“What’s it you’re using which is 75 years old?”, asks Jaishankar on UN reform agenda in discussion with Tony Bair

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday made a strong case for immediate reforms at the United Nations and quizzed former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, “What’s it you’re using which is 75 years old?”.
“....The bigger issue is whether multilateral-ism living up to the new global challenges, the new global agenda,” Dr Jaishankar said at India Global Forum debate with Blair, who is the Executive Chairman of Institute for Global Change.

He said the real question is ‘do we reform the UN’ and ensure that countries such as India which is fifth largest economy and second largest country not be in the UN Security Council as a permanent member. 

“I would put it to you that unless we make it more contemporary....ask yourself what is it you are using which is 75 years old”.

“Anything in your personal life, look around you other than relatives....75 years is a long time. It needs an update. We need a new agenda, a new system and a new process,” he said.
In reference to some of the existing ‘permanent’ members who are holding a monopoly, the Minister said, “We can’t have people who benefited at one point in history from a certain set of circumstances and freeze it and say that’s how the world will be forever”.
Responding to him, Mr Blair said – “What he (Dr Jaishankar) says about the UN Security Council is absolutely correct”.

But it is “very hard” to bring the necessary changes “because the countries who are already there do not want to give it up like Britain”.
But he admitted, “You cannot justify” why India is not there as the permanent member of the Security Council.
However, he said technical issues would still be around. “If you bring in India and say Britain stay back, then what about Japan or Germany”.  

A case for 'Responsibility and Accountability of big techies 

Amid high voltage confrontation between the microblogging site Twitter and the government, the External Affairs Minister said while big tech companies enjoy huge power, their accountability cannot be brushed under the carpet but ought to be debated.

"I think they (accountability of big tech cos.) cannot be brushed under the carpet, saying you should not question them because then you are attacking freedom of speech. I think that’s a cop-out. 

Obviously, it serves their interests,” Dr Jaishankar said.

“They (techies) have huge power, (but) where is the accountability? This is again not an issue limited to India. They harvest our data as they do across the world. So you have, in a sense, the opposite of the American Revolution, which is to have representation and no taxation,” Jaishankar said.

He said, "....in a democratic society, we have to ask ourselves, big tech is there; it is in my life, very visibly in my life. You have a big presence, (but) where is the responsibility which comes with it".

Significantly, the remarks came on a day Delhi police have registered a case against Twitter for allegedly displaying child pornography and sexual abuse content.

Chinmoy Biswal, spokesman for Delhi police, said the Cyber Crime Cell has acted on a complaint from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Various social media platforms including Twitter are accused of spreading lies and fake news, particularly against the Modi government, the BJP and its leaders.

ends   

Sikhs angry over forcible conversion of women in Kashmir

Sikh religious leaders in India have demanded an anti-conversion law in the Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir region after two Sikh women were kidnapped, converted and married to Muslim men.

The Sikhs, including their influential religious body Akal Takht, called for an anti-conversion law after officials confirmed on June 27 that two Sikh women in Srinagar town were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam.

One of them was converted at gunpoint and both were forced to marry their abductors, local reports said.

"There is an interfaith marriage law in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh against forceful religious conversion. We want the same law to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir for the safety of Sikh minority girls," Akal Takht chief Giani Harpreet Singh said in his letter to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Seven Indian states, mostly ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have laws that restrict religious conversions. These laws make it a criminal offense to force anyone to change religion.

Sikh leaders said the community was agitated over the forcible marriages of Sikh girls.

There is outrage among the Sikh community worldwide about such repeated incidents

Local reports said one 18-year-old woman was married to a 60-year-old man. The other was above 20 but both were forced to marry much older men.

"There is outrage among the Sikh community worldwide about such repeated incidents,” said the Sikh leader's letter to Sinha, who runs the federally administered Jammu and Kashmir territory.

Sikh leaders alleged that at least four Sikhs have been kidnapped and forcefully converted in the region in the last month.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, led a delegation to see Sinha, who assured them of action for the safe return of the girls.

Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the powerful Sikh body based in Sikh-majority Punjab state, promised support for the girls' families.

President Bibi Jagir Kaur advocated that "people in the country" should stick to the religion they are born in.

