Friday, July 31, 2020

Ban on Triple Talaq results in decline of about 82 per cent in instant divorce cases: Mukhtar Naqvi


(This article is by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minority Affairs Minister, Govt of India)

The month of August is recognised as a “Month of Revolution, Rights & Reforms” in the Indian history; 08th August Quit India Movement, 15th August Independence Day, 19th August “World Humanitarian Day”, 20th August “Sadbhavana Diwas”, 370 was abolished on 5th August, these days have been written in golden pages of the Indian History.
 
1st August is a day which made Muslim women free from social evil of Triple Talaq; 1st August has been recorded in the country’s history as “Muslim Women Rights Day”.
 

Triple Talaq or Talaq-a-Biddat was neither Islamic nor legal. Despite of the fact, the social evil of Triple Talaq was given “political patronage” by “Merchants of Votes”.

Somewhere in Karnataka: 2018 


 
1st August 2019 is a historic day in Indian Parliamentary history when The Bill against Triple Talaq was made a Law despite of obstacle put by so-called “Champions of Secularism” including Congress, Communist Party, SP, BSP and Trinamool Congress. 1st August became the day which ensured gender equality and strengthened constitutional, fundamental and democratic rights of the Muslim women and it also gave confidence to the women, which constitute almost half of the population in India. 1st August will remain as a golden moment of Indian democracy and Parliamentary history.
 
The law against social evil of Triple Talaq could have been passed in 1986 when the Hon’ble Supreme Court had given historic judgement in the Shahbano Case. The Congress had absolute majority in Parliament with more than 400 out of 545 Lok Sabha Members and more than 159 out of 245 Members in the Rajya Sabha. But the then Rajiv Gandhi Government used its strength in the Parliament to make the Supreme Court judgement ineffective and deprive the Muslim women of their constitutional and fundamental rights.
 
The then Congress Government had bowed down before illogic of some “narrow minded fanatics” and committed a criminal sin to deprive the Muslim women of their constitutional rights. The Congress’ “Mistake of the Moment” became “Punishment of the Decades” for the Muslim women. The Congress was worried for “Vote Ka Udhaar” while our government was worried for “Samajik Sudhaar”(social reform).
 
India runs on a Constitution, not on Shariat or any other religious textbook. Earlier, various legislations had been brought in the country to abolish social evils such as Sati Pratha and Child Marriage. Triple Talaq law has nothing to do with religion, the law has been made purely to ensure gender equality by ending a social evil, inhuman, cruel and unconstitutional practice. Instant divorce by verbally saying Talaq thrice is illegal. 

There were several incidents coming where women had been given Talaq through letter, phone or even through message and whatsapp. Such incidents are unacceptable to a sensitive country and to a government committed to inclusive development.
Modi in Gulf
 

Several Muslim-majority nations of the world had declared Triple Talaq as illegal and un-Islamic much earlier. Egypt was the first Muslim nation which abolished this social evil in 1929. Sudan in 1929, Pakistan in 1956, Bangladesh in 1972, Iraq in 1959, Syria in 1953, Malaysia in 1969 had abolished the practice of Triple Talaq. Besides, countries such as Cyprus, Jordan, Algeria, Iran, Brunei, Morocco, Qatar, UAE also ended this social evil many years ago. But it took 70 years for India to get rid of this inhuman and cruel practice.
 
The Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi made the law against Triple Talaq to make effective the Supreme Court’s judgement. The Supreme Court, on 18th May, 2017, had declared Triple Talaq as unconstitutional. By abolishing the Triple Talaq, the Modi Government has strengthened socio-economic, fundamental and constitutional rights of the Muslim women.
 

One year has passed since the law against Triple Talaq was passed and there is a decline of about 82 per cent in Triple Talaq cases thereafter. If any such case was reported, the law has taken action.

 
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Government is committed to empowerment of all sections and social reforms. Some political parties give illogic that why the Modi Government is worried about Talaq in Muslim women? Why the Government don’t do anything for their socio-economic-educational empowerment? I want to make it clear to those people who ask such questions that during the last about 6 years, the Modi Government has worked with inclusive empowerment for every sections including Muslim women.
 
The Modi Government’s efforts aimed at development of all sections have ensured welfare of Muslim women equally. During the last about 6 years, 3 crore 87 lakh Minority students have been given various scholarships which include about 60 per cent girl students. A large number of Muslim women have been provided employment and employment opportunities through “Hunar Haat”. 

More than 10 lakh Minority youths have been provided employment and employment opportunities through skill development schemes such as “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Garib Nawaz Swarojgar Yojna”, “Usttad”, “Nai Manzil”, “Nai Roushni” etc and more than 50 per cent beneficiaries are women.A total of 3040 women have performed Haj after the Modi Government ensured Muslim women can perform Haj without “Mehram” (male companion) in 2018. This year too, more than 2300 women had applied to perform Haj without Mehram. These women will be allowed to go to Haj 2021 on the basis of their application for Haj 2020 only. Besides, women who file new application, will also be allowed to go to Haj next year.
 
The Modi Government’s efforts have benefitted equally to the Muslim women. Even the Opposition and “traditional Modi bashers” cannot raise question that there has been any discrimination with any community in welfare schemes. Our efforts for inclusive empowerment have shown results on the ground. When our Government provided 2 crore houses to poor, 31 per cent beneficiaries are from Minority community. Our Government has provided electricity to a large number of villages of the country which were deprived of electricity for decades, these villages include large number of Minority community dominated villages who were in darkness and now have been provided electricity. Our Government provided benefits to 22 crore farmers under ‘’Kisan Samman Nidhi” which include more than 33 per cent farmers belonging to Minority communities. About 37 per cent of more than 8 crore beneficiaries of “Ujjwala Yojna” providing free gas connection belong to Minority communities. 

Our Government provided easy loans to about 24 crore people under “Mudra Yojna” for small and medium business and other employment oriented economic activities and more than 36 per cent beneficiaries are from Minority communities. Muslim women have significantly been benefitted from these welfare schemes, they have become an equal partner of mainstream development.


ends 


Rafale - a Game changer to fill in capability deficit, enhance military diplomacy


Thanks to the country's first Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru and his fixation with the idea of 'Non Alignment', India's military diplomacy and defence cooperation too largely remained isolationist.

The Nehruvian idea of governance essentially was also 'distrustful' of armed forces and thus they were kept out of policy making strategies and the job was essentially left with bureaucracy.



## Combat-ready missiles will help Indian Rafale to shoot down an enemy aircraft without crossing 
Indian air space


We need not thank Corona and the belligerent Chinese policies at the LAC, but it is a truism
that India in 2020 stands at a defining moment in its evolution as an ascertainable global power.

In today's world, along with military preparedness in terms of weaponry, it is vital that enough importance is given to military diplomacy and cooperation with major key powers to ensure the nation's ascent. The procurement of Rafale fighter jets ought to be seen and understood with this deeper perspective.

In 2001-2002 when the NDA-I with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister and Goerge Fernandes as the Defence Minister kick-started the process of acquiring Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), it was believed with conviction that creating a strong aerospace capability was as "inescapable necessity".

In fact, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major had spoken on these lines himself.
 
The decision to shortlist Dassault Rafale and the Euro fighter Typhoon was taken up in June 2011. Controversies started immediately even at international level as well. Neither F-16 nor F-18 of the US figured in the short list and this development could be seen as a coincidence that the very next day the then US ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer had 'resigned'.

