President Ram Nath Kovind mentioned India’s farmers in his address to the nation on the eve of 72nd Republic Day. He said, “Every Indian salutes our farmers, who have made our vast and populous country self-reliant in food-grains and dairy products. Despite adversities of nature, numerous other challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic, our farmers sustained the agricultural production”. President Kovind also added that a “grateful nation is fully committed to the welfare of our farmers.” 

However, he also indicated towards the contentious farm laws and said that the government was working towards achieving major goals that included “doubling the income of farmers.” According to the President, economic reforms in the country continue to take place and “have been supplemented by long-pending reforms in the areas of labour and agriculture through legislation”. He said that the “path to reform at the initial stages may cause misapprehensions. However, it is beyond doubt that the Government remains singularly devoted to farmers’ welfare.”

The President also lauded Election Commission for “conducting not only free and fair but also safe elections in Bihar which has high population density and in union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh with difficulties of access and other challenges.” He also appreciated the “unlocking” process and said it “was carefully calibrated” and has proved effective as “the economy has started showing indications of recovery faster than anticipated.” He called the The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) a “comprehensive reform in education which was long overdue.”   

President Kovind urged citizens to “expand our capacity for empathy” and “continue on the path of ‘constitutional morality’ which Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar mentioned in his speech to the Constituent Assembly on November 4, 1948 while presenting the draft of the Constitution”. He clarified that ‘Constitutional morality’ means “supremacy of the values enshrined in the Constitution.” 

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In a passionately penned letter to President Ramnath Kovind, in the aftermath of the Pulwama massacre, Admiral Ramdas, former chief of the Indian Navy has urged restraint and sagacity in dealing with the aftermath.  Recognising that there is anger after the loss of over ‘forty precious lives’ of the jawans,  he has deplored the attacks on innocent Kashmiris all over India. In the strongest terms he has condemned the war hysteria being whipped up by television channels especially the ‘war hysteria’ against Kashmiris our own people.
 
Appealing to the Indian President as Head of the Nation and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he has stated in no uncertain terms that we cannot afford a war. ” It is imperative that the situation should not be allowed to escalate into greater hostilities which it might not always be possible to contain. As the Supreme Commander, you must caution our own leaders about the very real dangers of the present standoff escalating into a war situation – and quickly going beyond a conventional engagement – given that both India and Pakistan are two nuclear armed countries.”
 
The entire test of the letter may be read here. It was despatched to the Rashtrapati Bhavan four days ago and is being made public now. Two days ago, at a meeting held by Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) and Indian Muslims for Secular democracy (IMSD) in Mumbai Admiral Ramdas had, similarly called for both justice and peace.
 
Dear Shri Kovind ji,
This is Admiral Ramdas –‐ former Chief of the Naval Staff, writing to you yet again – this time on the tragic deaths of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Jawans in the IED attack on their
convoy in Pulwama on Feb 14th 2019 and subsequent events. Over forty precious lives, belonging to the CRPF were lost in the service of the Nation on February 14, 2019. This was indeed a despicable act, and a tragic event, and those guilty must be punished.

While the event has understandably evoked strong and angry reactions from every corner of the country and all sections of the people, it is also clear that such an event should never have happened on such an important strategic highway, especially in view of some reports that speak of there having been some intelligence reports to this effect in possession of the police and Intelligence agencies.

It is reported that this attack was planned and executed by the Jaish e Mohammed [JEM].There are questions as to how and why a lone vehicle packed with RDX was able to penetrate a convoy and wreak such havoc, these and many more questions will no doubt be the subject of internal inquiries both by the CRPF and other agencies of the State. As a former head of the Navy and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, and also someone who, after retirement in 1993 has devoted most of his time in the pursuit of peace with Pakistan by pushing for a people to people dialogue, my concerns, are listed below.
 
1. We must resolve the Kashmir problem through dialogue which must involve all three partners to the dispute – namely, the people of J&K, India and Pakistan. This is a position I have advocated for several decades now – after having studied the intractable nature of what is popularly called the K word, but which has continued to extract a heavy toll on both countries and above all on the suffering of the unfortunate people of Jammu and Kashmir.
 
