polarised society. On  26 June, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken  whilst releasing the Annual Report on international religious freedom  of the US Government, noted that a wide array of violence against religious minorities were taking place in India saying, “In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities” The USCIRF’s 2024 Annual Report recommended that  India be designated as a  Country of Particular Concern (CPC), for “engaging in or tolerating particularly severe violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief”. 

India cries for Freedom from the pillaging of the environment. Fragile ecosystems are being destroyed. The landslides in Wayanad, the terrible flooding in Delhi and several other so-called ‘natural’ calamities all over the country, show how precious little has been done to address serious environmental concerns. Government projects favour their crony capitalist friends, providing them with a license to loot, plunder and rape the environment; the continued use of fossil fuels is a case in point. The Environment is in a shambles! In the 2024 Environmental Performance Index, India was ranked 176 out of 180 countries! The destruction of precious forest lands and bio-diversity, to cater to so-called ‘development’ projects, contribute immensely to the climatic changes one experiences today. The 2023 Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, provides that the de-reservation of reserved forests, use of forest land for non-forest purpose, assigning forest land by way of lease or otherwise to private entity, precious water bodies in the urban areas are land-filled, causing floods. Most major rivers in the country are polluted; there is over-dependence on fossil fuel. Even today, coal blocks are auctioned to crony capitalist friends of the Government. Sections of the corporate sector and particularly the mining mafia–have no qualms of conscience, in depleting precious natural resources, with the sole desire of profiteering.

India cries for Freedom from draconian laws and other anti-people legislation which have been promulgated without due deliberations and debate, with scant respect to the legitimate rights of the citizens. These include the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 A regarding Jammu and Kashmir, , the anti-farmer laws ( currently on hold), the four (anti-worker) labour codes, the anti- conversion laws, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 , the Uniform Civil Code passed by the State of Uttarakhand, the ‘One Nation, One Election’ report; the three new criminal laws, the ‘Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’ the ‘Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita,’ and the ‘Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam’  which have been made  effective from 1 July 2024.

India cries for Freedom for quality and relevant education. Many (particularly those from the poor and deprived sections of society) still do not have the possibilities to study and the opportunities for a meaningful career and a bright future. They are straddled with a National Education Policy that does not prepare them for life; they are subject to leakages in the NEET; hundreds of students and other youth, commit suicide because of the frustrations they are subject to.  The many millions of those who want to go to study abroad, is a case in point. Education in India, it is evident, does not sufficiently prepare ‘men and women for others.

India cries for Freedom from unemployment. The youth of the country continue to grapple with  unemployment , with nearly 83 percent of the jobless population belonging to this demographic, as per the India Employment Report 2024 jointly published by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute of Human Development (IHD) The report (released on 27 March 2024)underscores a concerning trend where the proportion of educated young people, possessing at least secondary education, among the total unemployed youth has nearly doubled from 35.2 percent in 2000 to 65.7 percent in 2022.

India cries for Freedom from corruption. Corruption is today the new normal in India and is mainstreamed; practically nothing can be done, without greasing the palms of those at the control wheels. Politicians from the opposition parties are easily bought up. The ruling regime has made mindboggling amounts of money through demonetisation and the sale of electoral bonds (EB). The last General Elections were also about the manipulation of the EVMs and the fact that in about 70 Constituencies, the ruling regime won only because of their corrupt practices. The most recent Hindenburg Research revelations show that investments by the SEBI Chairperson have been used to amass large stakes in Adani Group companies in violation of SEBI regulations. Transparency International ranked India, 93 out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2024. The BJP regime under Modi must easily be the most corrupt, amongst the world democracies today.

India cries for Freedom for all Constitutional and independent authorities/bodies. These are patently meant to be non-partisan, objective, impartial, transparent and just! These include   the Election Commission (ECI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Income Tax Department, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the police and even sections of the judiciary. Most of those who belong to these bodies, today seem to have lost all qualms of conscience and are blatantly one-sided, corrupt, compromised, corrupted, spinelessly toeing the diktats of their political masters.

India cries for Freedom for Vinesh Phogat. This woman today epitomises the resilience, the courage and the strength of all women of India. Together with some of her co-wrestlers, she took on the all-powerful don of India’s wrestling federation for his alleged misdeeds. The BJP did absolutely nothing to take a stand on behalf of the victims; they clearly sided with the perpetrator. Vinesh was singled out; despite her prowess she was almost denied a chance to compete in the Olympics. She showed her mettle there – beating the world’s best. She was disqualified before the final round: many questions asked are still being asked. Today she is India’s national heroine; but she has had to pay a price!

India cries for Freedom for the tribals of Manipur! Since May 2023, the tribals there, particularly the Kuki-Zo people, are victims of an insensitive, divisive and ruthless regime – who have sided openly with the perpetrators of this current spate of violence. Hundreds of tribals have been killed, many more injured, and thousands have fled Manipur or live in refugee camps. Their homes and earthly possessions have been destroyed; their lands taken away from them; even their places of worship have been razed to the ground. There is no political will on the part of the State and Central Governments to ensure peace in Manipur.

India cries for Freedom for all to live in dignity and equity, in harmony and peace, in truth and in justice, in acceptance of the other and in the celebration of pluralism; the people yearn for freedom to enhance the democratic ethos, Constitutional values and the secular fabric of the nation. For Freedom from untruth, deceit, lies and ‘feku-isms’. For Freedom from manipulated, selective and biased history. For  Freedom from hate and violence, from rape and killing, from extortion and corruption, from uniformity and monoculturalism, from authoritarianism and subjugation  Freedom for all: the Adivasi’s , Dalits and OBCs, for the minorities and the marginalised, for women and the other Genders, for the small farmers and the indigenous coastal people , for the casual labourers and the migrant workers,  for the excluded and the exploited They all  demand the freedom to be fearless and transparent citizens of our beloved land! As India yearns for that total freedom, we pray in the words of Tagore, from his ‘Gitanjali’ “into that heaven of freedom my Father, let my country awake!”

India cries for Freedom from every from of fear and insecurity. Fear seems to have paralysed large sections of the country. It is certainly not easy to deal with a brutal, vicious and vengeful regime. Though written in the late 19^th century and in the context of British colonialism, Rabindranath Tagore’s hard-hitting poem on ‘Freedom’ is an uncomfortable commentary of the reality and fears which grips India today

“Freedom from fear is the freedom

I claim for you, my motherland!

Freedom from the burden of the ages,

bending your head, breaking your back, blinding your eyes

to the beckoning call of the future;

Freedom from the shackles of slumber

where with you fasten yourself in night’s stillness,

mistrusting the star that speaks of truth’s adventurous paths;

freedom from the anarchy of destiny

whole sails are weakly yielded to the blind uncertain winds,

and the helm to a hand ever rigid and cold as death.

Freedom from the insult of dwelling in a puppet’s world,

where movements are started through brainless wires,

repeated through mindless habits,

where figures wait with patience and obedience

for the master of show,

to be stirred into a mimicry of life.”

India cries for Freedom, TODAY!!!

(Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation and peace activist / writer. Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com )

The post India Cries for Freedom! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

This year in March, while this writer was serving as a short-term resident scholar in New York, an MA Class student of Islamic studies at New York University (NYU), posted an online request for “prayers for Bangladesh”. The NYU student wrote:

“We request prayers for the easing of hardships faced by Bangladeshi students. At Dhaka University, a long-standing tradition among Muslim boys to break their fast (iftaar) in the halls were physically assaulted because they were consuming beef as part of their meal. One student even sustained injuries and began bleeding due to the violence inflicted upon him”. This set me thinking and pondering about what was going to happen in Bangladesh. Far from my country, I was doing a prognosis: what in the near future would be the fate of the nation I have always known as “the most moderate Muslim polity” in the Indian neighbourhood. In light of the violent incidents in March, the student fraternity in Bangladesh backed by an alleged support from some foreign forces (read American) student unions were getting more and more mobilised. This gave them an enabling environment to create an uproar in their country which has now resulted into the regime change. This is precisely what was behind the change of guard in Bangladesh on the 5th August of 2024.

Now when Bangladesh has accepted the regime change after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned following a mass rebellion that killed nearly 300 people, my bewilderment, which worries me more than before, is: what if the crisis would spill over to India? Amid the anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh, be it politically or religiously motivated, the change of guard in bleeding Bangladesh could be bad news for Indian Muslims too.