An appointee of Barack Obama, Roemer, however, had said that the US-India relationship was and would be on a "positive historic trajectory" towards a global partnership.

On Jan 31, 2012, the UPA regime announced that the Dassault Rafale was shortlisted for exclusive negotiations.

The contenders for the mega deal besides French Dassault Aviation's Rafale - were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen and Boeing's F/A-18s. 

Notably, Germany and the United Kingdom invested a lot of time in pushing the Typhoon and thus
they were upset.

The Typhoon is built by the German and Spanish branches of European aerospace giant EADS, Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Finmeccanica.
Finally in April 2015, the Modi government took the final decision and Rafale was 'rescued' from all kinds of neta-babu nexus and the bureaucratic quagmire.

It is worth mentioning that in February 2014, Defence minister A K Antony (under Congress) had said that the procedure of calculation of life-cycle cost was being re-examined and the Rafale contract could not be signed in the fiscal year 2013-14 due to budgetary constraints.



Correcting past errors:

Thanks to the country's first Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru and his fixation with the idea of 'Non Alignment', India's military diplomacy and defence cooperation too largely remained isolationist.

The Nehruvian idea of governance essentially was also 'distrustful' of armed forces and thus they were kept out of policy making strategies and the job was essentially left with bureaucracy.

This not only encouraged red-tapism, it also brought in corruption elements and 'commission games' 
as the Neta-Babu combine lacked military perspective and on field experience and could hardly appreciate the military needs.

The Chinese and Pakistani aerial capabilities definitely posed threats and challenges to India's offensive
power-projection capabilities.

Now that the Rafale is a reality for India Air Force personnel, it can be safely stated that the arrival of the fighter planes will boost the morale of the air force, which has been facing a shortage of fighter aircraft.

In terms of jets, Indian Air Force has been flying the Mig-21, Mig-27, Mig-29, Hawk, Jaguar, Mirage 2000, Tejas and Su-30MKI.

The Rafale is now a multi-role aircraft, capable of carrying out long-range missions, including highly accurate sea and ground attacks.

The Indian Air Force pilots can significantly benefit from the helmet mounted sights and targeting systems and can shoot off the weapons. It is also said that the towed decoy system can thwart even the incoming missile attack. 

Experts say Rafale can easily take off from high altitude bases such as Leh and brave inclement cold season in order to carry out quick deployment.

It has been stated by informed sources that as a special case, France has diverted the missiles made for its own air force to India and such a move will give Rafale additional arsenal power.

The 'Indian Rafale' or Golden Arrows thus would be combat-ready much earlier than expected and will be able to shoot down an enemy aircraft without even crossing the Indian air space.

But certain issues vis-a-vis India's preparedness as against China and Pakistan still remain.

The 36 numbers - of Rafale aircraft India will be procuring by 2022 - is still being seen as a small fleet.

Indian security strategists understand that two dedicated strike and interdiction fast jets, the Mig-27 and Jaguar, are both long past their prime against peer competitors.

Here comes the relevance of the fact that the Rafale is likely to bring an impressive SPECTRA electronic warfare suite and SCALP EG cruise missiles.  

These perhaps also underline the importance of Su-30MKI fleet and the significance of integrating the capable Israeli Elta EL/M-8222 jamming pod.

In the ultimate analysis, it would be relevant to talk about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
repeated laying of emphasis to reduce 'dependency on foreign weapons' and making of indigenous 
weapons. 

In a boost to the armed forces, the Ministry of Defence on July 2 cleared the purchase of 21 MiG-29 and 12 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft, besides 248 indigenous long-range air to air missiles, Astra. 
A budget to the tune of Rs 38,900 crore has been ear-marked as well. 

India is also seeking to deepen maritime ties with key regional players like Indonesia, and rightly so.

The possibility of export of BrahMos cruise missile to Indonesia figured lately at the parleys between
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Indonesian counterpart General Prabowo Subianto.

ends 

Thursday, July 30, 2020

My short story: Axiom of a Girl Friend :::: And a few favourable reactions

ex Anthondian friend Gautam Das leads charge !!!

applauding my story: 

Lovely well written story on unpredictable of human character and nature. You have the making of a great short story teller my friend. Keep penning.


Gautam Das on my left & other Anthonians 

mb

Beautifully expressed. Flow of words simple but with depth.
Please keep on writing.


Unknown July 28, 2020 at 11:05 AM

You have a way with words which really kept the story engaging. Liked the ending....



Axiom of a ‘girl friend’ : My short story

(some friends said in this story, I was sentimental and trying to glorify some good Gandhian and middle class values)

Do you agree ??

(my short story penned in 2011 and is part of the volume 'Heart Alone - Whispers in Relations' )



I have returned to the lawns of India Gate – all alone after a long time. Many years back I used to be here, yes—alone, and almost regularly. A melee of memories, old and new come flooding in.
Nothing much seemed to have changed here all these years. The evening hours especially on weekends would get over-crowded. The volume of the incoming crowd into these lush green lawns intrigued me always.

Those were compulsive years. I was in this city struggling. Well, I had come to the city, the national capital, to struggle. So to be alone was not unusual. For me, New Delhi exploded with activity. At a leading news organisation of the country, I had enough reasons to keep myself busy. I was on a mission. Therefore, I was in some kind of hurry also. But to pass off dull off-days I used to walk into these lawns.

Sitting on the grassy cushion, I would stare up blink at the sky above – often counting the distant stars, enjoy the breeze in summer and go back home after enjoying ice cream – but not so regularly. I was always concerned about my pocket. Heart in heart, I practiced to be a miser though I never wanted this to be told or known to anybody.


But in any case, I was conscious I had a steady and secured job. But I also knew, I had miles to go. Many things to do, many stories to break and good money to make. Only then may I think of wedlock and settling down.

My days and nights in Delhi notwithstanding the work pressure and the summer of Delhi, the urban violence and very disturbing law and order situation in the parts of the city I lived were far better than the violence and genocide generated by Ak-47, artillery, machine guns and planting of bombs in northeast hills. 

My backyards in insurgency-hit northeast India were often very scary. Nagas were attacking the Kukis, the Khasis were attacking Nepalis, the Assamese were now targeting Biharis after their decade long tensed relationship with Bengalis. I was being an escapist. But, yes, I was also being pragmatic. Bravado would not justify suicide or to stay back in that region braving a consistent tension.


I knew, I was a coward too. Both the northeast violence and the hate campaign of the political class especially kept me worried. But I also lacked the vital courage in my personal life. I had many friends in the northeast – both boys and girls. Some of them had really anchored my life. I had a few girlfriends too. Some of them I did admire. A few of them, I did not appreciate much. But they were still friends or at least known to me or acquaintances.
But I never gathered enough courage to court anyone for the kill.

Pushpa was one girl I did not admire much. Contrary to that I had great admiration for Snehlata. I admired her for many things. Her attractive features. Her mental set up, intellect. And so on.

I used to admire her rosy cheeks and those used to redden further when she felt excited about a movie or the chicken noodles we had in a choosy cushy restaurant. In my admiration, I used to turn poet at times. I used to even quiz her affectionately, why black mole go so well on her fair face? Why does this black Kajal go well on your eyes?



She would smile mischievously; often making me feel that she is giving me some kind of mixed signals.
These questions would be, however, never answered properly.
But, I was her fan in more ways than one. Staying away from Snehlata, from a safe distance, I had admired her creamy white feet and delicately well built arms. I also thought she had a good heart with affection for contemporaries and younger ones and respect for elders. What more would one expect from a girl?