In Kashmir, several Muslim leaders have now condemned forceful conversions.

“Sikh brethren are a part and parcel of Kashmir’s society. There is no place for forcible conversion in Islam and reports of forcible conversion at gunpoint can never be considered as a conversion in Islamic jurisprudence,” said Muslim cleric grand mufti Nasir-ul-Islam of Jammu and Kashmir.

kashmiri leaders 

Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority region bordering Pakistan, witnessed angry Sikh protests. One protester said these conversions were "part of ethnic cleansing".

A delegation of Punjab-based political party Akali Dal submitted a memorandum to governor Sinha demanding legal steps to protect the rights of Sikh women.

Sikhs have been supporting Muslims in their political struggles to oppose BJP policies that aim to make India a Hindu nation

Jammu and Kashmir, which previously enjoyed special constitutional rights, has been under the federal rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since Aug. 5, 2019, when the region’s autonomy was withdrawn.

Some Muslim politicians including the region’s former chief minister Omar Abdullah said the latest case has been blown out of proportion for political gain.

Sikhs have been supporting Muslims in their political struggles to oppose BJP policies that aim to make India a Hindu nation, ignoring the rights of religious minorities.

Dividing the religious minorities is part of a BJP game, some observers say.

Abdullah said any move to drive a wedge between Sikhs and Muslims in Kashmir will cause "irreparable harm" to the region.

“The authorities should move quickly to investigate the recent cause of tension and, if anyone has broken the law, they should be prosecuted and necessary punishment handed out," he said.

Abdullah tweeted: "The two communities [Muslim and Sikh] have supported each other through thick and thin, having withstood countless attempts to damage age-old relationships.”

Hindu-Muslim conflicts: Partition 1947

UCAN report 

Exposed by Conversion of two Sikh women, Kashmir Muslim leaders go on defensive, plea 'harmony' 

New Delhi: In recent times, in New Delhi and other places, a narrative was being created that Sikhs and Muslims as religious minorities should stick together against the ruling BJP.

During January 2020 protests against the new citizenship law several Sikh individuals and bodies had rendered support to the protesting Muslim community protesters especially women who staged month-long sit on at Shaheen Bagh, but all that now stands exposed as hollow.

A major 'conversion row' has been triggered in Jammu and Kashmir with the officials and community leaders confirming that two girls from the Sikh community in Sringar were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam 

and married off.

The episode has exposed a pattern of ethnic cleansing and 'deliberate conversion to Islam ploy' from Kerala to Kashmir now.

Obviously, there is tension and the Muslim leadership is on defensive.

An aggrieved Sikh leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa lamented that the Sikh community had supported the Muslim community during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of National Conference has said that "....if anyone has broken the law should be prosecuted and necessary punishment handed out". 

Sikh community leaders alleged that in the last one month, at least four Sikhs have been kidnapped and "forcefully converted" in the province.  

The influential Akal Takht has come forward with the demand for an anti-conversion law in Jammu and Kashmir in line with the similar legislation in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The religious body 'Sri Akal Takht Sahib' based in Punjab's Amritsar, the town that houses the famous Golden Temple, has penned a letter to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

"....There is an interfaith marriage law in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh against forceful religious conversion. We want the same law should be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir for the safety of Sikh minority girls," chief of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh said in his letter.

He further said, "There is a strong outrage among Sikh community worldwide on such repeated incidents".

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), also led a

delegation to J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who assured them to do the needful to ensure the return

of the girls.

“The delegation took up the matter of forced marriage of Sikh girls in Srinagar. The Lt Governor addressed our concerns related to the safety of Sikh girls in the Valley and this harmful trend of religious conversion,” the

DSGMC said.

Punjab-based most prestigious and powerful Sikh body, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur also expressed support for the family and the girl, who got forcibly converted to Islam in Kashmir.

She advocated that "people in the country" should stick to the religion they are born in.

On defensive, Muslim cleric grand mufti Nasir-ul-Islam of Jammu and Kashmir. said: “The Sikh brethren are a part and parcel of Kashmir’s society. There is no place for forcible conversion in

Islam and reports of forcible conversion of Sikh girl to other religion on a gun-point can never be considered as a conversion in Islamic jurisprudence".