This change comes as very difficult to many moderate and mainstream Indian Muslims who adhere to the religiously pluralist, peaceful and culture-friendly Islam. The political unrest and communal violence and radical Islamist rise among the Bangladesh people is a serious threat to the Indian Hindu-Muslims’ historically healthy relations back home.

Therefore, most significantly, speaking up for the victims of violence and fostering peace and tranquillity amidst the crisis and multifaceted challenges in Bangladesh is more sagacious and essential on part of us Muslims. It will consequently help mitigate the continuing or potential communal tensions in the South Asian region.

In an unequivocal, strong press statement, IMSD has condemned the attacks on the life and property of Bangladeshi Hindus. The Daily Star published from Dacca, and other newspapers reported that on the day the students’ movement declared “independence” from the Awami League’s authoritarian regime, at least 142 people were killed in attacks and clashes around the country, with hundreds injured. Hindu houses and businesses were looted and torched in at least 27 districts. “In the anarchic situation that prevails in the country, fearing for their lives, a large number of Hindus living close to the border have been attempting to cross over to India leaving behind their homes, businesses and motherland”, the IMSD said.

The strongly-worded statement supported and endorsed by over 50 Indian Muslim intellectuals further reads: “The attack on temples, Hindu homes and businesses, and the targeting of Rahul Ananda’s secular musical space is clear indication that some fanatical Islamist groups — there is no dearth of them in Bangladesh — are pursuing their own intolerant agenda”.

Most significantly, the statement in its conclusion exhorts and urges the majority of Muslims in India and Bangladesh not to be mute and silent spectators. It rather awakens them and says: “Bangladesh politics must not be allowed to degenerate into majoritarianism as India’s has. Communalism is a sub-continental malaise and must be fought across borders. We call upon Muslim organisations and individuals in India to strongly condemn the targeting of minorities in Bangladesh.”

Not that no Islamic organisation or conventional Muslim outfit in India or Bangladesh is speaking out against the lynch mobs, arsonists looters and fanatics. We have heard and seen how a human chain was built by some Madrasa students to protect Hindu places of worship in Bangladesh. Even some of the Islamist preachers who otherwise played a communal and sometimes viciously divisive role in the past have showed a totally different face of theirs standing up for the Hindu victims of violence.

Most strikingly, the largest Islamist party in Bangladesh (Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami) and even Jama’at-e-Islami Hind (JeI) in India have condemned the attacks on Hindus. The JeI’s wing in Delhi-NCR (Faridabad) issued a press release in Urdu newspapers in which Maulana Jamaluddin of JeI has been quoted as saying: “Targeting any community or religious group is condemnable; we must condemn it unequivocally or this disquiet will spread.…We have urged all leaders of the community to come together to address this issue and promote a harmonious culture of understanding”.

It would not have been surprising if these words were to come from the Sufi Sunni ulema and clerics who repeatedly issued clichés like these. Astonishingly, even the Salafis and Ahl-e-Hadith as well as the Jama’at-e Islami, Hind have been known for non-tolerant attitudes towards non-Muslims and their places of worship have condemned the anti-Hindu attacks. More surprisingly, they came out to condemn these acts of violence targeting the minorities in Bangladesh with several verses from the Qur’an, as well as Ahadith and Asaar-e-Sahaba (sayings and actions attributed to the Prophet’s companions).

For instance, Assam’s well-known Deobandi scholar, Maulana Nurul Amin Qasmi who is famous for his distinct da’awah (preaching) style, went as far as to say: “We cannot comment on the internal issue of the neighbouring country. But as an Indian Muslim, I urge the Bangladeshis not to target the minorities in their country. Whether they are Hindus, Christians or Buddhists, any form of attack on innocent minority communities goes against the teaching of Islam and traditions of the holy Prophet (pbuh). Maulana Qasmi has extensively quoted from the Qur’an and Hadith to substantiate the point.

Syed Muhammad Ashraf Kichauchwi, President of All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board and chairman of World Sufi Forum, who has a huge following in Bangladeshi Sufi-Sunni pockets, especially in Chittagong, remarkably told this writer:

“The extremist fundamentalists who were in jails in Bangladesh and were banned from preaching also came out on the streets and they were doing their job under the cover of protesters, which emerged as a grave threat to the peace of the entire region. The basic idea of ​​Bangladesh was about tolerating everyone with an all-embracing faith based on love and peace, but now people with an ideology of deep-seated hatred are active. They are taking advantage of the situation to further their nefarious ends.”

He continued: In such a situation, people with the philosophy of love and acceptance should be more cautious now and should maximise their efforts to restore peace. We cannot be among those who silently watch the crisis as onlookers. He appealed to the people of Bangladesh not to give a new impetus to the ongoing riots and work for the restoration of peace on the ground. He also asked the people in India active on social media to act with restraint.

There is an urgent note of caution here. People spreading the agenda of communal hatred in our country also try to take advantage of bleeding Bangladesh to further spoil the sensitive environment and communal atmosphere in India. The way videos and pictures coming from Bangladesh are floating on the internet and the kind of provocation they are creating, pose serious threat to peace and harmony. The Indian government should put every possible check on this. It will have to think deeply and devise a decisive policy for the mitigation of the communal clash and tensions snowballing from the neighbouring country. The state agencies will have to keep an eye so that the fundamentalist ideology does not get nourished and nurtured in this backdrop. Otherwise it will be fatal for both: the country as well as the community.

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is Sufi Mystic Indo-Islamic Scholar & Author based in Delhi. He can be reached at grdehlavi@gmail.com 

The post Bangladesh: Why Indian Muslims’ voice against anti-Hindu violence matters appeared first on SabrangIndia.

His Excellency Jagdeep Dhankhar,

Vice President of India

Respected Sir, it needs no reminding that you occupy the august office of Indian Republic’s Vice-President after taking the following oath under Article 69 of the Indian Constitution, “that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established and that I will discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter.” As Vice-President Your Excellency is also the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

Sir, it was a sad spectacle that the Nation found you glorifying the Rashtiya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Rajya Sabha on July 31, 2024, in response to the criticism of Samajwadi Party leader Ramji Lal Suman that persons connected with RSS were being appointed to crucial posts in the educational institutions after recommendation from RSS higher-ups. Instead of letting a concerned Minister respond you took charge and stated:

“RSS is an organisation which is a global think tank of the highest order… I will not permit honourable member to single out an organisation which is doing national service…I hereby rule that RSS is an organisation that has full constitutional rights to participate in the development journey of this nation. This organisation bears unimpeachable credentials, comprises of people who are deeply committed to serving the nation selflessly. To take exception that a member of this organisation cannot participate in development journey of the nation is not only unconstitutional, but beyond the rules…if we take exception like this, it is indicative of undemocratic situations. It is antithetical to the preamble of our Constitution. We are doing great disservice to the nation and the Constitution by taking such divisive stance…I increasingly find that people are engaging into divisive activities. This is a pernicious design, a sinister mechanism to run down the growth of the country.”

[‘RSS has unimpeachable credentials, is global think tank of highest order: V-P’, The Indian Express Delhi, August 1, 2024. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rss-think-tank-vice-president-jagdeep-dhankhar-9486650/]

Sir, when an issue of favouritism and corruption was raised by a senior Rajya Sabha member relating to RSS you went to the extent of warning that “The member was trampling the Constitution of India”.

[‘Jagdeep Dhankhar to the rescue of RSS, describes Opposition MP’s questioning of appointment as ‘trampling of the Constitution’, The Telegraph, Delhi, August 01, 2024. https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/jagdeep-dhankhar-to-the-rescue-of-rss-describes-opposition-mps-questioning-of-appointment-as-trampling-of-the-constitution/cid/2037729]

Your Excellency, you glorified RSS as an organisation which is “a global think tank of the highest order”, “doing national service”, and “bears unimpeachable credentials, comprises of people who are deeply committed to serving the nation selflessly”. You declared any criticism of RSS as “trampling the Constitution of India”, “antithetical to the preamble of our Constitution”, “great disservice to the nation and the Constitution” and critics indulging in “divisive activities” as part of “a pernicious design, a sinister mechanism to run down the growth of the country.”

Sir, I am shocked that as Vice-President of India you eulogized an organisation in the Parliament House of the largest democracy in the world which did not participate in the Indian Freedom Struggle for its inclusiveness, denigrated martyrs of our glorious Freedom Struggle, refused to be loyal to democratic-secular Indian polity, rejected the Tricolour as the National Flag (till year 2000!), denounced Indian Constitution demanding Manusmriti as the constitution Indian), still declares Hinduism and Casteism as synonymous, treats the largest two minorities of  the country as ‘Internal Threats’ and denies claim of Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism being independent religions, and women within RSS as servants.