We continue to proclaim that they are an integral part of India. If indeed that is so, then they must be treated as such, as equal citizens –‐ be they in Jammu, the Valley or in Ladakh . Had we done that we would have been less likely to see the levels of alienation, especially of young people.
 
2. If both countries are willing to engage each other on the Kartarpora corridor – then why not on the LOC, and other core concerns around Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The sooner we make it known that we are open to dialogue with all stakeholders and begin this process in all seriousness and sincerity, the more likely we are to make some headway with the people in J&K.
 
3. If a young Adil can blow himself up in the cause of freedom, Aazadi or the long promised autonomy for Kashmir, it is the strongest indicator yet of the levels of anger and alienation that the youth of the state are experiencing today. No amount of force as part of the avowedly “muscular” Kashmir policy can quell this. We must act now and sit across the table and have an honest dialogue with all parties concerned. It might already be too late.
 
4. The most serious fallout of this attack on our jawans in Awantipora has been the unprecedented outbreak of harassment, mob violence, attacks, insults and abuse levelled at many Kashmiris across the country. Soon this might spill over to Muslims across India. We CANNOT allow this to continue and spread with dire consequences which are hard to assess.
 
5. The only solution is political and not military. And a political solution must involve a genuine and continuous dialogue with the people of Kashmir – including dissidents and separatists; the Govt of Pakistan and the Govt of India.
 
WHAT CAN BE DONE – IMMEDIATELY
 In your capacity as the Head of State and our Supreme Commander, and the oath you have taken to uphold the Constitution, I urge you to take steps as outlined below, which is entirely within your command, and a part of your duty and responsibility:–‐
 
a. It is imperative that the situation should not be allowed to escalate into greater hostilities which it might not always be possible to contain. As the Supreme Commander, you must caution our own leaders about the very real dangers of the present standoff escalating into a war situation – and quickly going beyond a conventional engagement – given that both India and Pakistan are two nuclear armed countries.
 
b. The decisions on next steps must be taken with due diligence, and weighing all the options and their implications . We cannot allow the hysterical media anchors and social media anger to influence or pressurise decisions at the highest level. The atmosphere at present is by no means conducive to decisions being taken in a calm and considered manner – with emotions and reactions being inflamed and incited in an often deliberate and irresponsible manner.
 
c. Let India take the high moral ground by declaring an unconditional Hold Fire – pending detailed enquiries into the attack on the convoy in Pulwama . This way we will ensure that the facts are investigated, and the truth behind the attack be established without delay. I am sure that this will have a salutary effect and ensure seamless actions further ahead.
 
d. We must immediately put a halt to the terrible media war being waged on innocent Kashmiris who are going about their business quietly in towns and cities across the country . This message must come from the highest level – and the Honorable Prime Minister must be advised that he can halt this current backlash in minutes if he so chooses, by issuing stern and clear warnings against any violence and threats and harassment against citizens – be they Kashmiri or indeed Muslim citizens. , through every channel, cadre and social media. To avoid aggravating the present situation of fear and insecurity and preventing further bloodshed, action on this must be taken with utmost speed.
 
e. Enable an impartial and independent Judicial Enquiry . This group should comprise serving judges of the Supreme court.
 
The Nation as a whole seems to be going through a lot of uncertainties especially about the threats of retaliation. Such posturing, especially between two nuclear armed states, is highly risky. This time around we may not be able to contain this to the conventional type of warfare. The situation is even more delicate given the impending elections, communal disturbances and fears of breakdown of law and order.
 
We must not allow any of the above to happen. We have a lot of strategic and human interests in (J&K) and the country as a whole and we must protect both these. This can only happen by winning the hearts and minds of the people , especially of Jammu & Kashmir. Let us remember that Military Force can never erase an “IDEA”. We need to do some serious reflection of our own policies and conduct these past 70 years.