Reports said, teams of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a body of religious leaders and religious bodies, also visited the family of one Sikh girl who was allegedly forced to marry a elderly Muslim man.

Angry protests and demonstrations were held in Jammu. The community

leaders said it was worse that a 60-year-old elderly Muslim with two wives married the 18-year-old girl.

One Sikh protester said these conversions to Islam were like "part of the ethnic cleansing". 

However, PDP leader Md Rashid Qurashi said his party would "never ever support" any strong anti-conversion

law.

In one case (of the two fresh cases of conversion), the woman has said that she had opted for the marriage herself. 

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of National Conference also cautioned that any move to drive a wedge between Sikhs and Muslims in Kashmir will cause "irreparable harm to Jammu and Kashmir".

“The authorities should move quickly to investigate the recent cause of tension and if anyone has broken the law should be prosecuted and necessary punishment handed out," he said.

Abdullah tweeted: "The two communities (Muslims and Sikhs) have supported each other through thick and thin, having withstood countless attempts to damage age-old relationships".

.ends

Seven Naga groups' differences with NSCN(IM) again come to fore: NNPGs dismiss NSCN(IM)-GoI Framework Agreement of Aug 2015

Some of it are on expected line, but the tone and tenor of a statement from Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), an umbrella body of seven groups operating in Nagaland, could surprise many, and more so for the timing of it.

The NNPGs has dismissed the NSCN (IM) Framework Agreement inked with Government of India on Aug 5, 2015, stating that this "cannot stand the test of history". 

"The Framework Agreement document is therefore haphazard and historically inaccurate. It collapses on its own weight of distortion and contradictions," the statement said. 

Namo in Nagaland

"Thankfully", it also stated that the Naga history neither resides in one paper nor owned by a group of people. 

The statement read:

Naga Labour Corps (NLC): The tribes of Nagaland numbering two thousand men, all fit
and strong, sailed to European theatre of war to assist the Allies. 
A year later, the enlightened WWI NLC returnees imagined the concept of Naga nationalism. The formation of Naga Club in 1918 aroused the spirit of political activism and nationalism, which culminated into submitting of memorandum to British Statutory Commission in 1929. By 1947, it was crystal clear, the political struggle had begun. Naga self determination issue was a vision and guiding
light. 
In the light of the historical truth, the 3rd August 2015 Framework Agreement says, "The Indo-Naga political struggle is about six decades..."; this opening line of FA put a damp blanket upon four eventful decades of Naga political struggle. 

The GoI, of course, eagerly arranged TV channels to record the moment wherein a signatory accepted and put pen to paper that the issue is "about six decades old" and that he understands and appreciates the "intricacies of the Indian system". 

History will not blame entire IM (NSCN-IM) setup for this debacle because it was orchestrated by a group within the leadership. 

1955 was roughly the year when few Manipuri Nagas joined the Naga political movement. During WWI many Manipuri Nagas joined Manipuri Labour Corps.
They returned home with bronze MLC medals on their chests. They were not part of the Naga Club, they were not signatory to Simon Commission, they were not engaged on 14th Aug.1947 event. 

They did not take part in 1951 plebiscite. This is a reality. Naturally, Naga
political struggle, to them is six decades or less, counting from 1955 to FA 2015. 

They knew their chronology well and did not go beyond sixty years. For Nagaland tribes, the serious political strategy had begun in 1918. It is obvious that NSCN IM decision makers had taken every measure to erase political events which their fathers did not participate in. 

Legitimacy over any matter, let alone taxation, must have historical and moral basis. 

The FA document is therefore haphazard and historically inaccurate. It collapses on its own weight of distortion and contradictions. It cannot stand the test of history. 

Thankfully Naga history neither resides in one paper nor owned by a group of people.

The British forcefully imposed and collected tax on Nagas without any regret or remorse

because they foresaw no future in the Indian subcontinent. Ironically today, a Naga group
declaring they will enforce and continue imposing taxing on Naga people, as a blunt response
to GoI opinion on tax, is senseless, contemptuous and an insult to heavily burdened Nagas in
Nagaland. Noticeably there is a mindset and policy fixed on destroying Nagaland
economically, culturally and socially, criminalising the Naga cause after twenty four years of
chameleon-like narrative.