I am reproducing the above-mentioned startling facts from RSS archives for your kind reference.

RSS committed to build a Hindu state

Importantly, Organizer in an editorial (titled ‘Whither’) on the very eve of Independence, rejected the whole concept of a composite nation declared:

“Let us no longer allow ourselves to be influenced by false notions of nationhood. Much of the mental confusion and the present and future troubles can be removed by the ready recognition of the simple fact that in Hindusthan only the Hindus form the nation and the national structure must be built on that safe and sound foundation…The nation itself must be built up of Hindus, on Hindu traditions, culture, ideas and aspirations.” [Organizer, August 14, 1947]

Prarthana (prayer) and Pratigya (oath) used by the RSS demand from members commitment to a Hindu religion, Hindu rashtra and Hindu cause in opposition to loyalty to democratic-secular Indian polity.

Prarthana:

“Affectionate Motherland, I eternally bow to you/O Land of Hindus, you have reared me in comfort/O Sacred Land, the Great Creator of Good, may this body of mine be dedicated to you/I again and again bow before You/O God almighty, we the integral part of the Hindu Rashtra salute you in reverence/For Your cause have we girded up our loins/Give us Your Blessings for its accomplishment.” 6

[RSS, Shakha Darshika, Gyan Ganga, Jaipur, 1997, p.1.]

Pratigya:

“Before the all-powerful God and my ancestors, I most solemnly take this oath, that I become a member of the RSS in order to achieve all round greatness of Bharatvarsha by fostering the growth of my sacred Hindu religion, Hindu society, and Hindu culture. I shall perform the work of the Sangh honestly, disinterestedly, with my heart and soul, and I shall adhere to this goal all my life. Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” 7 [Ibid, p. 66.]

Sir, thus your glorification of RSS was praise of an organization which demands commitment not to the constitutional polity of India but Hindu Rashtra.

RSS denigrated the Tricolour

Respected Sir, Tricolour is our National Flag. It was this flag carrying which thousands Indian patriots laid down their live as during the British rule it was crime to unfurl it in public. How much RSS hated it can be known by the following denigration of the Flag in its English organ, Organizer just on the eve of Independence (August 14, 1947):

“The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour, but it never [sic] be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.”

RSS betrayed India’s Freedom Struggle

Your Excellency, The Non-cooperation Movement (1920-22) and the Quit India Movement (1942) were two great milestones in the history of the Indian Freedom Movement, but RSS kept aloof not only from these but from other anti-colonial campaigns. Guru MS Golwalkar, the most prominent ideologue of the RSS shamelessly denigrated these movements in the following words:

“Definitely there are bound to be bad results of struggle. The boys became unruly after the 1920-21 movement. It is not an attempt to throw mud at the leaders. But these are inevitable products after the struggle. The matter is that we could not properly control these results. After 1942, people often started thinking that there was no need to think of the law.”

[Shri Guruji Samagr Darshan [Collected works of MS Golwalkar in Hindi in 7 volumes], Vol IV, BhartiyamVichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd, p. 41. Hereafter referred to as SGSD.]

Thus, Guru Golwalkar wanted Indians to respect the draconian and repressive laws of the inhuman British rulers! After the 1942 Movement he further admitted,

“In 1942 also there was a strong sentiment in the hearts of many. At that time too the routine work of Sangh continued. Sangh vowed not to do anything directly. However, upheaval (uthal-puthal) in the minds of Sangh volunteers continued. Sangh is an organisation of inactive persons, their talks are useless, and not only outsiders but also many of our volunteers did talk like this. They were greatly disgusted too.” [SGSD, p. 40.]

Guruji tells us that RSS did nothing directly. However, there is not a single publication or document of the RSS which throws light on what the RSS did indirectly for the Quit India Movement. During this period, in fact, its mentor, ‘Veer’ Savarkar, ran coalition governments with the Muslim League.

RSS denigrates martyrs of India’s Freedom Struggle

Respected Sir, I would like to know your views on the statements of ‘Guruji’ decrying and denigrating the tradition of martyrdom following which Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan, Ram Prasad Bismil and countless other patriotic Indians laid down their lives for the independence our Motherland. Here is a passage from the chapter, ‘Martyr, great but not ideal’ from Bunch of Thoughts, a veritable Geeta for RSS cadres:

“There is no doubt that such men who embrace martyrdom are great heroes and their philosophy too is pre-eminently manly. They are far above the average men who meekly submit to fate and remain in fear and inaction. All the same, such persons are not held up as ideals in our society. We have not looked upon their martyrdom as the highest point of greatness to which men should aspire. For, after all, they failed in achieving their ideal, and failure implies some fatal flaw in them.”

[Golwalkar, MS., Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana, Bangalore, 1996 edition, p. 283.]

Could there be a statement more insulting to the Indian martyrs than this? The founder of the RSS, Dr. KB Hedgewar, went one step further: “Patriotism is not only going to prison. It is not correct to be carried away by such superficial patriotism.” [CP Bhishikar, CP., Sanghavariksh Ke Beej: Dr. Keshavrao Hedgewar, Suruchi, 1994, p. 21.]

RSS’ anathema to democracy

Vice-President Sir, you will agree with me that it is due to our democratic and egalitarian polity that you have become the Vice-President of India. But if Guru Golwalkar had his say it would not have been possible. Guruji hated democracy as per his following decree which he presented before a group of 1,350 top level cadres of the RSS in 1940 at the RSS Headquarters: “RSS inspired by one flag, one leader and one ideology is lighting the flame of Hindutva in each and every corner of this great land” [SGSD, vol. i, p. 11.]

As a leading intellectual you must be familiar with the fact that decree of rule under ‘one flag, one leader and one ideology’ was also the battle cry of the Fascist and Nazi parties of Europe in the first half of 20th century. What they did to democracy is well-known to the world!

For RSS Hinduism and Casteism are synonymous

Respected Sir, allow me to ask whether you like RSS believe that Hinduism and Casteism are one and the same. The most prominent ideologue of RSS, Guru Golwalkar stated:

“The Virat Purusha, the Almighty manifesting himself… [According to Purusha Sukta] sun and moon are his eyes, the stars and the skies are created from his nabhi [navel] and Brahmin is the head, Kshatriya the hands, Vaishya the thighs and Shudra the feet. This means that the people who have this fourfold arrangement, i.e., the Hindu People, is our God. This supreme vision of Godhead is the very core of our concept of ‘nation’ and has permeated our thinking and given rise to various unique concepts of our cultural heritage.” [Golwalkar, MS., Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana, Bangalore, 1996 edition, pp. 36-37.]

For this infallible belief in Casteism RSS strongly demanded that Manusmriti should replace the Indian Constitution. When the Constituent Assembly of India finalized the Constitution of India under the guidance of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on November 26, 1949, RSS was not happy. Its organ, Organiser, in an editorial four days later complained:

“But in our constitution, there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s Laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits that means nothing.” [Organizer, Delhi, November 30, 1949.]

Respected Sir, I am reproducing a selection from Manusmriti for your kind reference and would like to know whether you also believe in these decrees of the Manu Code. These dehumanizing and degenerate laws, which are presented here, are self-explanatory.

Laws of Manu concerning Sudras

1. For the sake of the prosperity of the worlds (the divine one) caused the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the Vaisya, and the Sudra to proceed from his mouth, his arm, his thighs and his feet.
2.  One occupation only the lord prescribed to the Sudras, to serve meekly even these (other) three castes.
3.  Once-born man (a Sudra), who insults a twice-born man with gross invective, shall have his tongue cut out; for he is of low origin.
4.  If he mentions the names and castes (jati) of the (twice-born) with contumely, an iron nail, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red-hot into his mouth.
5.  If he arrogantly teaches Brahmanas their duty, the king shall cause hot oil to be poured into his mouth and into his ears.
6.  With whatever limb a man of a low caste does hurt to (a man of the three) highest (castes), even that limb shall be cut off; that is the teaching of Manu.
7.  He who raises his hand or a stick, shall have his hand cut off; he who in anger kicks with his foot, shall have his foot cut off.
8.  A low-caste man who tries to place himself on the same seat with a man of a high caste, shall be branded on his hip and be banished, or (the king) shall cause his buttock to be gashed.
9.  Let him never slay a Brahmana, though he has committed all (possible) crimes; let him banish such an (offender), leaving all his property (to him) and (his body) unhurt.