With regards
Yours sincerely
L.Ramdas
P.S. Admiral Ramdas held his position with the forces with distinction.  He has been awarded the prestigious PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM Medals of Honour for Bravery besides also being a Magsaysay Awardee for Peace
 

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Kovind is the second Dalit in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.Kovind hails from the RSS.

Kovind was administered the oath of office to “preserve, protect and defend the constitution and law” by Chief Justice of India J S Kehar in an impressive ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament.

The 71-year-old took oath in Hindi to thunderous applause and thumping of desks by the gathering, including Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee and former president Pratibha Patil.

A galaxy of leaders was present. Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Devegowda, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, former deputy prime minister L K Advani as well as Union ministers and foreign dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

After he took oath, Kovind was given a 21-gun salute to mark the assumption of office of the highest constitutional post in the country.

Once the oath taking was over, Kovind and Mukherjee exchanged seats on the dais after which the new president delivered his maiden speech as president.

Kovind was elected with 65 per cent of votes defeating Meira Kumar to occupy the top post.

A commerce graduate, Kovind studied law at the Kanpur University, practised in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. He was also the central government’s standing counsel in the apex court from 1980-93.

Kovind, who headed Dalit Morcha from 1998 to 2002, also led the All-India Koli Samaj.

Elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 1994 from Uttar Pradesh, he served two consecutive terms till March 2006. Outgoing Mukherjee bows out of public life after a five-decade political career.

The post It’s ‘Hindu Rashtra’ now? Parliament’s Central Hall echoes with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan after President Kovind takes oath appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Greetings President Ramnath Kovind

Greetings from an Alien, who is also as much a citizen of India as you are

I call you President Kovind, for though you now are but the candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party, supported by an increasing number of allies and non-allies, you will soon be President-Elect with a token challenge from a fragmented Opposition united only in its absence of power, rather than in coherence alliance of ideology, or even a vision for India. And by the time you get this letter in your unofficial Dak, you would have taken oath in a ceremony partly out of mythology and the rest out of a colonial tradition of imported democracy.

Perhaps I will also write an open letter to Ms. Meira Kumar, put up by the “united” opposition to give a token challenge and hereby fulfil a democratic ritual. Her father, Babu Jagjivan Ram, the tallest Dalit leader after Babasaheb Dr. BR Ambedkar, never did make Prime Minister, or President. He was non-Congress at a very critical juncture that helped unseat Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi after the Emergency. It was, then, possible to oppose a Dalit, specially of the dominant sub caste, if he tried to fly too high. If Babuji was too early, Meira, his daughter, is too late. One of those things, one could say. Ms. Meira Kumar deserves our respect, more than our sympathy.

You will, of course, understand more than anyone else in India, these issues of caste, sub caste, and caste engineering. If it were not perhaps for the international focus on the plight and persecution of Dalits in India following all those gang rapes, last year, the suicide of scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad, and the beef lynching and the medieval attacks by self-styled upper caste men on the former untouchables in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country, the ruling party and your Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh may never had thought of you.

 But some credit also need to be given to them to have been able to collect all the sub castes which had felt themselves left out with the seventy-year focus on just the Jatavs and Mahars, the castes of Babu Jagjivan Ram, Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, and of four time Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ms. Mayawati. The Ram Vilas Paswans, Udit Raj and others on the fringes were therefore an easy and expected catch, as had once been the smaller OBC groups, including the Ghanchis, to which the honorable prime minister is said to belong. Only he knows for sure, of course.
 
Not that there is no glitch. Your own caste, the Koris, often called Kolis in some variant spelling or pronunciation, were once being denied the scheduled caste certificate by one till the group’s youth and politicians rebelled, forcing state governments to declare that the precious certificate would not be denied. But it is quite true that the sword of Damocles does hang on the small groups which have the protection of the constitution as scheduled castes. Eternal vigil is the price for keeping that certificate in the file. I will come to this again, later, asking why you think this protection and facility should be denied to some other groups. Among them are Christians and Muslims who suffer all that you have suffered historically, but can never dream to fly free and high as you have.