After the formation of the NNC in 1946, it became the bounden duty of every household to
contribute voluntarily to the Naga movement. 1951 plebiscite was a clarion call to all Nagas
to be aware of our historical rights in our respective domains. It was an unwritten agreement
among tribes and villagers that voluntary contribution and donation towards the political
movement would be sought and granted. Today Naga plebiscite is cited like a licence, a bus
ticket for many to travel to Nagaland and threaten, intimidate, blackmail and take advantage
of the generosity of the tribes. 
1951 Plebiscite establishes Naga ethnicity in principle. It, however, cannot be misinterpreted
to ignore current political and administrative boundaries, artificial or otherwise, to destroy the
livelihood of our people through forceful taxation. 
Although our aspiration remains, at present the GoI has ruled out Naga Integration. This
reality was admitted by Mr. Th. Muivah on 29 th Feb. 2012 at Agri Expo, Grounds Dimapur. 
Either he was lying to 50,000 Naga people in attendance or revealing the truth! GoI and WC,
NNPGs have agreed that Naga integration would be pursued democratically post solution.
For this each NNPG has reviewed and formulated own no taxation policy outside Nagaland
state. Concerning Nagaland, it is the people's general sense of responsibility and
understanding of issue at hand. After all "Agreed Position" is a reaffirmation and extension of
1951 plebiscite. 

The tribes of Nagaland, NGBF, FNR, NTC, CNTC, NBCC, and all naga civil societies and
intellectuals, demanded and assisted in bringing together seven NNPGs as Working
Committee (WC). The political talks with the GoI has concluded. On the basis of the Agreed
position signed with GoI on 17 th Nov. 2017, after three years of negotiations, a status paper is
available and all Naga tribes and civil societies have been briefed on the political structure of
impending solution.
WC,NNPGs will say this to those claiming legitimacy of Naga cause. Never teach the tribes
of Nagaland the history of their struggle. The political movement their fathers and
grandfathers established. Do not talk about historical events that you or your fathers did not
take part in. You have no moral right or authority. A branch cannot teach the root how to merge with the soil.

Today, Nagaland is threatened on all sides by once friendly neighbours. They have become sworn enemies due to the destructive acts and deeds committed in decades against neighbouring peoples and nations. 

The "Agreed Position" between GoI and WC,NNPGs  corrected the historical and political
blunder and vacuum created by FA when GoI Interlocutor Mr. R.N Ravi, who had earlier
signed FA in 2015 with IM, recognised, "...the right of the Nagas to self determine their
future in consonance with their distinct identity..." while all matters would be resolved with
due regard to contemporary political realities. This has allowed the WC to meet our
neighbours like Meiteis, Kukis and Ahoms. NNPGs have begun healing process in the
neighbourhood.
WC, NNPGs is the child of the Naga tribes and civil societies. It does not believe in threats
and intimidations. As long as WC, NNPGs and GoI work on to finalise honourable and
acceptable political solution for future Naga generations, the pledge and spirit of 1951
plebiscite will guide our people to assist and sustain the movement.

GOD BLESS NAGALAND!

BJP to pull out all stops for 2022 polls battle: Nadda chairs crucial meetings :::: Jaishankar's Greece visit to counter Pak-Turkey bonhomie

The calendar year 2022 is politically important in more ways than one. State assembly polls are due in seven states including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat - the two most prestigious battlegrounds for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Assembly polls are due by March in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Goa, and Uttarakhand and, for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh in December 2022.

In between by June-July, political temper will be yet again high about the Presidential polls and also for election to the office of the Vice President and chairperson of Rajya Sabha.  

BJP president J P Nadda met a group of cabinet ministers, senior party leaders, and key office-bearers on Saturday (June 26) in a fresh round to take stock of the party’s poll preparedness in these states. Of course, the party leaders including, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the former party chiefs, and others had reviewed BJP Karyakarta's national mood and readiness to fight the anticipated third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Railways and Commerce minister Piyush Goyal, Textiles minister Smriti Irani, Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Sports minister Kiren Rijiju also attended the meeting.

