MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE
NEW DELHI:13th April came and has gone into national amnesia. Unfortunately most events of importance tapers off the national psyche, as the time wanes, however great they are. They tend to become a mere symbol, even when it is formally remembered. But all symbols of national prominence have to be formally remembered even at the risk of being only a charade.
If holidays were not there, Indians wouldn’t have remembered even Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd October, like not many remember Lal Bahadur Shastri born on the same day, since there is no formal remembrance. In fact it will be worth it to rename Gandhi Jayanthi as Gandhi Shastri Jayanthi Divas. For record, it has to be mentioned that Lal Bahadur Shastri is the greatest political model for all Indians, cleanest to the core and the humblest Prime Minister India ever had.
Therefore, it is extremely logically and emotionally important for all Indians to remember 13th April 1919.
It was on this day, 100 years ago, Brigadier General Reginald Dyer and his men butchered 379 men, women and children, besides over 1200 wounded in just 10 minutes. The number of dead and wounded could have been far greater if the ammunition that butchering team had carried wasn’t over.
Over 10000, men, women and children had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh in the city of Amritsar, to listen to Indian leaders on that unfortunately memorable day. Crowd included those who had come to the city to celebrate Baisaki.
To put down all kinds of nationalistic movements by Indians, Brig. Gen. Dyer, commander of the units in Amritsar, had forbidden any public meetings and had announced that all mobs would be fired upon.
At Jallianwala Bagh, no warning shot was fired for the crowd to disperse. Dyer’s men had closed the gates of the Bagh and fired indiscriminately at point blank range. This atrocity was the lowest point in the British Rule of India. Brig. Gen. Dyer was court marshaled. He told the court of inquiry that he ‘wanted to create maximum impact so that no Indian would dare this law breaking’. House of Commons in the British Parliament voted to remove him from service, although House of Lords and a section of Brits praised him and collected fund for him.
This is by far the most important day, independent India should remember to observe. There should be fitting activity all over India on this 13th April every year to keep the memory of the gruesome massacre alive for the younger generation to keep remembering the souls of those of 379 who perished on that dark day in our independence movement.
Hope the powers that be think on these lines, for the sake of posterity to keep reminding of the supreme sacrifice of these 379 men, women and children.
NEW DELHI:So, the Congress election Manifesto is out so also its intention is clearer. All Indians recognize that Congress was the leading party in the freedom movement. It ruled the country for over 50 years. Earlier it used to be a peoples party. But ever since Indira Gandhi came to power as PM so also as the president of Congress Party, the family culture remained the forte of this Grand Old Party (GOP). That’s how it is now run on the diktats of Mother-Son-Daughter combine. It is true there have been development in the country. But in 1991, we had no money for our imports and lead to pledge our gold to Bank of England. It was the genius of PV Narasimha Rao and his ability to take radical decisions that opened up India and its economic prowess. And India since then did not look back. However it was the emergence of Non-Congress governments that really led to the vertical growth of the country economically and socially. Congress steadily lost its sheen and other political parties, BJP and other regional parties started to call the shot. There is uncertainty in the camp of GOP. Look at Rahul Gandhi, not being certain to win from Amethi, the family borough is also standing for election in Wayanad, a Muslim League strong hold! The place is also known for its tense political atmosphere with communal overtone. Of all the places for the party president to go to Wayanad to stand for election to Loksabha is the acceptance of political bankruptcy of the Congress party. It is a sad day for any Congressman.
Of course, standing election in two constituencies is a hugely debatable issue, with no political party taking the call. Coming to the contents of Congress Manifesto, which media call “Recipe for Separatism”, it is indeed a desperate step in the wrong direction.
The Manifesto talks about withdrawing army from Kashmir, of withdrawing AFSPA, of repealing Sedition law to point out only a few. It has to be noted that all these laws were made and promulgated by earlier Congress government and all that is required is to make the law more fair to people. These laws were enacted with serious purpose in view. Misuse of any law is always possible. But it can be improved, but not altogether repealed. Clearly Congress Party is trying to appease a section of society at the cost of national security.
Of course, India is a reasonably matured society with pockets of stupidity. Hope, they see the political design of the GOP and act with nation in mind.
UTTAR PRADESH: A Lucknow datelined print media report informed “Assets of politicians grew manifold in 10 years”. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is an NGO involved in educating general public on political awareness on the things happening within the country and the contribution by politicians. This time round, due to the Election-2019, they surveyed the assets of re-elected Members of Parliament and the increase registered in their assets during these past years.
According to information available in the public space, there has been 142% jump in assets of 153 re-elected MPs between 2009 and 2014.
In terms of amount Shatrughan Sinha of BJP, Pinaki Misra of BJD and Supriya Sule of NCP have registered the highest. Reportedly Shotgun Sinha had 15 crores in 2009 which went upto Rs. 131 crores in 2014. For Pinaki Misra it was Rs. 107 crores rise from Rs. 30 crores in 2009. Similarly for Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, the rise in asset value is Rs. 62 crores, that is, it went up from Rs. 51 crores in 2009 to Rs. 113 crores in 2014.
In the top 10 also included is Harsimrat Kaur Badal from Punjab’s Badal family, so also Varun Gandhi, son of Maneka Gandhi, whose asset went up from Rs. 4 crores in 2009 to Rs. 35 crores in 2014.
In terms of percentage increase, the assets of E. T. Mohammed Basheer of IUML increased by a whopping 2018% that is an increase of some 22 times in the same period. Similarly Sisir Kumar Adhikari of Trinamool Congress, the increase is 1700% followed by AIADMK’s Venugopal at 1281%. Reportedly Rahul Gandhi’s increase is 304%, from Rs. 2 crores to Rs. 7 crores and that of Sonia Gandhi it increased by 573% to Rs. 8 crores.
However at party level, 72 BJP MPs shoved an average jump of Rs. 7.54 crores, while 28 Congress MPs, an average rise of Rs. 6.35 crores is seen in their assets. However lowest rise has been among 4 CPI (M) re-elected MPs at just 11%.