There is no Dalit Prime Minister in sight in the next four elections, but you have done the second-best thing, become President of the Democratic Secular Socialist Republic of India. You are just the second Dalit to sit a chair where you can decide if a man is to live, or to die at the hands of a government executioner. And once or perhaps more times, you will decide who will be the prime ruler, the chief executive of this vast cooperative society of a billion and a quarter people. 

There is so much to write to you, share with you, inform you, admire in you, and caution you about, that one may forget to ask you a few questions. Many fellow Indians share with you your personal story of being born in a thatched hut, and living a life of snakes and ladders in the painful but unhaltable climb to the top of your chosen vocation.  You have vanquished all the snakes. No one can deny you that satisfaction, seen if it does not really make you forget that you had to hear all those chants about how some men are at birth superior to others.

So, the questions first, before one gets into the explanatory text. This is not a Demi-0fficial, or D.O. Letter. Just some questions which, as our honorable prime minister does so often, I had first asked on social media, Facebook.

Presumably you renounce the Manu Smriti, at least in its relevant chapters that spell doom and pain for what it calls the untouchables, and in as loud and clear a voice as you will in taking oath of office by swearing allegiance to the Constitution, and promising to preserve and protect it, a duty no other elected office has. They just swear by it. You are the custodian and its protector. In referring to the Law-giver Manu, I of course by no means even hint on the freedom of faith of the President of India. I uphold your right, as you will uphold mine in time. Dr.  Rajendra Prasad, the first President of the Republic, was an active believer of every single tenet of his religion.  Giani Zail Singh did KarSeva. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, the man you will succeed, is annually photographed worshipping in his home temple clad in his sacred thread and classic Bengali dhoti.  If ever there were a Christian President, I'd possibly run into her or him at Mass or a fasting prayer. 

But I'd like to know your changed views on:
 
1.    Lynching of Dalits by self-styled Upper Castes and / or by Cow Vigilantes, otherwise called Gau Rakshaks. 
2.    Dalits' Freedom of Faith.  Do they have the choice of any other than the one defined for them by the government?
3.    Continuing untouchability, even among some in the judiciary and your legal profession. As a senior lawyer, you may have heard of the shameful incident once when a new judge had his chambers cleansed by bucketful of Ganga water because his predecessor was a Dalit, who Mahatma Gandhi had called Harriman, and who the law books once defined as an Untouchable.
4.    Do you believe in the death penalty as much as Mr. Mukherjee does, and which has earned him opprobrium internationally as a Hanging President. Superficially, do you believe beef eaters should be hanged, as demanded by some people who hold political office, and not just by maverick Sadhvis and Babas.
5.    Do you think Muslims and Christians, who you more than once said orally and in writing clearly said worship alien religions, be allowed to continue to enjoy full citizenship including freedom to practice, preach and propagate their faith. 
6.    Do you believe in Annihilation of caste which Babasaheb Dr. B R Ambedkar so passionately demanded?  How do you think it can be made into reality?

And, 7, which I ask more in passing than with any seriousness, how would you guide us in in this nation in Developing a Scientific Temper.
 
As I salute you on assuming your new office as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces – you know you are the Chief, and not those anchor and retired generals in TV newsrooms — let me briefly explain why I had the temerity to ask you these questions.
 
I had, much as every other person interested in Indian politics, read the 26 March 2010 IANS news report headlined in the most dramatic manner as“Islam, Christianity alien, so cannot get quota: BJP”.
 The text was equally dramatic.

"Islam and Christianity are alien" to India and, therefore, the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) feels people from the minority groups, even if their socio-economic condition is low, should not be given the privilege of quota in jobs, legislative bodies and education, a party official said today.

“At a press conference in New Delhi, BJP's newly-appointed spokesperson Ramnath Kovind called for scrapping of the Ranganath Misra commission report that recommends 15 per cent quota in government jobs for socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities in India. The National Commission on Religious and Linguistic Minorities, headed by Justice Ranganath Misra, former chief justice of India, has in its report also recommended inclusion of Muslim and Christian converts as Scheduled Castes and given a quota to that category.