Nadda also chaired another meeting of BJP’s national general secretaries and during the day announced the appointments of new state unit presidents for Assam and poll-bound Manipur.

The move to appoint a woman Sharda Devi as Manipur state unit chief of BJP is significant.

During the last two weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also reviewed works done by key central ministries.

 In Mr. Modi's native state Gujarat, the BJP has been in power since 1998. Congress tasted power in the state under Chhabildas Mehta between February 17, 1994, to March 13, 1995.  

Between 1995 and 1998, Keshubhai Patel (BJP),  Shanker Singh Vaghela, and Dilip Parikh (both RJP) were in power before Keshubhai again came in 1998, and subsequently Narendra Modi took over the reins on Oct 7, 2001.

"In Gujarat, we face an anti-incumbency factor as a law of the average. But we have to prove yet again that we are above average," says a party leader, who knows things about the party's strategies and policies.

 

The going will be tough in other states such as Punjab and Uttarakhand too. In the two smaller states, Manipur and Goa, the saffron party, which is currently sharing power with regional allies, must fine-tune its policies to account for a variety of circumstances.

 In UP, a lot of things have changed on the ground in the last four years, and some of them have made things more complex if not challenging. But, the BJP has some advantages too.

Before the 2017 assembly elections, Yogi Adityanath was not on the scene. Now he is the face of the party and also a neo-Hindutva mascot.

 

In 2017 polls, Ram Temple at Ayodhya and Kashmir were still part of BJP’s electoral campaign pitch.

Now, these two poll pledges have lost the sheen as ‘election issues’. Article 370 has been done away with and the Ram Temple is now a reality.

So the BJP’s game plan for the next year’s electoral battle in the country’s most populous state would be development merged with the strong Hindutva plank.

 

This would importantly also mean taking care of hiccups like ‘conversion’ to both Muslims and Christians. The recent ‘conversion’ row allegedly linked to Islamic radical Zakir Naik makes the challenge more mystifying.

Jaishankar's Greece visit and discussions on terror can counter Pak-Turkey bonhomie

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar held a crucial round of visit to Greece and held important bilateral discussions on wide ranging issues including terrorism.

"Both countries recognised the threat posed by radicalization, violent extremism, as well as terrorism, including cross border terrorism. They emphasized that there can be no justification for these in any form or manifestation," a joint release said after Jaishankar's meeting with his counterpart Nikos Dendias. 

Importantly, the meeting and the Joint press release came in the backdrop of Turkey’s territorial claims in the Mediterranean region and alleged support to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. Lately,  Turkey has emerged as a 'key ally' of Pakistan and even compared Kashmir with Palestine. Thus, Indian Minister presenting the New Delhi's points of view in a formal and structured format is definitely a significant development.  

Jaishankar said the talks were productive bilaterally and insightful on many regional & global issues. Both sides "agreed to step up the pace of engagement and work towards a strategic partnership", he said. 

It is significant to note that the Joint press release also said that in the globalized world, both sides noted the importance of "movement of people in an orderly and legal way" and agreed to work towards signing an agreement on migration and mobility. 

Last year, Islamabad had invited the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to help boost tourism in the Gilgit Baltistan region in 'Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir'. During his state visit to Pakistan in early 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had assured Pakistan of Turkey’s support on the Kashmir issue. 

Maj Gen (Retd) G D Bakshi said Jaishankar's trip to Greece a "very timely visit" especially  in  the light of Turkeys "most uncalled for interference in Kashmir" and sending Syriian terrorists to fight here. 

"India must have a full time military attache in Greece right away," he said. 

Even experts and stakeholders in Greece say, India and Greece must cooperate actively and formulate a mechanism of cooperation that could counter the Turkish President’s 'Caliphate dreams'. 

There have been reports also through some actions Turkey was allegedly trying to lure Indian students into terrorism via scholarships and such offers. 

Hence, there was an added importance to the visit. India and Greece also shared views on regional and global issues of mutual interest in the context of new geo-political and geo-economic realities, including the Indo-Pacific. 