But the important question is not just the rise in assets but how this increase has come about? There has to be Apex Court monitored investigation into the ever increasing assets of these public servants called Members of Parliament.
BIHAR: More often than not, Bihar is always in the news for all wrong reasons. Contribution to the wrong side of happening is generally from Chaara Ghotala hero Lalu Prasad Yadav.
We all know, he is behind bar in the Patna jail for his path breaking scam in cheating even the Bihar’s cattle. Besides Chaara Ghotala, he is involved in many other Ghotalaas including those acts of omission and commission as Railway Minister in UPA government. So there are any numbers of reasons why he should be accountable to the law of the land.
However, his being behind the bar within the four walls of jail has not stopped his twitter a/c. Whether the jail authorities are helping him operate his twitter a/c or somebody outside is doing it for their imprisoned boss? Legally speaking, this cannot be done.
Due to his proximity to power in the past, he has innumerable political connections who would like to talk to him in prison. But no political discussion permitted in prison. Are these high profile visitors talking sweet nothings?!
Now comes this weird news, a Patna datelined print media news informs “Lalu distributes tickets from jail”.
Reportedly under his signature, party tickets are being distributed from inside the jail premises. This is a clear indication of not only his reach within the police hierarchy but also the connivance of police personnel at different level.
This is a clear violation of Model Code of Conduct during election time.
Reportedly, his bete noire, JD (U) has complained to the Election Commission demanding cancellation of all candidature having his signature. JD (U) has a strong case. Hope EC acts accordingly, to put the matter straight.
MAHARASHTRA:In the name of freedom of expression, film makers take too many things for granted. They do not understand that Freedom and Responsibility go together. You cannot have freedom without responsibility.
We have known in the past, that there have been cases of film makers having taken liberty to portray things which could be hurtful, which could be untruthful and sometime even downright insulting. For most film makers, only sensation matters. And there is a class of people who believe that creative people, like writers, playwrights and film producers etc. have unbridled right to express their thoughts, if it is hurting a section of people, so be it. According to these proponents of freedom of expression, if a section of the society is hurt that’s a price to pay in democracy, they can’t even complain.
There is a film, after having been made, its posters were seen all over the city of Mumbai. Balaji Motion Pictures of ‘Saas bhi khabhi Bahu thi’ fame made a film on mental illness and called the film “Mental Hai Kya”. The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has reportedly written to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) taking strong objection to the title of the film, besides many other issues.
“We take serious objections to the title of the film which is discriminative, stigmatizing, degrading and inhuman in projecting mental disorder and persons who suffer from mental disorder”, while demanding the removal of the title immediately.
There is this Mental Health Care Act 2017, which makes it obligatory for all citizens to be aware about the mental health and help reduce stigmas associated with it.
Indeed, prima facie, the title makes fun of persons suffering from mental disorder.
As demanded by IPS, the title has to be changed forthwith. CBFC should take the call and force Balaji Motion Pictures to change its title.
Lest our fellow Indians be hurt, who are victims of time and circumstances.
MAHARASHTRA: Going through some old newspaper clippings came across this interesting piece of news. On January 22, 2006, Archibishop of then Bombay, Cardinal Ivan Dias ordained two married men as deacons, reportedly a first in the country.
Deacons are those performing some of the functions of a priest, like baptism, nuptials and masses. The idea was to reduce the burden on priests on weekends. This happened over 13 years ago. No such report has come after this, meaning there has not been any such appointment in the Indian Church order.
To prepare the laity for this significant event, parishioners in Mumbai were given questionnaires to seek their opinion. Some Church members reportedly did say that they did not see the need for deacons from the laity. “We are saying that priests should get married. But I do not see the need for deacons who are married, when priests and nuns are asked to be celibate”.
Clearly the laity is in support of married priests. In the backdrop of recent happenings in the churches involving clergy and nuns and papal intervention, the world over, on the sexual exploitation of nuns and children, both girls and boys, this development of over 13 years ago has answers.
If what happened 13 years ago to two married individuals in Mumbai there are over 30,000 of them in different parts of the world. So truly speaking, the views of laity among Indians clergy do not make any difference. Church in India needs to have more and more deacons from among the laity to address the scourge of sexapades in Indians churches. Hope the day is not far that Vatican decides in favour of marriage among the clergy, not just in India but in the entire Catholic Christian world.
MAHARASHTRA: While speaking from the historic Red Fort on 15th August 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had referred to the quarrel between ministries and between departments of the same ministry as the prevailing work culture in New Delhi. Certainly since then much of the water has gone down the Yamuna. There has been improved work culture within the corridors of various Mantralayas or Bhavans housing union ministries.
But then habits die hard. And comes this news datelined Mumbai “Highway e-toilet proposal stuck between BMC and PWD”. BMC is Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation that is Greater Bombay Municipal Corporation. PWD is Public Works Department under an independent ministry. Both are part of the same government although BMC has a separate identity and budget. But both are there to serve the people, the general public.
Reportedly BMC has sent a proposal to the Sachivalaya for installing e-toilets on the Eastern Express Highway and Western Express Highway. The department of Solid Waste Management (SWM) sent a letter to PWD asking for No Objection Certificate (NOC), for allowing the construction of e-toilets next to the bus stops on both highways.
The need to have toilets along the highways anywhere need not be over emphasized, especially because of density of increasing vehicles also because there is this Swatch Bharat Abhiyan of PM’s priorities, not to urinate or defecate on the roadside.
BMC officials maintain that PWD has neither accepted nor rejected the proposal from the department of Solid Waste Management. So the proposal which has to be dealt with, on priority, is for no reason held up. But PWD refute the charge saying, ‘We have not received any proposal’. Now this is ridiculous, since the report is already in print and in circulation. Somebody at the top of both departments or the commissioner of BMC must refer the matter to the Minister concerned or even Chief Minister. What is important is Swatch Bharat as a campaign must have precedence and attended to it without any delay.