Laws of Manu concerning Women

1.  Day and night woman must be kept in dependence by the males (of) their (families), and, if they attach themselves to sensual enjoyments, they must be kept under one’s control.
2.  Her father protects (her) in childhood, her husband protects (her) in youth, and her sons protect (her) in old age; a woman is never fit for independence.
3.  Women must particularly be guarded against evil inclinations, however trifling (they may appear); for, if they are not guarded, they will bring sorrow on two families.
4.  Considering that the highest duty of all castes, even weak husbands (must) strive to guard their wives.
5.  No man can completely guard women by force; but they can be guarded by the employment of the (following) expedients:
6.  Let the (husband) employ his (wife) in the collection and expenditure of his wealth, in keeping (everything) clean, in (the fulfilment of) religious duties, in the preparation of his food, and in looking after the household utensils.
7.  Women, confined in the house under trustworthy and obedient servants, are not (well) guarded; but those who of their own accord keep guard over themselves, are well guarded.
8.  Women do not care for beauty, nor is their attention fixed on age; (thinking), ‘(It is enough that) he is a man,’ they give themselves to the handsome and to the ugly.
9.  Through their passion for men, through their mutable temper, through their natural heartlessness, they become disloyal towards their husbands, however carefully they may be guarded in this (world).
10.  (When creating them) Manu allotted to women (a love of their) bed, (of their) seat and (of) ornament, impure desires, wrath, dishonesty, malice, and bad conduct.
11.  For women no (sacramental) rite (is performed) with sacred texts, thus the law is settled; women (who are) destitute of strength and destitute of (the knowledge of) Vedic texts, (are as impure as) falsehood (itself), that is a fixed rule.

Do I need to remind you that these laws are for Hindus? I also would like to remind you that a copy of Manusmriti was burnt as a protest in the presence of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar during the historic Mahad agitation on December 25, 1927.

RSS celebrated the assassination of Gandhiji

Your Excellency, I hope you know that Nathuram Godse and others who conspired to kill Gandhiji, claimed to be ‘Hindu Nationalists’. They described killing as something ordained by God. RSS celebrated his killing by distributing sweets was the finding of none other than the first home minister of India, Sardar Patel. In a letter written to Golwalkar on September 11, 1948, Sardar stated:

“Organizing the Hindus and helping them is one thing but going in for revenge for its sufferings on innocent and helpless men, women and children is quite another thing…Apart from this, their opposition to the Congress that too of such virulence, disregarding all considerations of personality, decency or decorum, created a kind of unrest among the people. All their speeches were full of communal poison. It was not necessary to spread poison in order to enthuse the Hindus and organize for their protection. As a final result of the poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable life of Gandhiji. Even an iota of the sympathy of the Government, or of the people, no more remained for the RSS. In fact, opposition grew. Opposition turned more severe, when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death.” [Justice on Trial, RSS, Bangalore, 1962, pp. 26-28.]

Respected Sir, Gandhiji’s assassination was part of nation-building by RSS. I hope you will take note of it.

Muslims and Christians as ‘Internal Threats’ number 1 and 2

The ‘Holy’ book for the RSS cadres Bunch of Thoughts, has a long chapter titled as ‘Internal Threats’ in which Muslims and Christians are described as threat number 1 and 2 respectively. While treating Muslims as hostile element number 1 the book goes on to elaborate,

“Even to this day there are so many who say, ‘now there is no Muslim problem at all. All those riotous elements who supported Pakistan have gone away once for all. The remaining Muslims are devoted to our country. After all, they have no other place to go, and they are bound to remain loyal’…It would be suicidal to delude ourselves into believing that they have turned patriots overnight after the creation of Pakistan. On the contrary, the Muslim menace has increased a hundredfold by the creation of Pakistan which has become a springboard for all their future aggressive designs on our country.”

[MS Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, pp. 177-78.]

The book goes on to spit venom against common Muslims in the following words:

“…within the country there are so many Muslim pockets, i.e., so many ‘miniature Pakistans’… The conclusion is that, in practically every place, there are Muslims who are in constant touch with Pakistan over the transmitter…”

[MS Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 185.]

Golwalkar also questioned the loyalty of even Muslim high government officials serving Indian Government in the following word: “Even today, Muslims, whether in high positions of the Government or outside, participate openly in rabidly anti-national conferences. Their speeches carry the ring of open defiance and rebellion.” [MS Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 187.]

While deliberating on the ‘Internal Threat’ number 2, the Christians, he says,

“Such is the role of Christian gentlemen residing in our land today, out to demolish not only the religious and social fabric of our life but also to establish political domination in various pockets and if possible, all over the land.” [Ibid., p. 193]

Your Excellency, you are supposed to be the defender of all-inclusive Indian Constitutional system. Unfortunately, you have taken sides of an organization which wants to drag India into religious conflicts to the glee of foreign enemies of democratic-secular India.

Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism not independent religions

Respected Sir, RSS regards followers of Islam and Christianity as emigrant or foreigners and demands their cleansing as these two religions are declared to be foreign religions. However, RSS has no respect for Indian religions like Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism as these are not treated as independent religions but part of Hinduism. Guru Golwalkar set the agenda by declaring that, “the Buddhists, the Jain, the Sikh are all included in that one comprehensive word ‘Hindu’.” [Golwalkar, MS, the Spotlights, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1974, p. 171.]

RSS believed that South Indian Hindus belong to an inferior Race

Vice-President Sir, it is shocking that you are glorifying RSS which as a Racist organization believed that the Race of Hindus of South India needed to be improved? I am reproducing a speech of Guru Golwalkar on this issue in context of Kerala Hindus. He was invited to address the students at the School of Social Science of Gujarat University on December 17, 1960. In this address, while underlying his firm belief in the Race Theory, he touched upon the issue of crossbreeding of human beings in the Indian society in history. He shamelessly stated:

“In an effort to better the human species through cross breeding the Namboodri Brahamanas of the North were settled in Kerala and a rule was laid down that the eldest son of a Namboodri family could marry only the daughter of Vaishya, Kashtriya or Shudra communities of Kerala. Another still more courageous rule was that the first offspring of a married woman of any class must be fathered by a Namboodri Brahman and then she could beget children by her husband. Today this experiment will be called adultery, but it was not so, as it was limited to the first child.” [M. S. Golwalkar cited in Organizer, January 2, 1961.]

Here we find Golwalkar as a Racist and male chauvinist to argue that a Namboodri Brahman male belonging to a superior Race from the North only could improve the inferior human Race from South. For him wombs of Kerala’s Hindu women enjoyed no sanctity and were simply objects of improving breed through intercourse with Namboodri Brahamanas who in no way were related to them.

Your Excellency: do you uphold such criminal views of Golwalkar; the most prominent ideologue of RSS and Guru of all RSS cadres? In RSS male cadres are swayamsevaks (volunteers) but female cadres are sevikas (servants/maids).

Respected Vice-President Sir, your glorification of RSS means that you also support anti-women RSS. RSS is an exclusive male organization, and its members are described as swayamsevak or volunteers whereas the female organization created in 1936 with the name, Rashtr Sevika Samiti describes its members as sevikas meaning female servants. The Sevikas take an oath to remain faithful, modest, guard virginity and honour but no such oath is prescribed for RSS cadres.

Sir, I beg you to enlighten the nation about your response to this naked male chauvinistic attitude of the RSS.

Your Excellency, it is sad time for Indian democracy that the top constitutional officials of the Indian Republic are using platform of Indian Parliament for glorifying an anti-national and anti-social organization. As an Indian, I appeal to your sense of honesty and conscience to remain loyal to the Oath (Article 69) which you took while assuming the office of the Vice-President of Indian Republic. Any person having faith in the RSS worldview cannot be loyal to the present Indian constitutional polity.

With regards,

Shamsul Islam

Also Read:

How Hindutva forces colluded with both the British & Jinnah against the historic ‘Quit India’ movement: Archives

BJP Independent of RSS: Are You Joking Mr. Nadda?

RSS deceit on constitutional reservation and Dalits in general

The post Has VP Jagdeep Dhankar, violated his constitutional oath? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Reports in the last few days in the The Daily Star, The Daily Tribune and others published from Dacca, record that at least 142 people were killed in attacks and clashes around the country, with hundreds injured, and Hindu houses and businesses were looted and torched in at least 27 districts, on the day the students’ movement declared “independence” from the Awami League’s authoritarian regime.

In the anarchic situation that prevails in the country, fearing for their lives, a large number of Hindus living close to the border have been attempting to cross over to India leaving behind their homes, businesses and motherland.

