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Archives for February 2016

Umar Khalid, Anirban surrender to Delhi Police

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Umar Khalid

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, facing sedition charges for allegedly raising “anti-India” slogans, have surrendered before police at a secret location in New Delhi after the Delhi High Court refused to provide safety until they surrender. JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar is already behind bars in Tihar Jail, again for sedition, while the basis of the charge itself is a question mark – a video clip that has gone into a black hole for “tests”.

JNU students union vice president Shelha Rashid Shora told Firstpost that Khalid and Bhattacharya’s surrender has come after a series of legal discussions keeping their safety in mind. Both these students travelled to the ‘secret’ location in a JNU private security vehicle. They were accompanied by several students, their lawyer and members of the JNU teachers association.

Shehla Rashid is a student leader from Jammu and Kashmir, studying law and governance at JNU.

“We hope that Kanhaiya gets bail and we will fight politically and legally thereafter,” Rashid told Firstpost.

“Comrade Umar and Comrade Anirban have surrendered themselves to police. It’s a moment of sadness for the campus because we have seen these activists for years standing with the students,” Rashid said.

“They have placed their faith in the law and we hope that they will be released soon. We also hope that Comrade Kanhaiya gets bail tomorrow,” she said.

A case against Khalid and Bhattacharya was registered at Vasant Kunj police station.

According to the police sources, both have been taken to an undisclosed location. Both the students were accompanied by their lawyers and the representatives of JNU teachers association.

After the surrender of the students, their supporters gathered at Sabarmati Dhaba in the campus to take stock and decide on next steps.

Khalid and Bhattacharya had moved petitions seeking permission to surrender before the High Court and “safe passage” from the JNU campus to the court premises, alleging there was “threat to life and limb”.

The Indian Express reports that in their petition, Khalid and Bhattacharya referred to the attacks last week on journalists and JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested for sedition, at Patiala House Courts by lawyers. They said they feared they would be attacked if they were taken to the Patiala House Courts, that they were “more vulnerable to unprovoked attacks than Kanhaiya Kumar.

The location of the surrender has been kept off bounds, following a Delhi High Court directive and after the week long debate has spilled over into Delhi’s streets and protests worldwide.

Earlier on Tuesday, The Delhi High Court asked JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya to “secretly” provide the place and time where they want to surrender. Following through on this, Delhi Police decided not to enter the JNU campus, reports Times of India.

It also issued notice to Delhi Police, asked to file a status report on bail plea of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested on charges of sedition.

Justice Pratibha Rani refused to provide safety to the students till they surrender, and declined to allow them to surrender in the high court.

On providing safety in police custody, the court said: “It is for the trial court to decide.”

After advocate Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for the students, told the court that students need safe passage to surrender, Justice Rani retorted: “What do you mean I should give you safe passage? Why this court (not trial court)? Let us go by the procedure. Everything can’t be at your whims and fancies.”

“Tell me where you want to surrender. Just give me the place (other than the high court) and time (details of which will be between petitioners’ advocate, and court),” said the court, adding that she will appoint an officer for their surrender.

Lawyers of Khalid and Bhattacharya provided the details to Justice Rani, and the court then asked the deputy commissioner of police, present there, about his views, but he objected to it. Thereafter, she called the police officer and petitioners’ counsel to her chamber.

After around 15 minutes hearing inside her chamber, Justice Rani came out and said she will hear the case on Wednesday.

Seeking safety passage to surrender, Jaiswal told the court that the students are constantly receiving “life threats” and police are doing nothing to protect them, while citing the violent incident took place during the remand proceedings of Kanhaiya Kumar, where lawyers attacked him, JNU student and teachers and journalists.

In their plea, the students said they are “law abiding citizens” and a “doctored video were shown on some channels to portray them in the worst possible light”.

Khalid and Anirban, along with three others, had gone missing from the JNU campus since February 12 when Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in a sedition case after an event held at February 9 on the university campus against hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. They all had allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during the rally.