Of course, PWD is known to be money spinner for its staff. May be there is no ‘moolah’ in this e-toilet construction. It is indeed another sad dimension of Yeh Mera India.
GOA: It’s a funny world. You do not have to commit any crime and yet you can be arrested and later released on bail. One Goankar, a BJP party worker and activist, who reportedly had worked for 10 years for the MLA and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane is the unfortunate victim. In a party meeting held for the purpose of campaign for North Goa Loksabha candidate Shripad Naik, Goankar was reported to have asked the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane ‘why he had not been provided with a job despite being the minister’s active supporter for more than a decade?’
As far as Goankar is concerned the question was very valid. It is true employment situation is not very encouraging. There could have been other ways to handle such a question, if answer is difficult to give immediately. As a minister, you do not get automatic power to get someone arrested for asking a difficult question. This is clearly very autocratic. Then the police release him, reportedly, on bail- what if he couldn’t manage the bail? He would languish in the jail? The man, Goankar shouldn’t have opted for bail. Then this Vishwajit Rane, the Goa minister would have been exposed.
Organizations like PUCL should take it up suo moto and approach court to fix this minister. This kind of daadaagiri should have no place in democracy.
TAMIL NADU:So even the mighty Dhoni, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, too is a mere street urchin, when it comes to big money cricket!
The fracas on the field at the Chennai Stadium on the 11th April exposed comprehensively his cultivated “cool as cucumber” image.
The match between Rajasthan Royal and Chennai Super King had travelled to the wire. It was the last ball that decided the match, which truly belonged to the lowly placed Rajasthan Royals led by unassuming Ajinkya Rahane.
The decision not to give the no-ball decision by the umpire Ullas Gandhe got Dhoni worked up so much, he came marching on to the ground and then to the pitch itself. He made spectacle of himself. For once, his image as Mr. Cool of Indians cricket lay shattered to bits.
Among the seniors in the Indian cricket scene, Virender Sehwag was the only cricketer who spoke his mind. He even demanded that ‘Dhoni be banned for a match or two, not just fine 50% of match fee’.
There are two more inferences, besides Virender Sehwag, which made to the print media. “You don’t walk into the field, its not village cricket or Under-10 cricket. I think Dhoni sometimes forgets he is a player. You are not an official. You are a player. You can’t control the officials. It was a really bizarre look”, reacted Shaun Tait an Australian fast bowler. Stephen Fleming, the CSK coach, had this to say “MS was waiting for some clarity that didn’t seem to come. So he took the opportunity to go out and discuss with the umpires. I can’t say whether it was right or wrong. It is above my pay grade to go further than that”.
The above two reactions puts Dhoni in his place. While the Australian bowler Shaun was more forthcoming the CSK coach had his limitations, in his own words, “my pay grade” does not allow him to say if the fracas caused by Dhoni was right or wrong. So its money that spoke.
All thinking people would agree, it was patently wrong for Dhoni to walk into the ground and then to the pitch to argue with umpires.
This action speaks volumes of the scale of money power. Like Sehwag had said “Dhoni didn’t do any such protest when India mattered. But for IPL, which doles out huge pay packets, Dhoni would do anything for franchise CSK. So it is not the cricket but the moolah that mattered, take it or leave it.
KERALA: These days Shashi Tharoor, the intellectual giant among dwarfs in the Grand Old Party, is in the news for wrong reasons.
It is well known, all over India and even in the UK, that he is the best representative of Queen’s Language, impeccable to the core. Of course, many a time, he could be doing it to show off his language skill. And there are people on the social media making fun of his circular statements where a sentence could suffice.
Be that as it may, a recent press report titled “Oops, Tharoor’s Slip is Showing” tells it all. We all know Tharoor is the Congress party candidate from Thiruvananthapuram. A candidate can submit 4 sets of nomination papers with an affidavit each.
Reportedly, all three sets, which he submitted, had all kinds of mistakes, all in English language. According to a source in his office, these papers were prepared by a team of professionals comprising chartered accountants and legal experts. “The team was assigned by the party and the candidate just put his signature on all pages”, a staff reportedly remarked.
The question is, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, a former Under Secretary of United Nations is a PHD from the Fletcher School Law and Diplomacy”, how can he have so-called experts, who couldn’t even spell “House of People” (that is Loksabha) write as “House of Pepole” ?! Report informed there were some 10 mistakes. These well paid legal experts and Chartered Accountants didn’t have their Basic English right, and that too writing on behalf of the greatest English Speaker of India. Then Tharoor signs these papers without even glancing it, if not reading it?! This is ludicrous. Or what would Dr. Tharoor call this gaffe in his inimitable flourish of English language!
KERALA: Sister Abhaya murder case is bringing bad name to Kerala.
Beena Thomas, who grew up to become Sister Abhaya was found dead in water well in St. Pius X Convent, in Kottayam, Kerala, on 27th March 1992. Now 27 years over, the case is still haunting the Kerala landscape.
Initial investigation by Kerala police was on expected line. It was closed as suicide. But truth has its own way of coming into the open. Sex is not new among ‘celibate’ clergy, whether in Kerala or elsewhere. Sometime one has to wait for 9 months, sometime earlier than that for the story to become breaking news. Many times, however, it is taken as done thing and life goes on as usual for all involved.
A year after the alleged murder, the story of Fr. Thomas Kottor and Sister Sephy having illicit affair came to light and allegedly Sister Abhaya had found them in compromising position that fateful night when she entered the kitchen of the convent to drink water.
According to CBI, which reopened the case after Kerala police closed it, the alleged accused Fr. Kottor & Sister Sephy hacked Sister Abhaya to death and disposed the body in the convent well. They both were arrested along with a third accused Fr. Jose Poorthirikal. Third accused was discharged on the ground of his being absent on the day of murder, although he too allegedly was in relation with Sister Sephy.