The once iconic cultural hub of Rahul Ananda has been vandalised, 3,000 rare musical instruments burnt down. The attack on temples, Hindu homes and businesses the targeting of Rahul Ananda’s secular musical space is clear indication that some fanatical Islamist groups – there is no dearth of them in Bangladesh — are pursuing their own intolerant agenda.

In the midst of the continuing mayhem, there are reassuring reports that student leaders have directed their supporters to guard the places of worship of fellow countrymen from the Hindu and Christian communities. Several video clips are circulating in the social media showing students and civilians including madrasa students, setting up committees to protect temples, churches or houses of minorities.

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI), the largest Islamist party in the country, has condemned the attacks on Hindus, saying there is no question of majority or minority and that all citizens have equal rights.

IMSD applauds all those organisations and individuals in Bangladesh who are speaking out against the lynch mobs, arsonists looters and fanatics, in particular those who have thrown civilian security rings around their fellow countrymen from the minority communities. We welcome the statement now even as we note that their own questionable role in the past speaks otherwise.

But the main burden of responsibility lies with the interim government to restore the rule of law, ensure peace, comfort the Hindu victims of the wanton violence, reassure them that they will be fully compensated for the destruction of their temples, homes and businesses and the perpetrators of violence will be brought to justice.

In his first address to the nation, the Noble laureate Mohammad Yunus, now the chief advisor to the new interim government, has warned those who spread the poison of anarchy would face the full power of law enforcement agencies, along with the victorious students and the people, who will make them fail.  “As the first duty of the government, we will suppress these conspirators with a heavy hand,” he has promised. The interim government must now walk the talk.

Signatories:

1. J. Jawad, Advocate, Chennai
2. Aftab Khan, Journalist, Nasik
3. Akbar Shaikh, IMSD, Solapur
4. Ahmad Rashid Sherwani, Educationist, Hyderabad
5. Amir Rizvi, IMSD, Designer, Mumbai
6. Anand Patwardhan, Documentary films maker, Mumbai
7. Anjum Rajabali, Film Writer, Mumbai
8. Anwar Hussain, Corporate Executive, Mumbai
9. Arif Kapadia, IMSD, Business, Activist, Mumbra, Thane
10. Arshad Alam, IMSD, Columnist, New Age Islam, Delhi
11. Ashhar Khan, Jaunpur
12. Askari Zaidi, IMSD, Senior Journalist, Delhi
13. Bilal Khan, IMSD, Activist, Mumbai
14. Dipak Malik, Varanasi
15. Feroze Mithiborwala, IMSD, Co-convener, Bharat Bachao Andolan, Mumbai
16. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Sufi Mystic Indo-Islamic Scholar & Author, Delhi
17. Hasan Ibrahim Pasha, Fiction writer, Allahabad
18. Hasina Khan, Bebaak Collective, Mumbai
19. Irfan Engineer, IMSD Co-convener, CSSS, Mumbai
20. Javed Akhtar, former MP, poet, lyricist, Mumbai
21. Javed Anand, IMSD Convener, CJP, SabrangIndia Online, Mumbai
22. Javed Siddiqi, IMSD, writer, author, Mumbai
23. Kasim Sait, Businessman, Philanthropist, Chennai
24. Khadijah Farouqui, IMSD, Activist, Delhi
25. Mansoor Sardar, IMSD, Bhiwandi
26. Masooma Ranalvi, IMSD, We Speak Out, Delhi
27. Mohammed Imran, PIO, USA
28. Muniza Khan, IMSD, CJP, Varanasi
29. Najid Hussain, PIO, USA
30. Nasreen Contractor, Co-convenor, IMSD, Mumbai
31. Nasreen Fazelbhoy, IMSD, Mumbai
32. Neelima Sharma, Theatre, Social activist, Delhi
33. Qaisar Sultana, Home maker, Allahabad ()
34. Qamarjahan, Lucknow
35. Qutub Jahan, IMSD, NEEDA, Mumbai
36. (Dr) Ram Puniyani, IMSD, Author, Activist, Mumbai
37. Rashida Tapadar, Academic, Activist, Nagaland
38. Riyaz Shaikh, Mumbai
39. Sabah Khan, Parcham, Mumbai.
40. Salim Saboowala, Social activist, Mumbai
41. Shabana Azmi, Actor, Former MP, Mumbai
42. Shafaat Khan, IMSD, Writer, Mumbai
43. Shalini Dhawan, Designer, Mumbai
44. Shama Bano, Social activist Varanasi
45. Shamsul Islam, Author, Delhi
46. Sheeba Aslam Fehmi, IMSD, TV Commentator, Delhi
47. Sultan Shahin, Editor-in chief and publisher, New Age Islam, Delhi
48. Teesta Setalvad, IMSD, CJP, SabrangIndia Online, Mumbai
49. Vibhuti Narain Rai, IPS (retired), author, commentator, Noida
50. Yash Paranjpe, Activist, Mumbai
51. Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed, Neurologist, Chennai
52. Zeenat Shaukat Ali, IMSD, Wisdom Foundation, Mumbai

The post Indian Muslims strongly condemn attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“Congratulations!! You have not lost. You are our hero and will remain so,” the letter, also released in Hindi, opened by saying.

It continued: “Yesterday in Paris you showed what you really are. Your skill is unmatched and there is no height that you can’t scale.”

Asking Phogat not to be disappointed by what happened, the letter says, “We understand that it was not your responsibility to take care of your weight”, before calling for an investigation into the circumstances behind her disqualification.

Phogat qualified for the final match in the 50 kg women’s freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday (August 6), but was disqualified early today when she was found to weigh more than 50 kg.

“Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50 kg this morning,” the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said in a press release on Wednesday.

According to The Hindu, which cited chief coach Virender Dahiya, Phogat weighed exactly 100 grams over 50 kg today.

The Wrestling Federation of India has appealed to global wrestling governing body United World Wrestling (UWW) asking it to reconsider Phogat’s disqualification, and the IOA has lodged its “strong protest” with the UWW.

The open letter to Phogat, the English version of which is reproduced in full at the end of this article, also expressed protest against her disqualification.

“When you return from Paris, we will all meet once again at Jantar Mantar and celebrate your success,” the letter said, adding: “Winning a medal or not is not the measure of victory. The measure of success and victory is your determination and courage.”

If she was not disqualified, Phogat was guaranteed at least a silver medal at the Olympics event today and was set to face off against the US’s Sarah Hildebrandt in the final. She had earlier beaten Japan’s Yui Susaki 3-2 in an upset.

Last year, Phogat was at the forefront of protests against former Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing multiple wrestlers and against whom a court ordered the framing of charges in May.

During and following the protests, Phogat faced a vicious hate campaign, including death threats, unfold against her, with Singh and many others questioning her abilities.

Singh denies the allegations against him.

§

OPEN LETTER TO VINESH PHOGAT

YOU ARE OUR CHAMPION!!

Feminist solidarity with Vinesh

Dear Vinesh,

Congratulations!!

You have not lost. You are our hero and will remain so. Yesterday in Paris you showed what you really are. Your skill is unmatched and there is no height that you can’t scale.

Please don’t be disappointed by this ‘disqualification’. We understand that it was not your responsibility to take care of your weight. There should be an investigation as to where and by whom the mistake has been made. We express our protest against your disqualification and would like to request you not to feel sad in this moment.

You will keep flying high, do not lose hope. You are and will remain our hero.

When you return from Paris, we will all meet once again at Jantar Mantar and celebrate your success.

Winning a medal or not is not the measure of victory. The measure of success and victory is your determination and courage.

Justice-loving and feminist saathis of India and around the world were, are and will always be with you!