Both sides noted with satisfaction the convergence of each-others’ vision for a free, open, inclusive and cooperative Indo-Pacific ensuring connectivity and growth for all in the region.

ends 

Pentagon says Taliban control 81 of 419 Afghan district centers : Are explosions at Jammu Air Force station linked to 'Af-Pak' angle ?

New Delhi: Things are moving pretty fast on the Afghan front and the US forces are all set for complete withdrawal. The Americans have completed more than half of their withdrawal already. 

Meanwhile, are the two explosions at Jammu Air Force station on Sunday linked to 'Af-Pak' angle ?

Were those Pakistani drone attacks ? 

"We cannot allow Pakistan get away with this....," Brig (retd) Anil Gupta told a television channel. Amidst these comes a report from the Pentagon stating that 81 of Afghanistan 419 district centers are controlled by Taliban. 

The Guardian/Reuters snap

Several questions have been raised about the manner the Afghan security forces will deal with the new challenge and perform after the US troops depart. It has been reported that Afghans who have applied for visas now fear that the Taliban could target them and also their families as a 'penalty' for association with the Americans and helping foreign forces is last two decades since 9/11. 

Even the US President Joe Biden has sought to endorse the apprehension and he lately said, "Those who helped us are not going to be left behind". Biden met his Afghanistan counterpart Ashraf Ghani and assured that the Americans' concern for this part of the globe is not over.

“Our troops may be leaving but our support for Afghanistan is not ending in terms of support and maintenance of helping maintain their military as well as economic and political support,” Biden told Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation at the White House. India has already flagged off the concern. 

At the UNSC Debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan on June 22, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that ".....the intra-Afghan talks have not resulted in a reduction of violence in Afghanistan. On the contrary, violence has only increased".

He pointed out that there have been "targeted attacks on religious and ethnic minorities, girl students, Afghan security forces, Ulemas, women occupying positions of responsibility, journalists, civil rights activists and youth".

Thus he said, "It is therefore crucial that the international community and, in particular, this Council presses for a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire to ensure immediate reduction in violence".

The cross-border terrorism largely from Pakistan is an issue of great concern flagged off by India on numerous occasions.

The US move to withdraw forces can ensure an enhanced role for India, which is already involved as a 'development partner'.

Two low intensity explosions were reported early Sunday morning (June 27) in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station.  "One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies," said  the official Twitter handle of the Indian Air Force. 

Pakistani involvement in the attack by drone technology is being probed. All these only highlight yet again a pointer that the 'problem' is not merely Afghanistan-generated, the real problem is the 'Af-Pak' challenge.

Lt Gen Gurmit Singh said the drone attack is a new phase in the warfare. He also said that the timing of the attacks coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a successful meeting with Kashmiri politicians on June 24. Notably, Pakistan presumably did not figure at the deliberations despite a hype created on that angle by former CM Mehbooba Mufti.

Col Rohit Dev said, the attacks have serious implications and the bull must be taken by horns.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on a visit to Ladakh has already been briefed.  

Indian experts have said time and again that the heart of the problem lies in Pakistan. Thankfully, this aspect of the issue has got more 'recognition' in the western world lately.

The government of India has announced the building of the Shahtoot Dam in Kabul for providing safe drinking water. This is the second one after the Salma dam inaugurated in 2016.

Since 2001 and the fall of the Taliban, India has deeply invested in Afghanistan. India has undertaken about  400 development programmes in Afghanistan in its 34 provinces. At the same time, it should be kept in mind that during the Taliban regime in Afghanistan from 1996-2001, India’s relationship had nosedived to a level of zero. 

Nevertheless, India has remained a popular country among the masses in Afghanistan.

ends 

Modi with Kashmir leaders: June 24

Dictatorial mindset led to emergency: Amit Shah blog on Emergency (article released on June 25, 2021)

In 1951-52, barely a year after the Constitution was adopted, Nehru, who was upset with the criticism of his policies, used the brute majority at his disposal to move the first amendment to impose restrictions on freedom of speech, disregarding the fervent resistance of the founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee.

Forty-six years ago, a dark chapter of India’s history was written when the Congress government of the day led by PM Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency on the country, in an ugly spectacle of authoritarian arrogance, making a mockery of the country’s centuries-old democratic tradition. The question that still remains unanswered is whether the brazen recourse to authoritarianism – when even the right to life was suspended and Parliament, judiciary and media were reduced to auxiliaries for the ambitions of a leader – was an aberration or represented the natural instincts of Congress’s dynastic politics.