According to CBI, evidences have been destroyed including the diary of Sister Abhaya, which is clearly very crucial. Just the other day on 8th April Kerala High Court rejected the discharge application by the accused.
Thomas & Leelamma, parents of Sister Abhaya are waiting for justice to the departed soul of their daughter. Why is Kerala government not showing seriousness in accused being punished and doing justice to the close to 3 decades old unfortunate happening?
And what about the laity! Why can’t they actively follow up the case to have a last word on the episode? Or are they less human and more Christian!
WORLD:World is an unfair place. News savvy people are aware that two women had tricked and killed half brother of North Korea’s despot Kim Jong at Kuala Lumpur airport sometime in 2017. Both, - Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong-were arrested by the Malaysian authorities, Siti Aisyah is Indonesian and Doan Thi Huong is a Vietnamese. Both were used by the spies of the Korean regime to kill Kim Jong Nam to hit him with VX nerve agent. Both claimed innocence saying they were tricked as if to play a prank for the TV reality show.
Almost two years into the weird incident, authorities in Malaysia dropped the murder charge of Indonasian Siti Aisyah- a Muslim, and released her from jail, to the pleasant surprise of the murder accused. She had reportedly reacted “I feel happy. I did not expect this to happen” while hugging a good bye to the Vietnamese co-accused-who is a non-Muslim.
It is known that Malaysia and Indonesia are both Muslim countries. While it is true that Indonesia did a concerted effort to get their citizen released, it is very unfair that just because, there was no pressure from Vietnamese authorities, the other accused should be detained and may be even punished with death sentence.
At least Malaysian authorities could have taken it up with their Vietnamese counterparts and adjudicated the matter. After all both accused have the same charge, one is released and the other retained and detained. This clearly sends a wrong message to the world at large that lives of all of us are not equal, especially in a Muslim country.
WORLD: Reuters from Islamabad reported that “two sisters who are Hindus not converted forcibly, says court” while adding ‘two were adult enough to make their own decisions’. What is new about it?! In Islamic Pakistan, what majority says and do goes. None can stop it, not even the court, not even the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Naila Inayat from Lahore writes, on March 31, 2019, and we quote “On February 24, 2012, Rinkle Kumari was abducted. Her father received a call from Mian Aslam, son of Mian Abdul Haq who informed him that Rinkle had embraced Islam and had been married to Naveed Shah. Hindus protested and blocked the national highway. Police showered heavy shelling. Rinkle was produced in court and Rinkle pleaded to let her go with her mother. Court ruled that Rinkle Kumari was Muslim and had married Naveed Shah. On March 8, the Supreme Court of Pakistan re-opened the case. Rinkle again asked the court that she be sent with her mother. Strangely despite Rinkle’s plea, the chief justice ordered Rinkle be kept in a shelter home. Naveed Shah and Mian Aslam allegedly met Rinkle several times. At the next hearing, as per Rinkle’s statement issued later by the Court Registrar’s office, she opted to go with her husband”.
The above piece was a part of the larger write-up titled “Brides of Despair”, written after the incident of recent past involving two sisters having been kidnapped, converted to Islam and forced into “shot gun wedding” as Naila Inayat puts it. According to her both were minors, one 13 and the other 15 years of age and not ‘adults enough to make their own decisions’ as court ruled.
So here we have two stories, one happened in 2012 and the other in 2019. And these are not the only cases. According to Naila Inayat, 25 or more cases of kidnappings, forced conversions and underage weddings reported every month. Thus such barbarian practices are rampant in Pakistan. May be Imran Khan’s government is trying to improve things by ordering action against perpetrators. But, Naila Inayat writes “Protecting women and children from religious barbarity could be a long haul” in Pakistan.
Now, if you go back to the case of 2012, here the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan orders Rinkle Kumari ‘be kept in a shelter home’, despite her plea that she ‘be sent with her mother’. This is a clear case of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, having become a party to such barbaric activities of Pakistani men. By asking Rinkle Kumari to be kept in shelter home, chief justice made it easier for her tormentors Naveed Shah and Mian Aslam to force her to become helpless that ‘she opted to go with her husband’, as stated by the Supreme Court Registrar. SO WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THE NEWS TITLED “HINDU GIRLS NOT CONVERTED FORCIBLY, SAYS COURT”, DATELINED REUTERS ISLAMABAD?!, in the print media on 12th April 2019.
WORLD: Republic of Ghana is a West African country of some 28 million people with some 77% literacy rate. For a country ranked at 139 in the UNDP Human Development Index, to be pro-actively concerned about the health of its citizen is indeed very exemplary. Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo on 24th April pressed a fleet of air borne drones carrying medicine supplies to remote areas. Reportedly, these drones are part of an ambitious plan to greatly improve medical access in a country with poor road connectivity. “No one in Ghana should die because they cannot access the medicine they need in times of emergency”, President had remarked while launching the “World’s largest drone delivery service”.
For a country with the life expectancy of 62.4 years and per capita income of $ 1569, it is needed commendable that the political leadership of the country prioritized the health needs of its people.
Compared to Ghana, India’s per capita income is $1723 and life expectancy is 68.3 years which is better than Ghana. Although the population and size of the country is far larger, this would make things difficult for any country to manage to make a difference to the last man in the development ladder! Indian population is over 1300 million as compared to Ghana which is just little over 2% at 28 million and a huge land mass to traverse. Ghana has an area of 238,533 sq kilo meters as against India’s geographical area of almost 14 times at 3,287,263 sq.kms. These two factors have not only affected the per capita income but also made delivery of services very difficult.
However in India there is absolutely no initiative to introduce drones to reach out to medical emergencies in remote areas, and we have enough and more areas inaccessible by road. Surely there is lesson in leadership in what President Nana Akufo Addo is doing for his people, to put it in his own words “Launching of fleet of drones is a major step towards giving everyone in Ghana universal access to life saving medicines”. For a third world country President Addo is an example for others in his people centric approach to development. May his tribe grow!