"No, that is not possible," said Kovind. "Including Muslims and Christians in the Scheduled Castes category will be unconstitutional."

“Asked how Sikh Dalits were enjoying the quota privilege in the same category, Kovind said: "Islam and Christianity are alien to the nation." He said that "it is very well known" that convert Dalit Christians and Muslims get better education in convent schools.

"The educational level of Scheduled Caste children remains much lower than that of convert Dalits and Muslims. The children of converts will grab major share of reservation in government jobs. They would become eligible to contest elections on seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. This would encourage conversion and fatally destroy the fabric of Indian society," he said.

"The Misra commission report should be scrapped because (its recommendations) will jeopardise the interests of Scheduled Castes," he said.”

The matter has been agitated before the Supreme Court of India where it has been hanging for more than a decade. It is now transferred to a constitutional bench, which is still to be set up. The government is yet to tell its mind to the court, though senior ministers of the NDA have made clear, as you had then, that no one who is not of the “indict Faith’ will get the benefits.

Former Chief Justice Ranganath Misra’s report is crucial evidence before the court, and the religious minorities have set much hope by it. The Misra panel report, which was tabled in Parliament December 18, 2009, has defined religious and linguistic minorities as backward classes and recommended 15 percent reservation for all minorities in jobs, education and welfare schemes.

As the IANS report told the world, of India's then 1.2 billion population, Muslims form the largest minority at close to 14 per cent, followed by Christians at 2.3 per cent, Sikhs at 1.9 per cent, Buddhists at 0.8 per cent, Jains at 0.4 per cent and others including Parsis at 0.6 per cent. "Within the recommended 15 per cent earmarked seats in institutions shall be 10 per cent for the Muslims and the remaining 5 per cent for the other minorities," the report had said.

If ever anyone had any doubts on your toeing the party line, and the Sangh line, you set it at rest in your written statement: “the report of the Commission is not unanimous. The Commission, inter alia, made recommendations to give 15 percent reservation to minorities under Backward Class quota in education, government employment and social welfare schemes. Out of this 15 percent reservation, 10 percent reservation has been recommended to Muslim Community and remaining 5 percent to other minority communities. The Commission has further recommended to include convert Dalit Christian and Dalit Muslims in the list of Scheduled Castes.”

You knew the so-called objection was not by a member of the commission, but by the IAS woman secretary whose bigotry had been a byword for a long time in the commission. Perhaps that is why she had been put in that office. The UPA often functioned mysteriously in such matters.

You said with unambiguous precision and clarity “At present convert Christians and Muslims are getting reservation in government jobs under Backward Class categories. The Question is when they are already getting reservation in backward class category why do they want reservation in Scheduled Castes category. The answer is clear. Their special interest is not in getting reservation in government jobs, they want Scheduled Caste category reservation for contesting elections from village Panchayats to the LokSabha. As they know, they cannot be eligible to contest elections on reserved seats under backward class reservation. If the government accepts Ramnath Mishra Commission recommendations, the convert Christians and Muslims would become eligible to contest on seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. Thus, the people of Scheduled Castes would have to share their reservation in government jobs and political fields with convert Christians and Muslims.”

If your contempt at that time for Christian and Muslim Dalits was not enunciated sharply enough, the next few paragraphs would deliver the coup de grace, the master stroke, so to say.

You told the Media, “You are aware that educational level of Scheduled Castes children remains much lowerer than that of convert Dalit Christians and Muslims. So, the children of converts would grab major share of reservation in government jobs. The convert Dalit Christians and Muslims would become eligible to contest election on seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. So, the Scheduled Castes would suffer from all angles in all fields. Moreover, it would further encourage conversion and fatally destroy the fabric of Indian Society.” Your note was circulated to media offices by your office secretary. Sham Raju, I belief his name is.

Why do you fear conversions, Sir? The Buddha converted many, and Ambedkar followed his Mentor’s choice, taking with him 400,000 Dalits in history’s single largest peaceful mass conversion. I don’t mention the Manipur conversion to Hinduism, because it was the King’s decision, not the peoples’.