Even after so many years, about 11 when I saw her last, and 12 years six months since her marriage, I could get lost in a web of thoughts about Snehlata. My mind could manage without rest, it seemed.

Unwittingly, staring at the brown majestic India Gate with a facelift as the lights were switched on, I was still wondering that Snehlata would probably get fascinated by the same old books, dresses and food and even thoughts, we shared in common.

“You and your idealism….. often I think, you are misguiding me a lot with those lofty talks,” she would often tell me.


I must have been weaving stories in my head trying to recollect the past and try to place them in the present. Future obviously looked more curious when a little boy came running and almost silently stood behind me - eager to pick up his ball that had rolled near the spot I was sitting lazily.
The five-year-old Tomboyish look lad was charming enough. Having nothing much left in my personal life, after I got divorced, the smiling charm intrigued me. 

My gaze kept chasing him till he ran back holding his ball close to the chest. He ran to his parents. It was twilight hours in a not so unfamiliar place, yet full of strangers.

The initial phases of light on the skies danced on the distant Raisina Hill, the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan and the equally historic other towering buildings in the Lutyens City.



It is true, often things before your own eyes seem so unreliable. I was stunned as the boy walked floppily to his mother’s arms. I gazed. I continued to gaze at the young boy’s mother. Yes, she is Pushpa.
My eyes were full of wonder. On the other side, Pushpa too was stunned and was probably trying to recollect my name or some old anecdotes.
On my part, I knew it was Pushpa. We were friends at least for 4-5 years. I was obviously happy that she has done well. Got married and had a child.
I walked fast towards them. Pushpa was perhaps more excited than me. She was laughing, screaming and crying in joy. She recollected our past days, and introduced me to her husband. Probably never knew that I did not like her much, especially in comparison to Snehlata. Her husband appeared a sober looking gentleman. Frankly, I was so overwhelmed that I did not know what I should say. I was not sure what I was doing. We spoke for an hour, chatted, shared ice cream and occasionally, I had to exchange notes with her husband as Pushpa had to run like any affectionate mother running after her errand yet lovely kid.  


Even while talking to her husband, from a distance, I could presume my eyes would rise and fall on Pushpa like a tide…..
In contrast to my opinion in the past, today I found her livelier.
I was feeling both - nervous and shy.


At one point, I asked her about Snehlata, having known that they were good friends and presumed – both must be in touch with each other.

“Yes,  I have her contact number, she is also in Noida,” Pushpa replied.

Before I could say anything, she added, rather very quickly, “you can take my number too…. But don’t tell Snehlata I gave you her number”.

I could not understand why of all the people Snehlata, the person I admired so much and who was my best friend for quite a few years starting from pre-graduation days could mind for getting her number.

But soon I realized my folly about many things in life. Having wings is one thing, but being able to fly is another, I had read somewhere. 


Being a friend or knowing someone, intimately as you thought is one thing, but facing the reality after so many years is another.


When during the next weekend, I had called Snehlata – honestly unmindful of Pushpa’s veiled cautioning, I knew the enthusiasm was not much on the other side. In contrast, I could measure; Pushpa was more excited about the chance meeting.

Still braving the hesitation I landed up at Snehlata’s place the next Sunday almost as an uninvited guest. Memories of early youth-hood spun before my eyes. I was ready to swallow the insult. It was I, who had taught her how to play chess. It was she who used to beat me hollow in words-puzzle and still I used to seek pleasure in those defeats.
But I was for a bigger shock. My best friend for years has really changed, I thought. Or she was like this only, ‘self-seeking’. --- 


But in my madness for admiration for everything she spoke and did; I never understood those days. But now, since I am also over 40, I knew she cannot be the person I could even like - forget admiring. I proved an ass in judging human beings – especially the women.

“As far as I know about girls….,” I had often prided myself but all had come a cropper.


At her place, I realized that the self-seeking philosophy of my ‘best friend’ has reduced her to a level I could not fathom about.

I was not being sentimental. But in the past I could never comprehend Snehlata abusing and using scornful language for her aging in-laws. 

FOR PUSHPA, I HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT SHE WOULD BE A WED-LOCK DISASTER.

But it was Snehlata, in front of me, she sent her in-laws away to the adjoining servant room and screamed: “Didn’t I tell you oldies, never to come out when my friends are around. Die in that stinking room”.


I did not understand what was going on. 

Snehlata, I had thought once would not even scold a defying servant like this. But she was unrepentant. 

She volunteered to clarify to me saying, : “This is why I don’t like my friends coming into this house. They are my in-laws. Both have become just liability in simple words. Real burden for the earth”. She was fuming.

Is this my friend? Is this the girl whom I admired so much? Is this the girl I thought was worth emulating?

I felt annoyed and irritated. I tried to gaze towards the two aging couples as they almost limped back in their fragile limbs – holding each other helplessly - towards that servant room in the spacious flat of Snehlata. The old man stood in silence momentarily – may be willing to tell me his version of the story… but helplessly in his moist eyes only gave a bewildered look, something evident probably I could understand.


Slowly, I decided to move out of this place. To my surprise, Snehlata remained aloof and almost sanctioned my departure. On the contrary, she reminded me that she kept busy schedules these days.
As Snehlata’s truth came to light, I was trying to come to terms with the shocker.



I tried to picture Pushpa in contrast. How much I probably admired Snehlata and disliked Pushpa?
But my lesson was not yet over. 

Till about a fortnight later, I got a call from Pushpa inviting me for a weekend lunch. Here was a virtuous woman, a good wife and a caring daughter-in-law. Yet, she did not complain about her life, small flat or even demanding in-laws. Pushpa said achievements and failure don’t count. 

It is also no use pondering over properties and jewellery. For a woman, she told me, her family is the kingdom. 

And she said, everything she did throughout the day, her only intention was to please God and thus her prayer was, ‘Oh God, protect my kingdom’. She was smiling yet again. 

I asked her about her old boy friend Kamlesh.

“As a gal, I don’t deny I had fallen in love. But the past is only a sweet dream, the reality is today. Today, I am married to my husband. He is my ‘harta karta vidhata’, the doer, as the ‘shastras’ and ‘slokas’ would have said.”

I was being childish as I whispered almost to know whether she was ‘Happy’ and added in her ears, “I am not happy after having divorced my wife”. 

Pushpa screamed out and then broke into a peel of laughter. “Whether I am happy or not, if you are asking about my small flat and a joint family around, it is not decided by my material achievements ..... ornaments something remaining shut in a bank locker or whether I had my son admitted in a popular Lutyens city school”.

She stared at me straight as she said those words. And then added, wryly, “Happiness is in my husband’s smile. It is in my mother-in-law’s concerns whether you as my guest had your lunch properly”. I felt shy. Having been on the wrong side in judging Pushpa, I felt the guilt. Eyes lowered and my heart pounding, I was speechless. Helpless. I smiled back and slowly walked on.



(ends)

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Welcome home #RafaleInIndia, Golden Arrows! Happy Hunting!