1. Devyani Bharadwaj, Educationist and Writer, Delhi
2. Annie Raja NFIW
3. Kavita Srivastava, PUCL
4. Jagmati Sangwan, AIDWA
5. Sarika Shrivastava NFIW
6. Dr. Seema Jain, AIDWA Rajasthan
7. G. Jhansi, Poonam Kaushik, All India Coordination POW -PMS- IJM.
8. Neeta Hardikar, Anna Suraksha Adhikar Abhiyan, Gujarat
9. Maya John, Centre for Struggling Women (CSW)
10. Nivedita Jha, NFIW
11. Adv Vertika Mani, PUCL Delhi
12. Meera Sanghamitra (All India Feminist Alliance – ALIFA and NAPM)
13. Deepthi Sirla, ALIFA, Telangana
14. Asomi Gogoi, Asom Mahila Sangha (NFIW)
15. Suneetha, ALIFA, Hyderabad.
16. Mariam Dhawale AIDWA
17. Navsharan Singh, Social Activist, Delhi and Panjab
18. P. K. Sreemathi AIDWA
19. Poushali Basak, Researcher and Activist
20. Ankana Dey, Social Psychologist, Queer Feminist Activist
21. Sejal Dand, Gujarat Mahila Manch
22. Nisha Biswas, Feminists in Resistance, Kolkata
23. Nita Mahadev, Gujarat Lok Samiti
24. Saloni Mundra, Aajeevika Bureau
25. Seema Azad, PUCL, Uttar Pradaeh
26. Aruna Roy, NFIW
27. Meena Saraswathi Seshu, Sangli, Maharashtra
28. Prakriti, All India Feminist Alliance, Delhi
29. Varsha Bharghavi: Varsha, Research Scholar, Telangana
30. Laxmi Murthy, Bangalore
31. Mamata Dash, ALIFA, Delhi
32. Jarjum Ete Arunachal: Jarjum Gamlin Ete, APWWS/AIUFWP, Arunachal Pradesh
33. Anannya Chatterjee, PhD student, Delhi
34. Shiva, ALIFA, Delhi
35. Harpuneet Kaur, ALIFA , PFUS, PU Chandigarh
36. Tashi Choedup, Buddhist monastic, Social Justice activist, Hyderabad
37. Jashodhara, Uttarakhand
38. Aditi Maddali, Researcher, Bombay
39. Arundhati Ghosh, Cultural Practitioner, Bangalore
40. Dr. Vandana Prasad, Public Health Professional, New Delhi
41. K. Sajaya, Independent Journalist, Hyderabad
42. Anita Cheria, OpenSpace, Bangalore
43. Khairunnisha, Social Activist, Gujarat
44. Radhika Desai, Marathmoli, Maharashtra
45. Simin Akhter, CTF, ALIFA
46. Dr. Sanju ALIFA, Sadulpur, Rajasthan
47. Prerna Mishra, Independent Researcher, Bhopal
48. S. Seethalakshmi, independent Researcher, Hyderabad
49. Ajitha George, social activist, Jharkhand
50. Madhuri, Social Activist, Madhya Pradesh
51. Sunita Singh, Social Activist, Uttar Pradesh
52. Renuka Kad, Social Activist, Aurangabad
53. J Devika, feminist scholar, Kerala
54. Swathi SB, Health Rights Researcher, Bangalore
55. Tejaswini Madabhushi, Hyderabad for Feminism, Hyderabad
56. Nandita Haksar, Feminist, Human Rights Activist
57. Dr. Gabriele Dietrich, Penn Urimay Iyakkam and ALIFA-NAPM, TN
58. Kamal Thakar, Sahiyar Sangathan, Gujarat
59. Chayanika Shah Hasrat-e-Zindagi Mamuli Mumbai
60. Roshani Sadhu, Panam Mahila Sangathan, Gujarat
61. Neelima, Nishant Natya Manch
62. Sumedha Bodh, PUCL Delhi
63. Tarkeshwari Negi, PUCL Delhi
64. Mani Mala, PUCL Delhi
65. Runu Chakraborty, PUCL Delhi
66. Dr. Veena Shatrughna, Scientist & Nutritionist, Bengaluru
67. Roshani Sadhu, Shehara, Gujarat
68. Tarulata Chauhan, Godhra, Gujarat
69. Madhuben, Morbi, Gujarat
70. Nikita Naidu, Climate Action, Hyderabad
71. Mithun, Public Health Researcher, Hyderabad
72. Anita Mathur, Women’s Activist, Jaipur
73. Shabnam, Vishakha, Jaipur
74. Shakuntala Pamecha, Rajsamand Jan Vikas Sansthan
75. Vijaylakshmi, PUCL, Jaipur
76. Nishat Hussain and Jahanara, National Muslim Women’s Welfare, Society, Jaipur
77. Dr. Malti Gupta, RUWA and NFIW
78. Dr. Pritam Pal, Women’s Activist, Jaipur
79. Sumitra Thacker, Gujarat,
80. Manjula Pradeep, social and women’s  activist, Gujarat
81. Kailas Baria, Social Worker, Gujarat
82. Jahnvi Andharia, New Delhi
83. Apeksha Vora, Bengaluru
84. Anuradha Banerji, Independent Researcher cum Saheli, women’s resource centre
85. Vani Subramaniam, Independent Film Make,
86. Savita Sharma, Saheli Women’s Resource centre
87. Ashima Roy Chowdhury, Saheli Women’s Resource Centre
88. Smita Gupta, Economist, N Delhi
89. Amrita Howlader, Feminist in Resistance, Kolkata
90. P Padmavathi, Ex MLA
91. Dr. Shashilata Puri, RUWA
92. Abha Bhaiya, Feminist Activist, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh
93. Lara Jesani, PUCL, Maharashtra
94. Mamta Jaitly, Vividha Mahila Alaikhan evam Sandharbh Kendra
95. Dr. Renuka Pamecha, Women’s Rehabilitation Group
96. Kanchan Mathur, Independent Scholar
97. Prof. Asha Kaushik, RUWA
98. Nisha Sidhu, NFIW
99. Isha Sharma, NFIW
100. Komal Srivastava, BGVS
101. Asha Mishra, BGVS
102. Aishwarya Ravikumar, PUCL Karnataka
103. Manavi Atri, PUCL Karnataka
104. Sumitra Chopra, AIDWA
105. Natasha Narwal, Research Scholar and Activist
106. Gargie Mangulkar, Pune
107. Vanita Nayak Mukherjee, Researcher and Independent Activist
108. Sadhna Arya, Retired  Professor, Delhi University
109. Ammu Abraham, Mumbai
110. Tarini Manchanda, ALIFA Delhi
111. Nagasaila Advocate, Madras High Court
112. NS Tanvi, Advocate Madras High court
113. Sitara, PUCL, Karoli 

The post ‘You Have Not Lost. You Are Our Hero’: Letter of Feminist Solidarity With Vinesh Phogat appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Notably, on August 5, the Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth addressed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply, stating that the requisite data was “a sensitive operational matter concerning national security” and that revealing such details would not be in the national interest.

The response was given in answer to an unstarred question asked by Congress MP Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi, who had asked whether the government has taken note of the fact that there is a shortage of staff including officers, soldiers, medical officers etc., in the armed forces also what steps were being taken to address these vacancies.

Traditionally, the Ministry of Defence has provided updates on personnel shortages. For example, on March 13, 2023, the then Minister of State in the Defence Ministry Ajay Bhatt reported that, as of March 10, 2023, the Army had 8,070 officer vacancies and 127,673 vacancies among Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Other Ranks (ORs). Additionally, Bhatt mentioned that between January 1, 2023, and March 10, 2023, 613 officer positions and 19,065 JCO/OR positions were filled. The recent policy shift comes after the introduction of the Agnipath scheme on June 14, 2022. This new recruitment initiative, which replaces the previous process, enlists soldiers for a four-year term, with a maximum intake of 1.75 lakh personnel until 2026. Upon completion of their term, up to 25% of Agniveers may join the regular cadre through a further recruitment process. Reported India today

The answer of the Ministry can be read here:

MoD’s refusal to disclose armed forces vacancies led to criticism from the opposition. Congress President and Senior leader Mallikarjun slammed the centre ruling-Bharatiya Janata Party and posted on X that “Modi ji, your own Govt has been publishing this important information on the number of vacancies of officers, soldiers, JCOs and medical officers, from time to time, since the past few years.”

“We fail to understand, why suddenly you have refused to provide it now. Are you afraid that this information on the number of vacancies will further put a question mark on the ill-thought Agniveer induction which you have unilaterally imposed on the Armed Forces?

In the Rajya Sabha, there have been previous instances where the Defence Ministry has provided this key information. Why stop now? He said.

.@narendramodi ji,

Your inept Govt has now started brazenly misleading the nation and undermining institutions by hiding critical data on the vacancies in Armed Forces.

Fake Nationalists of the BJP who imposed the Agnipath Scheme on our patriotic youth, and destroyed their… pic.twitter.com/wyB5EPyf6T

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 6, 2024

Kharge further added that “National Security is paramount for the Indian National Congress, and real National Interest demands that the actual number of vacancies in the Armed Forces be made public, so that comprehensive measures are taken to fill in those vacancies to protect the territorial integrity of the nation”

Related:

Why did the ECI decline to provide information on EVMs?