There only two things a human being can change. Not his race or place of birth or parentage. He can change his religion and he or she can change their nationality. As many times as she or he may wish to do so. Many Non-resident Indians have done so.

These NRI now finance and lead the troops of Hindutva.

I hope you will, in your new office, restore sanity and cool this GarmHawa, the evil wind which is now searing and scorching our motherland.

I wish you luck

Jai Hind
I remain, your’s sincerely
The follower of a religion you once thought was alien
(Also published in Indian Currents, New Delhi)

Related articles:
1. An Open Letter to Ram NathKovindjifrom a Concientious Indian
 

The post An Alien’s Letter to the new President Elect appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Namaskar, I must congratulate you for being chosen as Presidential candidate of the Indian Republic by the BJP. It is heartening, also,  to note that you have been chosen, to quote BJP president Mr. Amit Shahji, for being “a Dalit who has struggled in life to reach the position he is in today.”

The fact that,  in the forthcoming presidential elections your selection was made due to your Dalit identity was also underlined by Ram Vilas Paswanji, a Dalit minister in the Central Cabinet, when he declared that any one opposing your candidature will be seen as "anti-Dalit".

In a scenario when violence against Indian Dalits and minorities like Muslims and Christians (most of whom hail from Dalit stock) and their disempowerment has surged manyfold, your candidature gives us hope. 

However, it is being claimed by the RSS leaders that you have been chosen for being an old and seasoned RSS swayamsevak or member. It is also being emphasised that you are a seasoned ‘Hindu nationalist’. We are informed that you donated your ancestral home in Kanpur Dehat to the RSS.

With these credentials,  I fear a serious conflict of interests between your beliefs in theIdeologyof the RSS and yourbeing the highest constitutional authority of the democratic-secular Republic of India.

I put forward in the following some of the serious concerns of mine for your kind perusal.

Conflict Between Oath as President and Path as RSS Member

As a president you will be taking oath which reads:
"I, Ramnath Kovind, do swear in the name of God that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the Republic of India, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law, and that I will devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Republic of India."

But as a member of RSS you are committed to fulfil the following oath:
“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.”[i]

Moreover, members of RSS are opposed to an all-inclusive democratic-secular India. The RSS English organ, Organizer, just on the eve of Independence (August 14, 1947), editorially (titled ‘Whither’) underlined its belief in the two-nation theory that Hindus are a separate nation in the following words:
“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.”

TRI-COLOUR AS NATIONAL FLAG VS BHAGWA JHANDA
RSS before and after Independence has been allergic to the National Flag. Guru Golwalkar while addressing a Gurupurnima gathering in Nagpur on July 14, 1946, stated that it was the saffron flag which in totality represented great Hindu culture. It was the embodiment of God: “We firmly believe that in the end the whole nation will bow before this saffron flag.”[ii]

Just on the eve of Independence the denigration of the national Flag by the RSS crossed all limits. ORGANIZER in its issue dated August 14, 1947 declared a kind of war against the Tri-colour in the following words: "the people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it never 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."

Even after independence when the Tricolour became the National Flag, it was the RSS which continued decrying it. In 1960 Guru Golwalkar writing about the National Flag wrote: “Our leaders have set up a new flag for our country. Why did they do so? It is just a case of drifting and imitating….Ours is an ancient and great nation with a glorious past. Then, had we no flag of our own? Had we no national emblem at all these thousands of years? Undoubtedly we had. Then why this utter void, this utter vacuum in our minds[iii]

INDIAN DEMOCRACY VS RSS HATRED FOR DEMOCRACY
India is the largest functional democracy on this earth. We have a democratic-secular Constitution which is in force for almost 7 decades. But RSS hates democracy.  Guru Golwalkar, most prominent ideologue of the RSS while addressing a group of 1,350 top level cadres of the organization in 1940 had to say this about political system of India: “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.”[iv]

I would like to bring it to your notice that this decree of ‘one flag, one leader and one ideology’ was also the battle cry of Fascist and Nazi parties of Europe in the first half of 20th century. What they did to democracy is well-known to this world.
 