Prime Minister Narendra Modi:

राष्ट्ररक्षासमं पुण्यं,

राष्ट्ररक्षासमं व्रतम्,

राष्ट्ररक्षासमं यज्ञो,

दृष्टो नैव च नैव च।।

नभः स्पृशं दीप्तम्...
स्वागतम्! #RafaleInIndia


"Touch sky with Glory" -- tweets Modi


Former Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis

"Today, we the Indians feel proud of our brave forces and decisive leadership ! 
Congratulations INDIA Flag of India

#ThankYouPmModiForRafale !
Thank you Hon 
@rajnathsingh ji, #manoharparrikar ji ! 
#RafaleInIndia"


Manohar Parrikar as Defence Minister ....took keen interest to boost country's preparedness !!


Rahul Gandhi

Congratulations to IAF for Rafale.

Meanwhile, can GOI answer:

1) Why each aircraft costs ₹1670 Crores instead of ₹526 Crores?

2) Why 36 aircraft were bought instead of 126?

3) Why was bankrupt Anil given a ₹30,000 Crores contract instead of HAL?


(The Supreme Court dismissed all charges in December 2018 after a PIL demanded a court-monitored probe into the Rs 59,000 crore purchase of 36 fighter jets.
Apex Court said it found nothing wrong in the deal !!) 



People of India stood with Narendra Modi. As a result, #RafaleInIndia! landed in Ambala !!!


Four years of campaign against Narendra Modi....They went to court. They insulted him.They abused Chowkidar as chor. 



## if this is part of a plan that a Kashmiri officer first flies Rafale.
there's need for Kudos......
RahulGandhi fans shud also take note !!
(all the crown prince efforts, all the sickular songs and media shamelessly parroting 'Chowkidar chor hae' slogan for an incumbent PM....could not prevent Rafale reach India) 
Govt strategists have thought/done it well !! 
Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather is the first Indian Air Force officer to fly Rafale ...
@## hails from Bakshiabad area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district. also a Sanik School product 
Currently serving as an Air Attaché to France, Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather is a decorated officer of the Indian Air Force from Kashmir. He was commissioned in IAF as a fighter Pilot in the Flying branch on 17 December 1988.......

Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is referred to as an "omnirole" aircraft by Dassault.



#Amit Shah

Rafale touchdown is a historic day for our vigorous 
@IAF_MCC
 and a proud moment for India!

These are the world's most powerful machines capable to thwart any challenge in the sky. I am sure Rafale will help our Air warriors to safeguard our skies with its mighty superiority.


Shikhar Dhawan, Cricketer 

Welcome home, Golden Arrows! Incredible moment for our nation Flag of India #RafaleInIndia

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Chronology: Rafale story : History on July 29, 2020: 5 Rafale Fighter planes arrive Ambala airbase


Chronology of events in the Rafale fighter jets story 

History of course is created on July 29, 2020:
5 Rafale Fighter planes arrive Ambala airbase 

George Fernandes: Def Minister in 2002

(taking clock back.....)

Dramatic twist in Sushant Singh Rajput death! Bihar Cops file FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and relatives


Dramatic twist in the 'unnatural' death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput!

Bihar Police team rushes to Mumbai.
In Patna, cops file FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and her relatives.

FIR follows complaint by Sushant's father.
Booked under Sections 306, 304, 342, 380, 406, and 420.
charges include - theft and cheating

- wrongful confinement, breach of trust and abetment to suicide


Statements of 37 people recorded so far, Mahesh Bhatt to record his statement in a day or two. Summons sent to Kangana Ranaut to record her statement. Karan Johar's manager has been called, if needed,Johar will also be called:Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sushant Singh Rajput case 

AYODHYA RAM TEMPLE MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE: Secularism can’t be reverse discrimination against Majority

The Ram Temple at Ayodhya could mean different things to different people.
Hindus have been looking for an opportunity to retaliate – not necessarily in terms of violence or physical intimidation and the Modi government seemed to have given them that ‘opportunity’.


Late Arun Jaitley had pointed out in a blog piece that parties like the Samajwadi Party, the BSP, the RJD and of course Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress thrived in the politics of ‘polarisation’ of Muslim votes towards them. Thus these parties created fear in the minds of minorities and especially Muslims.

In the words of some experts and not without good reasons, Advani had found his “political roots” in Ayodhya.

I would go a bit beyond that – in Ayodhya – the BJP found a platform to articulate Hindu sentiments – those remained dormant largely due to overwhelming influence of the Left Liberal ideology – essentially a monopolistic theory – that never encouraged the ‘other’ or the right wing views.


In 2009 – Jaitley had summed it very aptly.

“Civilized secular polity certainly requires the protection of every minority. But the basis of secularism also can’t be a reverse discrimination against the majority sentiment,” the former Defence and Finance Minister under Modi 1.0(Jaitley) had said in a Rajya Sabha debate on December 9,  2009.


A large part of India has now started seeing the real intent of these parties and hence Uttar Pradesh is today BJP’s strongpoint. The message is same in West Bengal where Hindu assertion has given BJP as many as 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 polls. Jaitley had analysed it well. “The Congress never understood the power of this sleeping giant. Shah Bano legislation brought by Shri Rajiv Gandhi was a result of his inability to gauge the reaction. This mistake continued even through the UPA Government where instead of treating the poor as a class, the then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, announced that the minorities have a first right on the national exchequer”.


Well, it goes without stating some prices for blunders are paid in instalment.

The RSS and its affiliate organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have been at the forefront of the Ram Temple movement since 1990s. BJP patriarch L K Advani undertook the Rath Yatra. The construction of a grand Ram Temple has been one of the big promises of the BJP always – but kept on back burner whenever they came to power.

But in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, though the BJP swept to power at the Centre, the Ram Temple was not highlighted much in the election manifestoes.

In 2014 Election Manifesto – prepared under the chairmanship of senior leader Murli Manohor Joshi, the ‘Ram Mandir’ was highlighted (or rather dumped) in Page 41 under broad categorisation of Cultural Heritage.

It said: “BJP reiterates its stand to explore all possibilities within the framework of the constitution to facilitate the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya”. There was a deliberate attempt to downplay the hardcore Hindutva issues including Ram Temple and Article 370. In a preface note, Dr Joshi, a former BJP president wrote: “For BJP, the goal of the policies and practices would be – Ek Bharat, Sreshtha Bharat. The path would be Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. This is our commitment to the nation and the people”.

Dr Joshi is of course – one of the leaders – who faced trial in the Babri Masjid case even till 2020.

In 2019 also, Ram Mandir again figured in BJP’s Sankalp Patra which merely had said: “We reiterate our stand on Ram Mandir”. It also said – “Since inception, the philosophy of the BJP is anchored in the civilisational ethos of India. As we build ‘New India’, we intend to actively invest in strengthening our cultural roots and preserving civilisational continuity. Far from seeing our cultural values as hurdles to progress, we see them as essential ingredients of our future”.

Jaitley and Modi

Monday, July 27, 2020

Finally, it's happening; Rafale fighter aircraft is now flying in the sky on way to India !!


"India took a significant step in strengthening air power and defence preparedness with the first five Rafale fighter aircraft, built by Dassault, flying out from Merignac airbase in Bordeaux, France to India today, July 27," said an official statement from the Indian embassy in Paris. 

"This also marks a new milestone in the strong and growing India-France defense cooperation," the statement said.

The Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of nearly 7000 kms from France to India with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop en route in UAE. They are scheduled to reach India on July 29, 2020." 

The first Rafale fighter was handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in October 2019 in a ceremony attended by the French Minister for Armed Forces Florence Parly and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. 