If holidays were not there, Indians wouldn’t have remembered even Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd October, like not many remember Lal Bahadur Shastri born on the same day, since there is no formal remembrance. In fact it will be worth it to rename Gandhi Jayanthi as Gandhi Shastri Jayanthi Divas. For record, it has to be mentioned that Lal Bahadur Shastri is the greatest political model for all Indians, cleanest to the core and the humblest Prime Minister India ever had.
Therefore, it is extremely logically and emotionally important for all Indians to remember 13th April 1919.
It was on this day, 100 years ago, Brigadier General Reginald Dyer and his men butchered 379 men, women and children, besides over 1200 wounded in just 10 minutes. The number of dead and wounded could have been far greater if the ammunition that butchering team had carried wasn’t over.
Over 10000, men, women and children had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh in the city of Amritsar, to listen to Indian leaders on that unfortunately memorable day. Crowd included those who had come to the city to celebrate Baisaki.
To put down all kinds of nationalistic movements by Indians, Brig. Gen. Dyer, commander of the units in Amritsar, had forbidden any public meetings and had announced that all mobs would be fired upon.
At Jallianwala Bagh, no warning shot was fired for the crowd to disperse. Dyer’s men had closed the gates of the Bagh and fired indiscriminately at point blank range. This atrocity was the lowest point in the British Rule of India. Brig. Gen. Dyer was court marshaled. He told the court of inquiry that he ‘wanted to create maximum impact so that no Indian would dare this law breaking’. House of Commons in the British Parliament voted to remove him from service, although House of Lords and a section of Brits praised him and collected fund for him.
This is by far the most important day, independent India should remember to observe. There should be fitting activity all over India on this 13th April every year to keep the memory of the gruesome massacre alive for the younger generation to keep remembering the souls of those of 379 who perished on that dark day in our independence movement.
Hope the powers that be think on these lines, for the sake of posterity to keep reminding of the supreme sacrifice of these 379 men, women and children.
NEW DELHI:So, the Congress election Manifesto is out so also its intention is clearer. All Indians recognize that Congress was the leading party in the freedom movement. It ruled the country for over 50 years. Earlier it used to be a peoples party. But ever since Indira Gandhi came to power as PM so also as the president of Congress Party, the family culture remained the forte of this Grand Old Party (GOP). That’s how it is now run on the diktats of Mother-Son-Daughter combine. It is true there have been development in the country. But in 1991, we had no money for our imports and lead to pledge our gold to Bank of England. It was the genius of PV Narasimha Rao and his ability to take radical decisions that opened up India and its economic prowess. And India since then did not look back. However it was the emergence of Non-Congress governments that really led to the vertical growth of the country economically and socially. Congress steadily lost its sheen and other political parties, BJP and other regional parties started to call the shot. There is uncertainty in the camp of GOP. Look at Rahul Gandhi, not being certain to win from Amethi, the family borough is also standing for election in Wayanad, a Muslim League strong hold! The place is also known for its tense political atmosphere with communal overtone. Of all the places for the party president to go to Wayanad to stand for election to Loksabha is the acceptance of political bankruptcy of the Congress party. It is a sad day for any Congressman.
Of course, standing election in two constituencies is a hugely debatable issue, with no political party taking the call. Coming to the contents of Congress Manifesto, which media call “Recipe for Separatism”, it is indeed a desperate step in the wrong direction.
The Manifesto talks about withdrawing army from Kashmir, of withdrawing AFSPA, of repealing Sedition law to point out only a few. It has to be noted that all these laws were made and promulgated by earlier Congress government and all that is required is to make the law more fair to people. These laws were enacted with serious purpose in view. Misuse of any law is always possible. But it can be improved, but not altogether repealed. Clearly Congress Party is trying to appease a section of society at the cost of national security.
Of course, India is a reasonably matured society with pockets of stupidity. Hope, they see the political design of the GOP and act with nation in mind.
UTTAR PRADESH: A Lucknow datelined print media report informed “Assets of politicians grew manifold in 10 years”. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is an NGO involved in educating general public on political awareness on the things happening within the country and the contribution by politicians. This time round, due to the Election-2019, they surveyed the assets of re-elected Members of Parliament and the increase registered in their assets during these past years.
According to information available in the public space, there has been 142% jump in assets of 153 re-elected MPs between 2009 and 2014.
In terms of amount Shatrughan Sinha of BJP, Pinaki Misra of BJD and Supriya Sule of NCP have registered the highest. Reportedly Shotgun Sinha had 15 crores in 2009 which went upto Rs. 131 crores in 2014. For Pinaki Misra it was Rs. 107 crores rise from Rs. 30 crores in 2009. Similarly for Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, the rise in asset value is Rs. 62 crores, that is, it went up from Rs. 51 crores in 2009 to Rs. 113 crores in 2014.
In the top 10 also included is Harsimrat Kaur Badal from Punjab’s Badal family, so also Varun Gandhi, son of Maneka Gandhi, whose asset went up from Rs. 4 crores in 2009 to Rs. 35 crores in 2014.
In terms of percentage increase, the assets of E. T. Mohammed Basheer of IUML increased by a whopping 2018% that is an increase of some 22 times in the same period. Similarly Sisir Kumar Adhikari of Trinamool Congress, the increase is 1700% followed by AIADMK’s Venugopal at 1281%. Reportedly Rahul Gandhi’s increase is 304%, from Rs. 2 crores to Rs. 7 crores and that of Sonia Gandhi it increased by 573% to Rs. 8 crores.
However at party level, 72 BJP MPs shoved an average jump of Rs. 7.54 crores, while 28 Congress MPs, an average rise of Rs. 6.35 crores is seen in their assets. However lowest rise has been among 4 CPI (M) re-elected MPs at just 11%.