India’s ancient history is replete with examples of flourishing democratic governance systems such as the Kamboj, Kalinga and Lichchavi kingdoms. Even an ancient text such as the Rig Veda has evidence of democratic practices. This march towards democratic ideals, which had continued even under monarchies, however, ran into hostile barriers when foreign invaders plundered, conquered, and, eventually, imposed their oppressive regimes on large parts.

After Independence, India took a big step by resolving to be a modern, progressive, democratic nation state. The framers of the Constitution fondly hoped that future governments would strive to translate dreams and ideals into reality by, above all, protecting the fundamental rights of citizens.

However, Congress, which, having come out of the womb of the freedom struggle, got the first opportunity to serve, flunked the test right at the outset when under Jawaharlal Nehru, it used false allegations related to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi to ban the RSS and its Panchajanya weekly. This was the first instance of a ‘ban’ being used as a weapon to smother the rival viewpoint.

In 1951-52, barely a year after the Constitution was adopted, Nehru, who was upset with the criticism of his policies, used the brute majority at his disposal to move the first amendment to impose restrictions on freedom of speech, disregarding the fervent resistance of the founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee.

This was the foundation of authoritarianism that Indira Gandhi built upon when she imposed Emergency from the midnight of June 25, 1975, turning the entire country into a prison. Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan and other prominent opposition leaders such as Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani were thrown into jail.

Leaders such as Nanaji Deshmukh and George Fernandes went underground to lead a resistance movement. RSS, along with dozens of socio-cultural organisations, was banned. Media houses were subjected to shocking levels of censorship. Sadly, most newspapers meekly turned into mouthpieces of the Congress party, prompting Advani to famously remark that the “media crawled when it was asked to bend”.

Some have speculated about the possible driver for Indira Gandhi to organise the assault on democracy. But it was not any single incident or, as some apologists have argued, provocation which acted as the trigger. This has to do with the authoritarian mindset of the Congress leadership. This is what had led Indira Gandhi to defy the Allahabad high court verdict declaring her election illegal.

Authoritarianism and intolerance are hardwired into Congress and, therefore, instead of deriving the right lesson from its defeat in 1977, it went back to anti-democratic ways when it regained power and the baton passed to Rajiv Gandhi. Congress, which now poses as the champion of freedom of speech, tried to bring a censorship law disguised as Anti-Defamation Bill. Though the sinister objective could not be achieved because of opposition, the attempt to muzzle the media once again brought out its disdain for democratic principles and its lust for power.

The pattern should not surprise us. A party which has turned into a family fief and does not practice intra-party democracy cannot be expected to safeguard democratic principles. The very edifice of Congress is founded on the pillars of dynastic privileges. This ‘family first’ mindset is at the root of its dictatorial brazenness which led to Emergency.

BJP, under the stewardship of PM Narendra Modi, has put a spanner in the works of the dynastic parties that are guided by narrow personal motives of their bosses and their families. In today’s India, BJP is the only party that practices the principles of fairness, egalitarianism and equal opportunity in intra-party functioning. Its policies have also deepened democracy’s roots by bringing its fruits to the doorsteps of the underprivileged.

Democracy is not merely an electoral and political exercise. It is a much broader and deeper cultural phenomenon, one that stands for inclusive development, security for all, equal opportunities and equal rights. For the last seven years, the NDA government has worked tirelessly to uphold these through a range of policies.

Today, all the units of democracy are working with cooperation, coordination  and balance. The judiciary, unlike in the days when Congress tried to turn it into an accessory of the executive, enjoys complete independence and has, whenever it has felt the need to do so, guided the government. The media has complete freedom to carry out its work. India’s parliamentary system has grown stronger over the last seven years.

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, in his last speech to the Constituent Assembly, stressed that for political democracy to succeed, it must be supplemented by spread of democracy in the social arena as well. PM Modi has, over seven years, endeavoured to implement these progressive ideals on the ground. The government has continuously worked towards creating a socially and economically equal nation and a fair society by empowering the most underprivileged.