Sunday, July 26, 2020

NSCN (IM) opposes ban on dog meat as Modi Govt keen to ink peace pact



New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be keen to announce a final peace pact with the Naga militant groups on or by the Independence Day, August 15.

But in a development related to 'Naga culture' displaying that all is not good between National Socialist Council of Nagaland -Isaac Muivah - NSCN(IM) faction and the government authorities, the potent Naga armed group has opposed the ban on sale and consumption of dog meat in the state.

"Since time immemorial dog is bred for different purposes like hunting, pet, house guard and for food. These have become the cultural traits of the Nagas as far as keeping dogs is concerned.....to force us to stop eating dog meat on the grounds of cruelty to animals is not acceptable to us. What about other animals or birds?," the militant group said in a statement.



The outfit, which is reported to have finalised a much sought for peace pact with the Government of India,
lashed out at the Nagaland government - run by regional party NDPP in alliance with the BJP.

"Earlier, the state government tried to ban cow meat under the influence of Hindutva. Nagaland state government
went for the unthinkable to ban dog meat just to please some political celebrities," the statement said
perhaps in reference to noted animal activist and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi.

"Nowhere the Nagas share something common with the mainland Indians. In as much as facial structure is different, so is the food habits. Thus, racially or ethnically, Nagas and Indians are nowhere near to share anything similar. Let no force on earth impose alien culture on the Naga people. Leave us alone as we have been for decades. Leave the Naga food habit alone,"
the statement said.

It said thus the Nagaland state cabinet decision to ban dog meat in Nagaland by an order of 3rd July, 2020 has raised
a question - “What is the urgency to ban dog meat without taking into consideration the culture of the indigenous
Naga people?”.

"Moreover, the right to eat anything as per one’s culture should not be put under restriction simply to satisfy the whims and fancy of somebody in power. The Nagas are equally concern on cruelty to any kind of animals," it said.

On July 3, the state Chief Secretary Temjen Toy, announced on Twitter the state government’s decision to ban
the commercial import and trading of dogs, prohibit dog markets and sale of dog meat.
The missive in the micro blogging site was also tagged to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, BJP leader Maneka Gandhi, a renowned
animal activist and the founder of People for Animals (PFA).
The Nagaland government notification had also invoked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Regulation, 2011, specifically a sub-regulation that defines animals that are 'safe' for human consumption.

Some animal rights groups such as the Humane Society International (HSI), which has campaigned
to end India's dog-meat trade, welcomed the decision by Nagaland government.

Local Nagas, however, say unlike it is made out to be, the dog meat is "not the staple diet" of the Nagas in general.
Only one or two particular Naga tribe(s) take dog meat. Moreover, the dish is not served in Naga hotels and restaurants
in a general sense.

"It (dog meat) is a rarity, and a large number of Naga households do not consume it.
Yet, the dog meat narrative has become a tool for inciting violence, hate and racism....," says a recent article
by a native Naga in 'Frontline' magazine.

Political observers say essentially the reason for NSCN (IM) joining the issue with the state government on the food item
is more than that sees the eyes.

"Though a peace pact was agreed in October last year after 22 years of parleys and intense negotiations between NSCN(IM) and the central government last year, some serious hitches remain. These emotive issues would come up now yet again as the central government is in hurry to announce a final agreement before or by August 15," a source said.




Recently, Nagaland Governor R N Ravi, who is also chief negotiator from the central government, has provoked
angry reactions from the Naga outfits by his description of the Naga militant groups as "armed gangs".

Nagaland Governor Ravi, seen as a trusted lieutenant of NSA Ajit Doval, was of course sharing his grievance
against growing number of "extortion" in Nagaland.

Mr Ravi in his June 16 letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, pointed out that the state was being virtually
run by over half a dozen “armed gangs” who were challenging the legitimacy of the constitutionally-established
state government and questioning the integrity and sovereignty of the nation.

The NSCN (IM) had hit back at the Governor saying it does not commit extortion at any point of time
but "levies legitimate taxes from the people".

The NSCN(IM) had first come forward for talks in August 1997 during the stint of I K Gujral as the Prime
Minister even as the informal parleys had started during the tenure of P V Narasimha Rao when
Late Rajesh Pilot was Minister of State for Home and catered to 'internal security'.

The militant group had signed a Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 in the presence of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, the NSCN-IM’s demands for a separate Naga flag, some laws related to Naga contiguous
areas and a Naga constitution still remain unresolved.
Blogger: Science College, Kohima

English rendering of PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat on 26.07.2020 : Kargil Vijay Diwas

My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Today, is the 26th of July, a very special day…It is Kargil Vijay Diwas. It was on this very day 21 years ago, our Army unfurled the flag of victory in the battle of Kargil. Friends, India can never forget the circumstances under which the battle of Kargil took place. Pakistan had embarked upon this misadventure, nursing delusions of encroaching upon Indian soil, to distract attention from the internal strife prevailing there. India was then in the process of making efforts to foster good relations with Pakistan. But as it is said,

"बयरु अकारन सब काहू सों।
जो कर हित अनहित ताहू सों।।"

Which means, to the wicked, enmity with one and all for no reason comes naturally. People with such a disposition keep thinking of harming even their well-wishers… that is why when India extended a hand of friendship, Pakistan tried to respond, stabbing in the back.


Friday, July 24, 2020

BJP woos Hindu voters by highlighting Muslim issues ::: Pandemic spreads, pushing Indians to crisis point

UCAN stories: 


July 30, 2020

BJP woos Hindu voters by highlighting Muslim issues


Indian PM and his party have the shrewdness to turn disadvantages to their advantage and appeal to core voters


Politics essentially is linked to consolidating a leader’s or a political party's support base. This seems to work very well with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in an adversarial situation, too.

On Aug. 1 last year, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, which criminalizes instant divorce among Muslims and stipulates a jail term of three years for offending husbands.







July 25, 2020 04:23 AM GMT



The pandemic "is spreading rapidly into new parts of the country" but the government "has no plan to defeat it. PM is silent. He has surrendered and is refusing to fight the pandemic," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

(A worker pours water on newly planted flowers at a burial site for Covid-19 victims at Keputih cemetery in Surabaya, East Java, Photo: Juni Kriswanto/AFP) ..as published in UCAN


The Covid-19 pandemic turned into a multidimensional crisis for India when it began to add nearly 40,000 cases daily by mid-July.

The crisis has forced its 1.3 billion people to face the challenges of malnutrition, limitations in the healthcare system, political infighting, irrational decisions, joblessness and economic depression.
According to official figures, India reported 45,700 new cases on July 23, its highest daily spike. Of some 1.2 million people infected, some 30,000 have died and more than 800,000 have recovered. But with thousands of new cases being added daily, the situation is turning grave.

The pandemic poses a threat to the future of 600 million children in South Asia, and the crisis could push an additional 120 million children in the region — the bulk of them from India — into poverty, according to a UNICEF report.

Infections have spread across Indian villages with hardly any modern medical equipment, and health experts are predicting the death rates to spike in the weeks and months to come.

India now holds the third-highest number of cases after the US and Brazil, but India has had relatively low death rates, giving some consolation to the government.

While deaths per million are 445 in the US and 396 in Brazil, the figure is only 22 in India. Globally, the death rate is 87 per million, according to data site worldometers.info
India's Health Ministry said "the recovery rates have crossed 63 percent spread across 19 states and provinces."