But the important question is not just the rise in assets but how this increase has come about? There has to be Apex Court monitored investigation into the ever increasing assets of these public servants called Members of Parliament.
BIHAR: More often than not, Bihar is always in the news for all wrong reasons. Contribution to the wrong side of happening is generally from Chaara Ghotala hero Lalu Prasad Yadav.
We all know, he is behind bar in the Patna jail for his path breaking scam in cheating even the Bihar’s cattle. Besides Chaara Ghotala, he is involved in many other Ghotalaas including those acts of omission and commission as Railway Minister in UPA government. So there are any numbers of reasons why he should be accountable to the law of the land.
However, his being behind the bar within the four walls of jail has not stopped his twitter a/c. Whether the jail authorities are helping him operate his twitter a/c or somebody outside is doing it for their imprisoned boss? Legally speaking, this cannot be done.
Due to his proximity to power in the past, he has innumerable political connections who would like to talk to him in prison. But no political discussion permitted in prison. Are these high profile visitors talking sweet nothings?!
Now comes this weird news, a Patna datelined print media news informs “Lalu distributes tickets from jail”.
Reportedly under his signature, party tickets are being distributed from inside the jail premises. This is a clear indication of not only his reach within the police hierarchy but also the connivance of police personnel at different level.
This is a clear violation of Model Code of Conduct during election time.
Reportedly, his bete noire, JD (U) has complained to the Election Commission demanding cancellation of all candidature having his signature. JD (U) has a strong case. Hope EC acts accordingly, to put the matter straight.
MAHARASHTRA:In the name of freedom of expression, film makers take too many things for granted. They do not understand that Freedom and Responsibility go together. You cannot have freedom without responsibility.
We have known in the past, that there have been cases of film makers having taken liberty to portray things which could be hurtful, which could be untruthful and sometime even downright insulting. For most film makers, only sensation matters. And there is a class of people who believe that creative people, like writers, playwrights and film producers etc. have unbridled right to express their thoughts, if it is hurting a section of people, so be it. According to these proponents of freedom of expression, if a section of the society is hurt that’s a price to pay in democracy, they can’t even complain.
There is a film, after having been made, its posters were seen all over the city of Mumbai. Balaji Motion Pictures of ‘Saas bhi khabhi Bahu thi’ fame made a film on mental illness and called the film “Mental Hai Kya”. The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has reportedly written to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) taking strong objection to the title of the film, besides many other issues.
“We take serious objections to the title of the film which is discriminative, stigmatizing, degrading and inhuman in projecting mental disorder and persons who suffer from mental disorder”, while demanding the removal of the title immediately.
There is this Mental Health Care Act 2017, which makes it obligatory for all citizens to be aware about the mental health and help reduce stigmas associated with it.
Indeed, prima facie, the title makes fun of persons suffering from mental disorder.
As demanded by IPS, the title has to be changed forthwith. CBFC should take the call and force Balaji Motion Pictures to change its title.
Lest our fellow Indians be hurt, who are victims of time and circumstances.
MAHARASHTRA: Going through some old newspaper clippings came across this interesting piece of news. On January 22, 2006, Archibishop of then Bombay, Cardinal Ivan Dias ordained two married men as deacons, reportedly a first in the country.
Deacons are those performing some of the functions of a priest, like baptism, nuptials and masses. The idea was to reduce the burden on priests on weekends. This happened over 13 years ago. No such report has come after this, meaning there has not been any such appointment in the Indian Church order.
To prepare the laity for this significant event, parishioners in Mumbai were given questionnaires to seek their opinion. Some Church members reportedly did say that they did not see the need for deacons from the laity. “We are saying that priests should get married. But I do not see the need for deacons who are married, when priests and nuns are asked to be celibate”.
Clearly the laity is in support of married priests. In the backdrop of recent happenings in the churches involving clergy and nuns and papal intervention, the world over, on the sexual exploitation of nuns and children, both girls and boys, this development of over 13 years ago has answers.
If what happened 13 years ago to two married individuals in Mumbai there are over 30,000 of them in different parts of the world. So truly speaking, the views of laity among Indians clergy do not make any difference. Church in India needs to have more and more deacons from among the laity to address the scourge of sexapades in Indians churches. Hope the day is not far that Vatican decides in favour of marriage among the clergy, not just in India but in the entire Catholic Christian world.
MAHARASHTRA: While speaking from the historic Red Fort on 15th August 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had referred to the quarrel between ministries and between departments of the same ministry as the prevailing work culture in New Delhi. Certainly since then much of the water has gone down the Yamuna. There has been improved work culture within the corridors of various Mantralayas or Bhavans housing union ministries.
But then habits die hard. And comes this news datelined Mumbai “Highway e-toilet proposal stuck between BMC and PWD”. BMC is Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation that is Greater Bombay Municipal Corporation. PWD is Public Works Department under an independent ministry. Both are part of the same government although BMC has a separate identity and budget. But both are there to serve the people, the general public.
Reportedly BMC has sent a proposal to the Sachivalaya for installing e-toilets on the Eastern Express Highway and Western Express Highway. The department of Solid Waste Management (SWM) sent a letter to PWD asking for No Objection Certificate (NOC), for allowing the construction of e-toilets next to the bus stops on both highways.
The need to have toilets along the highways anywhere need not be over emphasized, especially because of density of increasing vehicles also because there is this Swatch Bharat Abhiyan of PM’s priorities, not to urinate or defecate on the roadside.
BMC officials maintain that PWD has neither accepted nor rejected the proposal from the department of Solid Waste Management. So the proposal which has to be dealt with, on priority, is for no reason held up. But PWD refute the charge saying, ‘We have not received any proposal’. Now this is ridiculous, since the report is already in print and in circulation. Somebody at the top of both departments or the commissioner of BMC must refer the matter to the Minister concerned or even Chief Minister. What is important is Swatch Bharat as a campaign must have precedence and attended to it without any delay.