NDIAN CONSTITUTION DECRIES CASTEISM BUT RSS DECLARES CASTEISM AS ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF HINDUISM AND HINDU NATION
Indian Constitution provides a polity to the Indian Nation which is above Caste, Class, gender, race considerations. But Guru Golwalkar who demanded conversion of democratic-secular India into a Hindu Nation declared that Casteism was synonymous with the Hindu Nation. According to him, the Hindu people are none else but, “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 [sic] 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.”  [Italics as in the original][v]

DEMOCRATIC-SECULAR INDIAN CONSTITUTION VS RSS DEMAND FOR PROMULGATION OF MANUSMRITI  AS CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
The Constituent Assembly of India passed the Constitution which was drafted under the guidance of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on November 26, 1949. RSS was not happy. Its organ, Organizer, in an editorial on November 30, 1949, 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.”

In fact, the RSS demand for promulgation of Manusmriti as Indian Constitution was in line with the demand by the Hindutva icon, ‘Veer’ Savarkar who declared it to be “that scripture which is most worshipable [sic] after Vedas for our Hindu Nation and which from ancient times has become the basis of our culture-customs, thought and practice…Today Manusmriti is Hindu Law”.[vi]

Some of the degenerated and inhuman instructions for Sudras contained in Manusmriti are reproduced below:[vii]
(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. 

It is to be noted that a copy of Manusmriti was burnt as a protest in the presence of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar during historic Mahad agitation in December, 1927.

GANDHI AS FATHER OF NATION VS ‘HINDU NATIONALISTS’ WHO CELEBRATE ASSASSINATION OF GANDHI
Nathuram Godse and others, who conspired to kill Mahatma Gandhi, claimed to be Hindu Nationalists. Shockingly, present day Hindu Nationalists celebrate his ‘vadh’. To cite one example in June 2013 Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) held its 2^nd all India conference for converting India into a Hindu rashtra at Goa. This conference started with a felicitation message from Narendra Modi ji. In this conference from the same dais from where Modi ji’s felicitation message was read, one of the prominent speakers, K.V. Sitaramiah, declared that Gandhi was 'terrible, wicked and most sinful'. Rejoicing the killing of M.K. Gandhi, he went on to declare, “As Bhagwan Shri Krishna said in the Gita, Paritranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam/ Dharamasansthapnaya Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge (For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age) On…30th January 1948 evening, Shriram came in the form of Nathuram Godse and ended the life of Gandhi.”[viii]

CASTEISM FREE INDIA VS FATE OF DALITS IN RSS
BJP winner from Iglas Reserved constituency in UP, Diler ji a Dalit with family links to RSS for two generations (whose father was also BJP MP), while canvassing for the seat, not only used to sit on the floor but carry his own steel glass for drinking water/tea when he visited homes of upper-caste voters. Diler, a Valmiki, justified his desire to remain shackled in Casteism by saying ‘Main apni maan maryada khatm nahin kar sakta. Zama na chahe badalta rahe.’ (I cannot break away from tradition. Let the world change, I won’t).[ix]

Significantly,  neither RSS nor BJP what to talk of condemning this self-imposed Untouchability, did not stop Diler ji from doing such reprehensible anti-constitutional acts.

Respected Kovind ji, I hope as President of India you will follow the constitutional oath and not the one obligatory in RSS, you will be flag-bearer of Indian Nationalism and not Hindu Nationalism, you will defend democratic-secular Constitution of India against any attempt to enforce Manusmriti, you will resist any attempt to bring back Untouchability by glorifying Casteism as essential ingredient od Hinduismand Hindu nationalism, you will check denigration of Father of the Nation and glorification of his killers, you will not allow any mischief with the National Flag and Indian democracy. And finally, you will not allow present India to be converted to a Hindu Pakistan.

Wishing you all the best.
Yours,
Shamsul Islam
notoinjustice@gmail.com

The post An Open Letter to Ramnath Kovind ji from a Conscientious Indian appeared first on SabrangIndia.