However, panic is spreading to several states and cities, with governments considering plans to introduce total or partial lockdowns to help save lives.

In northeast India, Manipur state announced a total lockdown for 14 days from July 23. Several southern states where cases are multiplying have hundreds of containment zones that are entirely under lockdown.

India's commercial capital Mumbai, where more than 10,000 new cases began to be added daily in mid-July, is facing a near-collapse of its administrative and healthcare systems.

Patients complain of lack of space in hospitals and the non-availability of ambulances or vehicles to transport critical patients in the city. Health staff complain of overwork and lack of rest, protection kits and adequate compensation.

Lack of organization results in dead bodies getting mixed up, while relatives complain of missing bodies of their dear ones.

The situation is not much different in cities like New Delhi and Chennai.

In the country's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, rainwater flooded inside a hospital treating Covid-19 patients. Water flowed under beds as patients lay in helpless conditions.


India's economy was already in the doldrums when the pandemic began to bite. And the economic disruption because of the nationwide lockdown nearly devastated industry and the job market.
A study by the State Bank of India estimated a contraction of over 40 percent in GDP in the April-June quarter. The overall recession during the Covid-19 pandemic has been the worst since Indian independence in 1947, studies show.

Since India began its lockdown on March 25, at least 140 million people have lost their jobs. More than 45 percent of households across India reported an income drop as India began the "unlocking" process on June 1.
Although the lockdown was lifted, restrictions continue in all public activities. Indians have practically no social life as gatherings and eating out in restaurants have been banned across the country for almost four months.

Some social observers like Assam-based Geeta Borah wonder why a populous democratic country like India has struggled when smaller autocratic nations such as Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam have fared better.

"Covid19 needs studies on several fronts," she said. "Coronavirus has hit hard in countries with temperate climates where malaria is practically non-existent. But in Southeast Asia and subtropical regions where malaria is endemic, the impact was less."
In rural India and at a global level, societies or states with a strong government apparatus and effective political and social leadership have been impressive in tackling the pandemic, she noted
She could not see any fixed pattern. In some cases, democracies have done well with people's participation. But in other instances, autocracies have done well, she said.

As India struggles, the leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claim the country has successfully fought the war against Covid-19.

"The world is seeing that if a successful battle has been fought anywhere across the globe against the coronavirus, it is India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," said Home
Minister Amit Shah, a close confidant of Modi.

He said given India's large population of more than a billion, "many had feared how a large country like India would face this challenge … but we have proved the prophets of doom wrong," he said.

Not many opposition leaders will agree.

Last month Congress leader Rahul Gandhi flayed Modi and said: "The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance."
The pandemic "is spreading rapidly into new parts of the country" but the government "has no plan to defeat it. PM is silent. He has surrendered and is refusing to fight the pandemic," Gandhi tweeted.


Modi pushes controversial temple to center stage of Indian politics 

....faces criticism for promoting construction of a Ram temple amid a pandemic and falling economy

(July 22, 2020)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to visit a controversial temple site in a move that could boost his party's idea of making India a Hindu-only nation.
Modi, known for his hardline politics, is expected to participate in the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the temple in northern India's Ayodhya town, considered the birthplace of Hindu lord Ram.

A centuries-old dispute over a temple-mosque structure in Ayodhya was aggravated in 1992 when Hindu zealots demolished the structure. It triggered nationwide Hindu-Muslim riots, killing at least 2,000 people.

Modi's pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to the political mainstream by demanding demolition of the 16th-century mosque built by Muslim ruler Babur. They claimed Muslims built the mosque after demolishing a temple and campaigned to destroy it and build a new Hindu temple at the site.

The temple construction was part of the BJP's election promises but was delayed because of court cases over land ownership. In November 2019, India's Supreme Court ruled in favour of a Ram temple.

The judges upheld Hindu petitioners' claims to the ownership of the land of less than three acres. It also ordered the land to be owned by a trust overseen by the federal government.

Modi is all set to join the foundation stone-laying ceremony at 12.15pm on Aug. 5 to start the temple construction, according to senior Hindu priest Mahant Kamal Nayan Das of the Temple Trust.

"Timings for the foundation-laying ceremony for the prime minister have been decided according to the Hindu calendar and the most auspicious time," he said.

On Aug. 5 last year, the Modi government abolished a clause in the Indian constitution, taking away the semi-autonomous status given to Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state, neighboring Pakistan.
The action was also part of the BJP's poll pledges just like the temple in Ayodhya — the two top agendas of the BJP since its inception in 1980.
Hindu groups, led by their fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have been making these demands since India's independence after a bloody partition that led to the division of India as Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Modi's proposed visit to the stone-laying ceremony of the Ram temple has explicit political ramifications and is opposed by the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Maharashtra-based Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Sharad Pawar, NCP chief and a former defense minister, triggered a row when he said that "the government needs to pay attention to the economy" in an effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic rather than temple construction. He said the Modi government needs to decide what needs to be given attention and importance.
Communist leader D. Raja opposed Modi's plan on the ethics of governance. "Our constitution clarifies that the prime minister and the government should be neutral towards all religions. PM Modi's visit to Ayodhya is an ill-advised move. He cannot identify himself with a particular religion," Raja said.

The scheduled visit will be Modi's first visit to the temple site in the six years after he assumed charge of governance on May 26, 2014.

However, Congress and other opposition parties have so far remained silent on the temple construction itself. They know that opposing the temple after a favorable judgment from the Supreme Court would be problematic.

The principal opposition Congress party — led by Italy-born Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi — has also been silent on the proposed construction of a Ram temple and Modi's visit to the spot.

Congress is facing a dilemma after often being described as an "anti-Hindu party." Hindu groups accuse it of projecting a secular image by largely depending on Hindu votes and appeasing Muslims.
Congress leaders deny this, but the party has suffered a drubbing in consecutive national polls in 2014 and 2019.

"We are not anti-Hindu. The BJP and their spin masters have tried to push a line, and they seem to have taken custody of Lord Ram. Frankly speaking, Ram belongs to the entire country and Indian civilization as a moral guide," said Ilyas Quereshi, a Congress leader in Ahmedabad.

"The Indian economy is in the doldrums. The country is in a war with China over boundary disputes. The Covid-19 figures have jumped to over one million. More than 27,497 people are dead, but this government's priorities are different." 
BJP leaders say that opposing the temple construction on the pretext of the economy and pandemic amounts to insulting Hindus.

"Stop treating Hindus as second-rate citizens," BJP spokesman Gaurav Bhatia said, directing his anguish towards opposition parties.Another BJP leader, Subramanian Swamy, has said that the battle against the coronavirus and temple construction should not be mixed.

"It is a ridiculous argument ... you cannot compare two alternatives which are not equal. We can have both; we can fight Covid-19 as well as inaugurate the Ram temple," he said.

But those who study Indian political history know that the BJP's politics remain intertwined with the Ayodhya temple and its pro-Hindu ideology.

"Today's elections require two things: a popular face and emotive issues. Ideologies may not matter much. The BJP has Narendra Modi, and pursuing temple politics actually attracts millions of Hindu voters," Tushar Bhadra, a political observer based in Modi's constituency of Varanasi, told UCA News.

"On the other hand, the Congress party and other opposition parties are stuck in the 1970s with no plans and issues at hand." 

Politically, Modi's temple move should be seen as a long-term strategy for national elections due in 2024.