It is a proof of support and goodwill for PM Modi that India has been able to enact much-delayed important laws concerning rights of citizens such as Citizenship (Amendment) Act and abrogation of Article 370. Congress has opposed these laws meant for empowering citizens and delivering justice to them only for partisan considerations. Its invocation of democracy to justify its cussed stance is deception. Its authoritarian impulses remain strong.  This was evident when it got the bill to divide Andhra Pradesh passed by shuttering the doors of Parliament.

However, citizens  are now alert. The youth now feel secure and empowered with a growing sense of cultural and national pride. I am sure that in future, no party or leader will dare to meddle with the country’s democratic values and create another Emergency-like situation.

(Times of India) 

Coming generations should visit Ayodhya at least once in lifetime, says PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday brought in his 'catalyst for development' image in the context of Ayodhya in a well planned organised strategy and emphasised that there should be a collective endeavour to celebrate the 'identity' of the sacred temple town. 

At the review meeting of a comprehensive Ayodhya Development Plan, the Prime Minister said the coming generations "should feel the desire to visit Ayodhya at least once in their lifetime".

He also said, the way Lord Ram had the ability to bring people together, the development works of Ayodhya "should be guided by a spirit of healthy public participation, especially by the youth". 

He pointed out that developmental works in Ayodhya will continue in the foreseeable future. 
"At the same time, the momentum towards heralding Ayodhya to this next leap of progress must begin now. It is our collective endeavour to celebrate the identity of Ayodhya and keep its cultural vibrancy alive through innovative ways," Mr Modi said, according to an official statement.
Ayodhya’s development is being envisaged as a Spiritual Centre, Global Tourism Hub and a sustainable Smart City.
The moot idea is to promote Ayodhya - where God Ram was born - as a global religious tourism site.

The works broadly revolve around development of Saryu bank, construction of road linked to temple and the construction of a grand Ram Mandir. The UP government officials made a presentation which encompassed various aspects of Ayodhya’s development. The Prime Minister was informed about various upcoming and proposed infrastructure projects to improve connectivity with Ayodhya. 

Various infrastructure projects like Airport, expansion of Railway Station, Bus station, roads and highways were discussed.

An upcoming Greenfield township was discussed which includes lodging facilities for devotees, space for Ashrams, Maths, Hotels, Bhavans of various states. A tourist facilitation centre, a world class museum will also be built.

Catalyst of Development: Ram Bhakt

Special attention is being devoted to development of infrastructure around the Saryu river and its ghats. Cruise operation on the Saryu river will also be made a regular feature.

The city will be developed to ensure sustainability with adequate spaces for cyclists and people on foot. Traffic management will also be done in a modern manner using Smart City infrastructure, the release said. Mr Modi described Ayodhya as a city that is etched in the cultural consciousness of every Indian. "Ayodhya should manifest the finest of our traditions and the best of our developmental transformations".

Erasing a dark chapter of India's history vis-a-vis Sanatan polity, Prime Minister Modi on August 5,2020 performed the Bhoomi pujan' of a Supreme Court-mandated grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
In 1528 a structure called Babri masjid was built by Mughal invaders and the same was grounded on Dec 6, 1992. The Ram Janmabhoomi movement got a fillip in 1990 with then BJP president L K Advani's Rath Yatra.

It is worth mentioning that on August 5, 2020, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said, "Ab Hamey apne man ki Ayodhya ka sajana hae (We have to now cleanse the heart or 'ayodhya' of our inner self)".

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma and various other ministers of the UP Government were present in the meeting.

The Prime Minister said, the human ethos of this city must be matched by futuristic infrastructure, which is beneficial for everyone including tourists and pilgrims.

The Prime Minister called for the skills of talented youngsters to be leveraged in this development of the city.

The central government has already approved Rs 100-crore modernisation plan of the Ayodhya railway station.

Ayodhya will also have an international airport and the state government has released over Rs 321 crore for the land acquisition.for the Maryada Purushottam Sriram Airport after Lord Ram. 

The state government has also approved Rs 1,001.77 crore to purchase 555.66 acres of additional land for the construction of the international airport. 

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