Of course, PWD is known to be money spinner for its staff. May be there is no ‘moolah’ in this e-toilet construction. It is indeed another sad dimension of Yeh Mera India.
GOA: It’s a funny world. You do not have to commit any crime and yet you can be arrested and later released on bail. One Goankar, a BJP party worker and activist, who reportedly had worked for 10 years for the MLA and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane is the unfortunate victim. In a party meeting held for the purpose of campaign for North Goa Loksabha candidate Shripad Naik, Goankar was reported to have asked the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane ‘why he had not been provided with a job despite being the minister’s active supporter for more than a decade?’
As far as Goankar is concerned the question was very valid. It is true employment situation is not very encouraging. There could have been other ways to handle such a question, if answer is difficult to give immediately. As a minister, you do not get automatic power to get someone arrested for asking a difficult question. This is clearly very autocratic. Then the police release him, reportedly, on bail- what if he couldn’t manage the bail? He would languish in the jail? The man, Goankar shouldn’t have opted for bail. Then this Vishwajit Rane, the Goa minister would have been exposed.
Organizations like PUCL should take it up suo moto and approach court to fix this minister. This kind of daadaagiri should have no place in democracy.
TAMIL NADU:So even the mighty Dhoni, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, too is a mere street urchin, when it comes to big money cricket!
The fracas on the field at the Chennai Stadium on the 11th April exposed comprehensively his cultivated “cool as cucumber” image.
The match between Rajasthan Royal and Chennai Super King had travelled to the wire. It was the last ball that decided the match, which truly belonged to the lowly placed Rajasthan Royals led by unassuming Ajinkya Rahane.
The decision not to give the no-ball decision by the umpire Ullas Gandhe got Dhoni worked up so much, he came marching on to the ground and then to the pitch itself. He made spectacle of himself. For once, his image as Mr. Cool of Indians cricket lay shattered to bits.
Among the seniors in the Indian cricket scene, Virender Sehwag was the only cricketer who spoke his mind. He even demanded that ‘Dhoni be banned for a match or two, not just fine 50% of match fee’.
There are two more inferences, besides Virender Sehwag, which made to the print media. “You don’t walk into the field, its not village cricket or Under-10 cricket. I think Dhoni sometimes forgets he is a player. You are not an official. You are a player. You can’t control the officials. It was a really bizarre look”, reacted Shaun Tait an Australian fast bowler. Stephen Fleming, the CSK coach, had this to say “MS was waiting for some clarity that didn’t seem to come. So he took the opportunity to go out and discuss with the umpires. I can’t say whether it was right or wrong. It is above my pay grade to go further than that”.
The above two reactions puts Dhoni in his place. While the Australian bowler Shaun was more forthcoming the CSK coach had his limitations, in his own words, “my pay grade” does not allow him to say if the fracas caused by Dhoni was right or wrong. So its money that spoke.
All thinking people would agree, it was patently wrong for Dhoni to walk into the ground and then to the pitch to argue with umpires.
This action speaks volumes of the scale of money power. Like Sehwag had said “Dhoni didn’t do any such protest when India mattered. But for IPL, which doles out huge pay packets, Dhoni would do anything for franchise CSK. So it is not the cricket but the moolah that mattered, take it or leave it.
KERALA: These days Shashi Tharoor, the intellectual giant among dwarfs in the Grand Old Party, is in the news for wrong reasons.
It is well known, all over India and even in the UK, that he is the best representative of Queen’s Language, impeccable to the core. Of course, many a time, he could be doing it to show off his language skill. And there are people on the social media making fun of his circular statements where a sentence could suffice.
Be that as it may, a recent press report titled “Oops, Tharoor’s Slip is Showing” tells it all. We all know Tharoor is the Congress party candidate from Thiruvananthapuram. A candidate can submit 4 sets of nomination papers with an affidavit each.
Reportedly, all three sets, which he submitted, had all kinds of mistakes, all in English language. According to a source in his office, these papers were prepared by a team of professionals comprising chartered accountants and legal experts. “The team was assigned by the party and the candidate just put his signature on all pages”, a staff reportedly remarked.
The question is, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, a former Under Secretary of United Nations is a PHD from the Fletcher School Law and Diplomacy”, how can he have so-called experts, who couldn’t even spell “House of People” (that is Loksabha) write as “House of Pepole” ?! Report informed there were some 10 mistakes. These well paid legal experts and Chartered Accountants didn’t have their Basic English right, and that too writing on behalf of the greatest English Speaker of India. Then Tharoor signs these papers without even glancing it, if not reading it?! This is ludicrous. Or what would Dr. Tharoor call this gaffe in his inimitable flourish of English language!
KERALA: Sister Abhaya murder case is bringing bad name to Kerala.
Beena Thomas, who grew up to become Sister Abhaya was found dead in water well in St. Pius X Convent, in Kottayam, Kerala, on 27th March 1992. Now 27 years over, the case is still haunting the Kerala landscape.
Initial investigation by Kerala police was on expected line. It was closed as suicide. But truth has its own way of coming into the open. Sex is not new among ‘celibate’ clergy, whether in Kerala or elsewhere. Sometime one has to wait for 9 months, sometime earlier than that for the story to become breaking news. Many times, however, it is taken as done thing and life goes on as usual for all involved.
A year after the alleged murder, the story of Fr. Thomas Kottor and Sister Sephy having illicit affair came to light and allegedly Sister Abhaya had found them in compromising position that fateful night when she entered the kitchen of the convent to drink water.
According to CBI, which reopened the case after Kerala police closed it, the alleged accused Fr. Kottor & Sister Sephy hacked Sister Abhaya to death and disposed the body in the convent well. They both were arrested along with a third accused Fr. Jose Poorthirikal. Third accused was discharged on the ground of his being absent on the day of murder, although he too allegedly was in relation with Sister Sephy.