Muslims clerics arrested for violating lockdown can leave India


(July 17, 2020)

Plea bargain sees court let Muslim conference attendees return home after being blamed for spreading Covid-19 in the country


A New Delhi court has allowed an unspecified number of overseas Muslim clerics to go home, four months after they were arrested on charges of violating the Covis-19 lockdown rules and attending the controversial Tablighi meet in the Indian capital.
Police arrested some 2,000 visitors, including citizens of Djibouti, Mali, Kenya, and Sri Lanka, holding them responsible for the spread of coronavirus in the country.

"The Delhi Metropolitan Magistrate has fined a number of Tablibghis and asked them to leave the country," Anurag Srivastava, a spokesperson of India's External Affairs Ministry, told reporters on July 16.
He said that "a number of foreign nationals" who were arrested for "indulging in Tablighi activities on tourist visas had filed applications for a plea bargain and the courts have considered their cases.
They can now walk free on payment of a fine of 5,000 Indian rupees (some US$70), he said.

Thousands of Muslims — anywhere between 2,000 and 8,000 from 21 foreign countries — attended the March 13-15 annual conference of Tablighi Jamaat, a noted missionary group.

It was alleged that the foreigners participated in the religious congregation in violation of Indian laws after they arrived in India on tourist visas.

The Muslim congregation also allegedly contributed in the spread of coronavirus in Delhi, and various parts of the country moved around without following any Covid-19 protocols or other necessary precautions.

At least 10 people linked with the gathering died of Covid-19 within the first few days of the Muslim conference beginning. One of them was from the Philippines.
Over the past three days, the court granted bail to some people, mostly from Malaysia and Indonesia. 

However, several foreign nationals will still be tried.
A Delhi court on July 16 also allowed 22 Nepali citizens to walk free on payment of the fine after they pled guilty under the plea bargain process.

The opposition Congress party has criticized government actions. It accused the government-run by pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of acting with "malafide intention" to present Muslims in a "poor light."

"It was dirty politics. The BJP used even the pandemic and a global challenge to humanity to push their anti-Muslim line," lamented Ahmedabad-based congress leader Ilyas Quereshi.
The Delhi Police submitted a charge sheet on 47 points against the Tablighi Jamaat members for violating the rules in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown, sources said.
Under the plea bargaining process, the accused have admitted the charges in exchange for a less severe punishment.

On March 26, there were still some 1,200 people camped in a building called the Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz where authorities suspected the disease may have been spread.

Tablighi leaders justified the cramped community living by saying the Covid-19 lockdown, started on March 24 night, had left them with no choice as there was no transport available for them to leave.

Last month India blacklisted 2,500 foreign nationals for violating visa norms and attending the controversial Tablighi Jamaat conference. They are from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and France.


EU wants Indian court to tackle discriminative law


Bloc reiterates concern over 'discriminatory' act but leaves issue to country's Supreme Court to rule on
(July 16, 2020)



The European Union has once again expressed concerns over a controversial citizenship law in India that allegedly discriminates against Muslims, but said it had faith the country's top court would address them.
At a virtual summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 15, European Union leaders expressed concern that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed last December "contradicted" India’s own Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality for every person.
"I would like to say that we trust Indian institutions. We understand the Supreme Court will have a role to play to assess this legislation,” said Charles Michel, president of the European Council, at a virtual press briefing (from Brussels) after the India-EU Virtual Summit 2020.
"You know that in the European Parliament this was an important topic, and we raised this issue in our talks,” he said referring to the new law.

The controversial law passed in a parliament dominated by Modi’s pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), triggered nationwide protests and also sharp criticism from government detractors.


The law aims to provide citizenship to migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India on or before Dec. 31, 2014. But it restricts eligibility to people belonging to six religious groups — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — and excludes Muslims.

An official of India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the issue was brought up by the EU during the virtual summit.

Indian authorities feel the EU leaders are also attempting to strike a balance on the issue by "expressing their faith" in Indian institutions (the Supreme Court in this case) to address the grievances.

However, the Indian government has insisted the citizenship law is not discriminatory.

BJP leaders and government officials maintain that the aim of the CAA is to ensure that citizenship is granted to "persecuted religious minorities, including Christians and Hindus" coming from the three neighboring countries.

Socialist leader Dharmendra Yadav agreed with the EU criticism.

"The European Union has done its homework, the law not only discriminates against Muslims from the three countries, it specifically excludes Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar,” he told UCA News.

Such a law violates international norms as Amnesty International and the United Nations have described Rohingyas as the world’s most persecuted minority, he said.

Critics say the law shows the BJP’s historical animosity toward Muslims and their support for the ideology of making India a Hindu-only nation. The law has prompted detractors of the BJP both in India and abroad to speak out.

Shishir Adhikari, Trinamool Congress party leader in West Bengal says the purpose of the law was to “provide legitimacy to the idea of religious persecution” in neighboring nations and help religious minorities.

“But whether its a goof-up or deliberate, the term religious persecution is not included in the final text of the bill. Why?" he asked.
Blogger at Guwahati Airport

The scandal of India’s Covid-19 crisis

Dead bodies getting mixed up, relatives running from pillar to post and racial discrimination plague handling of the coronavirus

July 13

India's handling of the coronavirus crisis is scandalous in more ways than one. So are the woes of the common people, Covid-19 patients and their relatives.

The premier All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) based in Delhi recently mixed up two bodies — sending the body of a Muslim woman to a Hindu family and vice versa.
As the blunder sparked an uproar, AIIMS has sacked one staff at the mortuary and suspended another.
In Hyderabad, the family of a nurse had to run from pillar to post to find a burial space after she succumbed due to the contagion.
Scores of others in cities like Mumbai and national capital New Delhi could not ensure the dignity that is reserved for a deceased person.