Opposition leaders’ ideological vulnerability: Political significance of Rajya Sabha results

Telangana High Court affirms right of Akbhari Shia Women to conduct religious activities in Hyderabad’s Ibadat Khana

The post Defence Ministry refuses to disclose data of armed forces vacancies appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Union Minister Singh states this in the Parliament against the unstarred question asked by TMC MP Saket Gokhale on the total number of RTI applications/requests filed on the RTI Online website operated by the DoPT between the period June, 2021 to June, 2024 (month-wise) and the total number of RTI applications filed by citizens on the RTI online website that are classified as “pending” or have not yet been replied to, as-on-date

The Minster informed that ‘The RTI Online portal facilitates Indian Citizens to submit online RTI requests/appeals along with online payment and receive replies online from concerned PIOs/FAAs. As on date, 2622 Public Authorities have been aligned with RTI portal. The details of pendency of RTI applications, including pendency due to non-payment of required fees by applicants and other similar reasons etc. are maintained and monitored by the respective Public Authorities/Ministries/Departments.” 

The year-month wise data provided by the Minister can be read here:

The RTI web portal for online filing of RTI applications was launched by the Ministry of Personnel & Training on April 22, 2013. This portal developed by NIC, is a facility for the Indian Citizen to file online RTI applications and first appeals and also to make online payment of RTI fees.

However, the Union Minister Singh did not give any information on the status or pendency of such applications. 

Related:

India’s RTI Act struggles to survive as backlog, lack of staff persists

Used for checking corruption, irregularities for 15 yrs, RTI being turned into ‘dead letter law’

Amendments to RTI Act “Regressive: Protests

The post Online RTI Applications in the last 4 years appeared first on SabrangIndia.

M.G. Devasahayam, the applicant asked the Election Commission of India through RTI application dated November 22, 2022, information on the following points:

“1. Name and designations of persons to whom the representation was forwarded/or shared.

2. Names of public authorities to whom the representation was forwarded/ or shared.
3. Details of any meeting held by the ECI where the issues raised in the representation were discussed indicating the following particulars –
4. Date of meetings, b. Names and designations of persons who attended, c. Copy of minutes/deliberations of the meetings
5. Copy of all correspondence/communication related to the representation
6. Copy of all file notings related to the representation, and
7. I would like to inspect all the information and records held by the ECI regarding the action taken on the representation. Kindly let me know the date, time and venue for the inspection”

The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) has not provided the information within the period of 30 days, aggrieved of the no-receipt of information from the CPIP, the Appellant filed a first appeal dated December 27, 2022 which was also not adjudicated by the First Appellate Authority.

Then, the Appellate preferred a second appeal before the Central Information Commission on 01.03.2023. During the course of hearing appellant stated that the relevant information has not been furnished by the PIO till date. He stated that the First Appeal was also not adjudicated upon by the FAA. Appellant further added that the instant RTI Application has been filed online on the ECI portal and the question of not having received the RTI Application does not arise.

ECI responded that the instant RTI Application was not received in their office. He affirmed to furnish point-wise reply qua the instant RTI Application to the Appellant within 30 days.

After recording the statements made by both the appellant and the ECI, CIC Heeralal Samariya slammed the Election Commission of India for not replying to the RTI application of the appellant on EVMS for more than a year and said “Commission, after perusal of case records and submissions made during hearing, expresses severe displeasure over the conduct of the then PIO in not having provided any reply to the RTI Application within the time frame stipulated under the RTI Act. Therefore, Commission directs the then PIO through the present PIO to furnish a written explanation for the gross violation of the provisions of the RTI. In doing so, if any other persons are also responsible for the omission, then the PIO shall serve a copy of this order on such other persons under intimation to the Commission and ensure that written submissions of all such concerned persons are sent to the Commission. The said written submission of the then PIO along with submissions of other concerned persons, if any, should reach the Commission within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order.”

CIC Heeralal Samariya further directed the ECI to examine the RTI application and provide point-wise reply with regards to the RTI Application, to the Appellant, free of cost via speed post, within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order and accordingly compliance report to this effect be duly sent to the Commission by the PIO. “In doing so, PIO must make sure that information which is exempted from disclosure under RTI Act, 2005 must not be disclosed to the Appellant and same must be redacted under section 10 of the RTI Act, 2005 prior to the said disclosure” CIC ordered on April 28, 2024.

The order of CIC dated April 28, 2024 can be read here:

In pursuance to CIC order, ECI Reply to the Appellant

CPIO, Election Commission of India in pursuance to the CIC order dated March 28, 2024 and in reference to the RTI application dated November 22, 2022 provided answer to the appellant, in which CPIO informed that the requisite information sought under points 1 to 6 is not available in any material form as mentioned in section 2(f) of the RTI Act 2005. It is informed that the Commission receives various letters and representations from various organizations, political parties, voters, candidates and many stakeholders. All those papers are dealt as per the extant protocols and accordingly processed.

ECI informed that as part of proactive transparency measure, in addition to EVM FAQs. Various resources on EVMs like EVM Status Paper, EVM PPT, EVM Manual, EVM-A commemorative publications are all available in the public domain. “It may also be noted that in Association for Democratic Reforms vs. Election Commission of India & Anr. (WP (C) No. 434 of 2023) judgement dated 26/04/2024, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has gone into the depth of various important EVM technical and administrative features. The same have been discussed and delineated in the order that may be accessed here.

The non-furnish the requisite information to the appellant shows the deliberate intention of the ECI to conceal the information from public domain with regards to the EVMs. As the uses of EVMs created doubts and questions among the various political parties, organization, activists and stakeholders in relation to the reliability and authenticity of the EVMs.

The Reply of ECI can be read here:

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The post Why did the ECI decline to provide information on EVMs? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

It is to be noted that Hasina’s decision was prompted by the weeks-long protest against 30% reservations to select groups in government jobs and educational institutions. After this decision for reservation was made public, protestors took to the streets to question the quota of reservation being granted to the third generation of freedom fighters, and demanding a total merit-based recruitment. While the protests had begun peacefully in June against the quota system, the student-led movement later turned into a people’s movement. This escalated to a protest to oust Sheikh Hasina, who won for the fourth time in the January elections. The protests against the dictatorial government saw violence as brute force was used by the police against protestors, leading to the deaths of dozens of people. Over 100 people died over the weekend prior to the resignation of ex-PM Hasina. The weekend also saw the Bangladesh government ordering a complete internet shutdown as protestors asked the general public to join a “Long March to Dhaka”. A nationwide curfew had also been imposed indefinitely. However, around 1:15 pm on Monday, a government agency gave a verbal order to start broadband internet.

Soon after Hasina left the country, jubilant crowds waved flags and danced in front of cameras. Videos showing tens of thousands of people surrounding government offices and residences in the capital Dhaka started coming up on social media. People could be seen entering the official residence of ex-PM Hasina and stealing things from her house, which included fishes, utensils, clothes, etc. However, the celebratory protests also took a turn for the worst as videos of people vandalising an imposing statue of Hasina’s father, independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Dhaka, attacking the head with an axe also emerged.

Chaos in the neighbouring Bangladesh had a ripple effect in India as well. As more and more social media images and videos of the protest started coming out, certain social media accounts, known for making inflammatory comments and spreading false claims, started spreading misinformation regarding the Bangladeshi Hindus being attacked by the Muslims in Bangladesh. Claims of the minority population of Hindus being physically attacked and facing sexual violence went viral, along with allegation of temples and Hindu structures being burnt by mobs. However, most of these claims were false and were being spread by fake-news peddlers to create disharmony in India and showcase that the Bangladeshi Hindus were being targeted by the Muslims. Twisting the events into Hindu-Muslim communal agenda has the potential of creating a false narrative, leading to a law-and-order situation between the Hindu and Muslim population in India.

While it is understandable that the unpredictable situation prevailing in Bangladesh as well as the history of violence against minorities in the country would lead to people being apprehensive regarding the safety of Hindus and Christians, the false sense of panic that is being created through propaganda is only contributing to the chaos. However, to counter the misinformation being aired by these certain right-wing social media accounts with the aim of creating panic, a different section also took up the task of correcting ad clarifying these narratives. Mohammed Zubair, a fact-checker with Alt News, has been continuously analysing these false posts and fact-checking these posts.