According to CBI, evidences have been destroyed including the diary of Sister Abhaya, which is clearly very crucial. Just the other day on 8th April Kerala High Court rejected the discharge application by the accused.
Thomas & Leelamma, parents of Sister Abhaya are waiting for justice to the departed soul of their daughter. Why is Kerala government not showing seriousness in accused being punished and doing justice to the close to 3 decades old unfortunate happening?
And what about the laity! Why can’t they actively follow up the case to have a last word on the episode? Or are they less human and more Christian!
WORLD:World is an unfair place. News savvy people are aware that two women had tricked and killed half brother of North Korea’s despot Kim Jong at Kuala Lumpur airport sometime in 2017. Both, - Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong-were arrested by the Malaysian authorities, Siti Aisyah is Indonesian and Doan Thi Huong is a Vietnamese. Both were used by the spies of the Korean regime to kill Kim Jong Nam to hit him with VX nerve agent. Both claimed innocence saying they were tricked as if to play a prank for the TV reality show.
Almost two years into the weird incident, authorities in Malaysia dropped the murder charge of Indonasian Siti Aisyah- a Muslim, and released her from jail, to the pleasant surprise of the murder accused. She had reportedly reacted “I feel happy. I did not expect this to happen” while hugging a good bye to the Vietnamese co-accused-who is a non-Muslim.
It is known that Malaysia and Indonesia are both Muslim countries. While it is true that Indonesia did a concerted effort to get their citizen released, it is very unfair that just because, there was no pressure from Vietnamese authorities, the other accused should be detained and may be even punished with death sentence.
At least Malaysian authorities could have taken it up with their Vietnamese counterparts and adjudicated the matter. After all both accused have the same charge, one is released and the other retained and detained. This clearly sends a wrong message to the world at large that lives of all of us are not equal, especially in a Muslim country.
WORLD: Reuters from Islamabad reported that “two sisters who are Hindus not converted forcibly, says court” while adding ‘two were adult enough to make their own decisions’. What is new about it?! In Islamic Pakistan, what majority says and do goes. None can stop it, not even the court, not even the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Naila Inayat from Lahore writes, on March 31, 2019, and we quote “On February 24, 2012, Rinkle Kumari was abducted. Her father received a call from Mian Aslam, son of Mian Abdul Haq who informed him that Rinkle had embraced Islam and had been married to Naveed Shah. Hindus protested and blocked the national highway. Police showered heavy shelling. Rinkle was produced in court and Rinkle pleaded to let her go with her mother. Court ruled that Rinkle Kumari was Muslim and had married Naveed Shah. On March 8, the Supreme Court of Pakistan re-opened the case. Rinkle again asked the court that she be sent with her mother. Strangely despite Rinkle’s plea, the chief justice ordered Rinkle be kept in a shelter home. Naveed Shah and Mian Aslam allegedly met Rinkle several times. At the next hearing, as per Rinkle’s statement issued later by the Court Registrar’s office, she opted to go with her husband”.
The above piece was a part of the larger write-up titled “Brides of Despair”, written after the incident of recent past involving two sisters having been kidnapped, converted to Islam and forced into “shot gun wedding” as Naila Inayat puts it. According to her both were minors, one 13 and the other 15 years of age and not ‘adults enough to make their own decisions’ as court ruled.
So here we have two stories, one happened in 2012 and the other in 2019. And these are not the only cases. According to Naila Inayat, 25 or more cases of kidnappings, forced conversions and underage weddings reported every month. Thus such barbarian practices are rampant in Pakistan. May be Imran Khan’s government is trying to improve things by ordering action against perpetrators. But, Naila Inayat writes “Protecting women and children from religious barbarity could be a long haul” in Pakistan.
Now, if you go back to the case of 2012, here the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan orders Rinkle Kumari ‘be kept in a shelter home’, despite her plea that she ‘be sent with her mother’. This is a clear case of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, having become a party to such barbaric activities of Pakistani men. By asking Rinkle Kumari to be kept in shelter home, chief justice made it easier for her tormentors Naveed Shah and Mian Aslam to force her to become helpless that ‘she opted to go with her husband’, as stated by the Supreme Court Registrar. SO WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THE NEWS TITLED “HINDU GIRLS NOT CONVERTED FORCIBLY, SAYS COURT”, DATELINED REUTERS ISLAMABAD?!, in the print media on 12th April 2019.
WORLD: Republic of Ghana is a West African country of some 28 million people with some 77% literacy rate. For a country ranked at 139 in the UNDP Human Development Index, to be pro-actively concerned about the health of its citizen is indeed very exemplary. Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo on 24th April pressed a fleet of air borne drones carrying medicine supplies to remote areas. Reportedly, these drones are part of an ambitious plan to greatly improve medical access in a country with poor road connectivity. “No one in Ghana should die because they cannot access the medicine they need in times of emergency”, President had remarked while launching the “World’s largest drone delivery service”.
For a country with the life expectancy of 62.4 years and per capita income of $ 1569, it is needed commendable that the political leadership of the country prioritized the health needs of its people.
Compared to Ghana, India’s per capita income is $1723 and life expectancy is 68.3 years which is better than Ghana. Although the population and size of the country is far larger, this would make things difficult for any country to manage to make a difference to the last man in the development ladder! Indian population is over 1300 million as compared to Ghana which is just little over 2% at 28 million and a huge land mass to traverse. Ghana has an area of 238,533 sq kilo meters as against India’s geographical area of almost 14 times at 3,287,263 sq.kms. These two factors have not only affected the per capita income but also made delivery of services very difficult.
However in India there is absolutely no initiative to introduce drones to reach out to medical emergencies in remote areas, and we have enough and more areas inaccessible by road. Surely there is lesson in leadership in what President Nana Akufo Addo is doing for his people, to put it in his own words “Launching of fleet of drones is a major step towards giving everyone in Ghana universal access to life saving medicines”. For a third world country President Addo is an example for others in his people centric approach to development. May his tribe grow!
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