Congress leader and former Law Minister Ashwini Kumar wrote a letter to the Chief Justice in June that the right to die with dignity is a "fundamental right" for citizens in the world's largest democracy and that should also cover the right to a decent burial and cremation.
He referred to a number of cases in which patients were ill-treated during their last days and once they breathed their last, family members were subjected all kinds of indignity, bureaucratic hassles and were compelled to run from one end of the city to the other either to get bodies or permission to perform the last rites of their nearest and dearest.
According to social worker Maring George, the situation is even worse if the victims are Muslims or tribal people from Northeast with Mongoloid features.
"How much the Chinese are responsible for Covid-19 is yet to be established but just because some of us look like them with Mongoloid faces and small eyes, our people are facing the worst kind of discrimination," said George, who was tending to patients and their relatives from the Northeast in a Delhi hospital.
Similar to these cases, he cited the instance of a major goof-up in Thane near Mumbai where the body of a 73-year-old coronavirus victim was handed over to another family whose patient was ironically treated for coronavirus in the newly set up Global Hub Corona Hospital in Thane.
Another relative of a Muslim victim of Covid-19 in Delhi blamed both the federal government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the city government run by the Aam Aadmi Party led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"The common people are the worst victims in the present set up. At one point we presumed the government neglected the poor and planned nothing for migrant workers during the lockdown. But it seems the authorities did not do anything in general for Covid-19 patients and their relatives," complained Afroz Ali.
Ali lost his uncle to the virus last month and faced many obstacles getting the body and permission for last rites. "Thankfully, someone in our family knew a politician and thus we could get things done. Delhi remains an indifferent city as it is always regardless of Covid-19," he says.
Many have provided video footage and displayed their anguish on social network.
"Delhi is a city of discrimination and indifference. We have seen videos from Delhi government-run LNJP hospital and also from the federal government-run hospitals, the scenario is the same," says Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.
Social workers and Congress leaders have also said that quite a few Covid-19 patients admitted to hospitals have also gone missing. Worse still, often the bodies could not be accounted for and sometimes videos go viral showing bodies lying on hospital floors.
Both in Delhi and Mumbai and cities like Kolkata and Hyderabad, it has been reported that grieving families have had to wait for hours in long queues in hospitals and later outside crematoriums. In some cases, they are also asked to return later.
"There is an essential cultural problem vis-a-vis religious rites. For Hindus once a soul is gone, the body needs to be disposed of respectfully by family members. But for those who are losing their near and dear ones, now that last journey is a nightmare," complained Shirish Kumar, who lost his father to the contagion and what he terms the "gross failure and negligence" of the health system.
In Mumbai, the wait to dispose off bodies has been pretty long, say social workers and relatives of ill-fated patients.
On average eight to 10 bodies wait outside Shivaji Park electric crematorium, considered a good facility in Mumbai with two furnaces. The problem here is the authorities allow the disposal of only 20-24 bodies a day, 10-12 per furnace. But the number of dead bodies in the city has been always more.
There have been reports of about 70 deaths in Mumbai on July 9 evening. However, officials seem to draw satisfaction in the numbers. The fatality rate in Mumbai stood at 4.19 percent on July 9 with a recovery rate of 55 percent, they say.
Similarly in capital Delhi, the situation looks grim.
Delhi on July 9 recorded 2,187 fresh coronavirus cases with 3,258 deaths. But the recovery rate of Covid-19 patients living in home isolation in the capital has also increased, reports say.
On July 12, India reported the highest single-day spike of 28,600 with 23,174 deaths
It is not that authorities who can make all the difference are not seized of the matter. Last month during a hearing in the Supreme Court, the bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan remarked: “Covid-19 patients are treated worse than animals. In one case, a dead body was found in garbage."
But has something substantial moved since then is the question.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has hinted that the "real reasons" for casualties of Covid-19 patients ought to be found at the earliest.
The first Covid-19 death was reported in Delhi on March 14 – long before the national lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Modi. But within a month, the total number of fatalities in Delhi had increased to 1,000.
The figures jumped to 2,000 in next eight days and the total death toll stood at 2,035 on June 19. By July 8, the death toll due to the pandemic in Delhi was 3,165.
Are some of these deaths happening due to negligence and indifference at hospitals?
As of now, officials are tight lipped and thus a proper examination of the factors those led to deaths in Delhi has been ordered.

In July alone Delhi has seen 397 people succumbing to Covid-19 and there were over 800 coronavirus fatalities within the last fortnight.

(Young fans hold a poster of Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan while a Hindu priest (unseen) performs special rituals and prayers for his recovery as he tested positive for Covid-19, at a Hindu temple in Kolkata on July 12. AFP/UCAN)

Modi government's TikTok with anti-China feeling in India


Banning Chinese mobile phone apps will strengthen the populist PM's strongman image

July 2, 2020



The continuing India-China border face-off took a strange and unprecedented turn this week when India banned 59 Chinese social media and web applications, some having millions of Indian users.
India, engaged in a bitter border row with its neighbor in the Himalayan ranges, said the applications were "prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, the security of the state and public order."
The June 29 knee-jerk reaction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration came after India lost 20 soldiers in a border clash on June 15. The government was under pressure to act swiftly and show its grit in the face of China's aggression.
Banning popular applications among the people can quickly and fluently tell millions that the government acted firmly. It adds to Modi's "strong leader" image and can garner popular support for him.
Most banned applications are those used by ordinary people. One of them, for example, is TikTok, an app with some two billion users worldwide. Some 30 percent of its users — 600 million — are in India. Other platforms such as Bigo Live and Helo are also popular.

The ban on TikTok alone has helped reach more than half of adult Indians, who, in their sacrifice, could feel part of a national action against China's military assault. That was a novel way for India's government to brandish its well-known muscular and populist characteristics.

Social activist Bishnu Bhattacharya says PM Modi knows only too well the art of staying populist and understanding the general sentiment of the common people on the streets.

"The calls to boycott Chinese products have been trending on social media platforms since June 16, once the news broke that 20 Indian soldiers were killed on the border," he told UCA News.

"The new ban order is not only sweeping. It is an indirect push against China, giving it a broad warning, and sends ominous signals for Chinese business houses doing business in India ... It's a good pressure tactic on China." 
His views were echoed by a spokesman for an influential small business traders' body. Avinash Gupta, a member of the Confederation of All India Traders, a lobby of 70 million traders, said it has decided to step up its nationwide movement against the boycott of Chinese goods.
The government has announced that the decision was taken after receiving "many complaints from various sources" about apps that were "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorized manner."
The allegation that Chinese apps were stealing data was also made by opposition leaders like Shashi Tharoor of the Congress party in the past. In fact, TikTok was banned by Madras High Court last year but allowed to function again after the order was lifted.
Meanwhile, TikTok India has denied that it violated any national law. "Tik Tok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and has not shared any information of our users," TikTok India head Nikhil Gandhi said in a statement on June 30.
Gandhi said the application "democratised the internet by making it available in 14 Indian languages" with hundreds of millions of users, artists, storytellers and educators "depending on TikTok for their livelihood."
The Indian market used to be flooded with Chinese products and doing business with these items made economic sense. They also provided jobs to thousands of Indians across various ranges. In fact, the government order naming as many as 59 apps shows the popularity of China-supported origin web platforms in India.
"Hundreds of Indians were dependent on these applications as their only source of income. These have Indian creators, while many of these platforms have offices and employees in India. What happens to them and how they respond remains to be seen?" said an opposition socialist leader who did not want to be named.
Other opposition leaders, including from the principal opposition Congress party, have welcomed the government move.
"We welcome the decision to ban Chinese apps. In light of the grave intrusion on our territory and the unprovoked attack on our armed forces by the Chinese army, we expect our government to take more substantial and effective measures," senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted.
However, the Indian government says it is giving a befitting reply to the Chinese at the border.
The government's decision to ban as many as 59 apps with opposition parties' support is significant in Indian politics.

In recent weeks, several contracts given to Chinese companies have been canceled even at state level. The Bihar government took one such decision in eastern India. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a coalition partner in Bihar.
Indian Railways announced the termination of a contract given to Chinese firms worth some US$67 million.

But India has been silent about major and not so apparent Chinese investments in Indian industry that are subject to international trade rules and part of agreements involving multinational trade.
For example, as per the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chinese have already invested in about 40 percent of India’s automobile industry and in other sectors like metallurgy and power.

In the mobile phone industry, media reports suggest Chinese brand Xiaomi captured about 30 percent of the Indian smartphone market in 2020. The Chinese have reportedly also invested in at least one third of India’s unicorn companies.
In other words, Chinese investments continue to have a good presence in India, although the companies have Indian ownership and addresses.

But when the flavor of the season in India is nationalism, and jingoism to an extent, the federal government wants to present itself as standing firm against China and denying it business opportunities in India.

No RSS man said so ...."The last bit of England in Indian politics looks set to die a slow death" --- said an article in London's newspaper 'The Guardian'

 "The last bit of England in Indian politics looks set to die a slow death," wrote Ian Jack for 'The Guardian' .... May 24...