False narratives and myth busting:

It is essential to note that since yesterday evening, the hashtag of #AllEyesOnBangladeshiHindus had been trending on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). Even political leaders fanned these misleading narratives and delivered inciteful and violent hate speeches. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane, who is a habitual hate offender and spreads his divisive ideology, took up this chance to encourage violence. Taking to X, Rane wrote “If Hindus are targeted and killed in Bangladesh, why should we allow even one Bangladeshi to breathe here. Hum bhi chun chun ke marenge.” (We will also kill each of them selectively)”

https://x.com/NiteshNRane/status/1820527693206892574?t=Pq8anhxMzlofvYKKgsyoCQ&s=08

A series of misleading posts were also put out by the social media account of “Mr. Sinha” through which he had posted unverified videos to directly inflame the situation through fake news, exaggerations, and claims of an imminent genocide on the back of the Hindus in Bangladesh.

IsIamists are on rampage in #Bangladesh, they’re attacking Hindu houses and abducting Hindu girls…pic.twitter.com/5TfTFFuhus

— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) August 5, 2024

Don’t let ISIS toilet cleaners whitewash the Hindu genocide in #Bangladesh.
Be careful (like no fake thing goes by mistake) while sharing news related to Bangladesh, but share all the real events as much as you can…

The world needs to see it…!!

— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) August 6, 2024

Multiple such posts were then fact-checked by Zubair. In one such post, Zubair provided how an old video of a sexual assault case in Bengaluru city involving Bangladeshis was now being shared with a communal claim that Hindu girls are being raped in Bangladesh.

Beware of the Fake News factory run by Right Wing accounts in India. An Old video of sexual assault case in Bengaluru, India involving Bangladeshis is now shared with a communal claim that Hindu girls are being raped in Bangladesh. Such claims are amplified by like @jsaideepak… https://t.co/vizkpRjlKd pic.twitter.com/yCYHGaqE3n

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 6, 2024

Right wing propaganda account @SonOfBharat7 is sharing an old and unrelated Rape video claiming it to be recent incident from Bangladesh. This is 2021 Bengaluru incident, in which a Bangladeshi woman was gang-raped. Please reported this tweet for sharing a rape video.
C’C… pic.twitter.com/byMhM5udXZ

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 6, 2024

Zubair also fact-checked the claims made by other right-wing groups that had provided that a temple had been set of fire by a mob in Bangladesh. Correcting the same, Zubair stated that only a shop in front of the temple in Moulvibazar Kali Bari was set on fire and the temple had remained safe.

Fake News by RW Propaganda accounts like @SaffronSunanda.
The Temple wasn’t burnt. A fire was set to a shop in front of the Temple.

2. Fire in a shop near the Temple.
3 & 4. The person Sonjoy Deb present there claims, Temple is safe.
Location : Moulvibazar Kali Bari.

C’C… https://t.co/TZXZ3DrqBM pic.twitter.com/sQhxcV2PQl

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 5, 2024

Another lie was making rounds on social media, wherein it had been stated that the house of a Bangladeshi Hindu cricketer Liton Das had been set on fire. However, Zubair had clairifed that the house of Mashrafe Mortaza was the one that was set on fire and the news about Das’s house was being wrongly shared to give a communal colour to the incidents.

Mashrafe Mortaza’s house on fire. The image of his house burning is shared as Liton Das’s house by right wing accounts in India. #BangladeshBleeding pic.twitter.com/wb7UOel4ud

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 5, 2024

Other ‘X’ users also fact-checked posts that were spreading misinformation.

FAKE!
Bangladesh Unrest: 2021 Bengaluru Gangrape Video Shared With Communal Claim | BOOM (https://t.co/BvO0jkGAqE) https://t.co/wnpgZ1qsv7

— Swasti (@SwastiChatterje) August 6, 2024

Fake Alert: There were no incidents of rape in Rangpur, and no women were burnt alive. https://t.co/OHv6s9Uvms

— Shohanur Rahman (@Sohan_RSB) August 6, 2024

That’s a fake propaganda Telegram group, Haradhon was not killed for his religion. Yesterday, more than 10 AL men were killed. Haradhon is one of the 2 Hindus, & for that, you are spreading propaganda. What about the Muslims who were killed at the same place?

Stop communalizing pic.twitter.com/FAHgC8c4og

— Shohanur Rahman (@Sohan_RSB) August 5, 2024

Calls for maintaining harmony and protecting minority Hindus reverberate Bangladesh:

Videos showing Muslims in Bangladesh raising calls for protecting the minorities in the country also emerged on social media. In a video shared by Zubair, a Muslim man can be seen and heard making announcement to maintain communal harmony on a loudspeaker from inside the Mosque in Bangladesh. The man can be heard saying “Dear Citizens, we ‘Students Against Discrimination’ are requesting you, during this period of unrest in the country, we all must maintain communal harmony. We should protect Hindu minorities. Protect their lives and their wealth from miscreants/evil forces. It is your responsibility, our responsibility, and everyone’s responsibility. Let’s all be vigilant.”

A Special Announcement on a loudspeaker from inside the Mosque in Bangladesh.

“Dear Citizens,
We ‘Students Against Discrimination’ are requesting you, during this period of unrest in the country, We all must maintain communal harmony. We should protect Hindu minorities.… https://t.co/lPYvfwRI7p pic.twitter.com/lcXTGzZETS

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 5, 2024

Zubair also shared pictures of the Muslim community members standing vigil outside Hindu temples to ensure that no miscreant takes advantage of the situation and creates communal disharmony.

Students safeguarding the Dhakeshwari Temple late at night #ProtectMinorities pic.twitter.com/QWlsMoZaqR

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 5, 2024

A Special Announcement on a loudspeaker from inside the Mosque in Bangladesh.

“Dear Citizens,
We ‘Students Against Discrimination’ are requesting you, during this period of unrest in the country, We all must maintain communal harmony. We should protect Hindu minorities.… pic.twitter.com/AszMMk2gyN

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 5, 2024

Some people are spreading rumors that we Bangladeshi are against minorities. Here is ” A Thread” that how the students and common people are saving the temple and started their duty from tonight. pic.twitter.com/jnSsZuBGdp

— 𝑯𝒊𝒎𝒊 (@feelslikehimi) August 5, 2024

#HindusAreSafeInBangladesh

1. Students protecting the Dhakeshwari Hindu Temple

2. Students of Islami Chhatra Shibir guarding a Hindu temple in Chakaria Upazila

3 & 4: Students guarding other Hindu temples#Bangladesh #SheikhHasina #Bangladeshstudentprotest #HindusUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/FNDMvdTiox

— Muslim Spaces (@MuslimSpaces) August 6, 2024

The hashtag #HindusAreSafeInBangladesh has also been trending on ‘X’.

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The post Chaos in Bangladesh provides opportunity to right-wing social media to spread misinformation regarding Hindus, temples being attacked in the country appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Amidst the constant threat of eviction, demolition, and displacement faced by many residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi, the promise of granting ownership rights to unauthorised colonies during both the state and national elections by the BJP seems to be far from reality. The flagship Pradhan Mantri – Unauthorized Colonies in Delhi Awas Yojana (PM-UDAY), which is implemented by the Centre-run Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and its empanelled agencies with the purpose of granting ownership rights to unauthorised colonies in Delhi, has been found to be moving at a snail’s pace in processing the applications for ownership rights, the DDA data reveals. Pertinently, the scheme was introduced in February 2020 following the passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Act, 2019, which was passed in the parliament in December 2019.

In a response to the parliamentary question asked by the BJP Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, regarding the “number of people who applied for ownership rights to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in unauthorized colonies of Delhi under PM UDAY scheme” and “the number of people conferred with the ownership rights, colony wise?”, the Minister of State (MoS) for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, provided the DDA data which reveals that a total of 122,729 applications were received by DDA for ownership rights under PM-UDAY till July 16, 2024 out of which only 23,811 applicants were conferred ownership rights till the said date. This means that despite the buzz about Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan, only 1 in 5 applicants have been able to secure ownership rights, with a low success ratio of 1:5.

Furthermore, the scheme excludes “affluent unauthorized colonies” from the ambit of the scheme, thereby excluding 69 such “affluent” colonies. TOI has reported that the scheme has received “tepid” response among the residents owing to bureaucratic red tape and difficulty in meeting the eligibility criteria. Notably, out of around 40 lakh unauthorised residents, only a few lakh residents have applied for the scheme till date.

The parliamentary response may be read here:

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The post In Delhi, 122,729 applications sent to DDA for ownership rights under PM UDAY, only 23,811 conferred ownership rights: Lok Sabha appeared first on SabrangIndia.