The five surfaced in the JNU campus late Sunday night.

In Kanhaiya Kumar’s case, Justice Rani sought status report on the investigation by Wednesday.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi Police, said since it was a pre-chargesheet bail application, police should be allowed to file the status report in a sealed cover.

However, the court rejected the request, saying petitioners have the right to know why police has opposed the bail.

It also directed a copy be given to Kanhaiya’s counsel Rebecca John.

During the brief hearing, Aam Aadmi Party’s senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra sought to represent Delhi Police in Kanhaiya’s bail case but ASGs Tushar Mehta and Sanjay Jain opposed it.

Mehta told the court that he and advocate Shailendra Babbar were appointed as special public prosecutor in the case by the lt. governor.

“They (ASGs representing Delhi Police) have crossed all ‘Lakshman rekha’. As a standing counsel, I am not allowed to argue and they are here on LG’s unofficial order,” Mehra said.

Justice Rani, however, said: “Let us not distract from the main issue. This is not a place to settle personal scores.”

Mehra said Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi had said Kanhaiya’s bail plea will not be opposed, but after the court’s hearing, Jain told reporters that police will oppose it.

Kanhaiya moved the high court after the Supreme Court refused to entertain the bail plea, noting that bypassing the high court would set a wrong precedent.

The security at the high court was beefed up for the hearing and entry to the courtroom of Justice Rani was restricted to lawyers involved in the case and six media persons.

(Agencies)

Thwarting out Communal Forces is the way out to ‘Save India’

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by Elyas Mohammed Thumbe

Our nation India has been loved world over because of its diverse culture, religious tolerance and broad based liberty. Democracy and secularism is its very base of existence which strengthens the bonding of country’s integrity. The forefathers of our country who fought for the freedom have laid the foundation for the nation’s unity in diversity.

But, the prevailing destructive condition of our country is the concern of every peace loving citizen of our nation. People are living in a very fearful and insecure conditions because of widespread communal terror. Our history of co-existence and religious harmony is shattered because of the ongoing hate and murders in the name of religion and culture. The tentacles of communal designs have spread over to every grass root which are now curbing the fundamental rights of freedom, rights to eat- speech and even to think.

Unending incidents of killing and burning alive of Dalits and Adivasis in the name of caste and untouchability, killings of Muslims in the name of religion and culture, killings of progressive thinkers in the name of intolerance, killings of RTI activists, attacks on churches, attacks and violence in the name of holy cow, imposing false cases on NGOs, false propaganda of love jihad – forceful conversion – population growth, violent hate speeches, etc. have created an insecure atmosphere in the minds of every citizen in the country. Lynching of Muhammad Akhlaq in Dadri, burning alive of two Dalit children in Haryana and burning of an elderly Dalit in UP, killing of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Rao Pansare, MM Kalburgi, lynching of Shahabuddin in Dimapur, Nagaland are a few of the examples apart from numerous communal riots reported in various parts of the country.

The very terrible aspect of this destruction is invisible protection by the rightist governments to the perpetrators and defending affirmations from the rightist elected representatives. Even when the international community is expressing shock over the prevailing anarchy and insecurity, the Prime Minister of our country is maintaining his studied and calculated silence. Present Indian Prime Minister has the unusual crave of floating dialogue for every matter, but, has never spoken against fascist communal terror. The Prime Minister’s so called ‘good days ahead’ proves to be good day for the rightist agenda. Hence, the self-proclaimed ‘dharma rakshaks’ are creating havoc in the country without the fear of law and order.

A systematic planning of saffronizing the country’s educational system and Indian history are going on as part of the ‘communalization of our country’, hatched by ‘Sangh’. Hate and intolerance are precisely and sensibly inducted in the syllabuses. History of kings and their monuments are treacherously portrayed as anti-Hindu. Imposing so called ‘Sanathan Culture’ in educational institutions are posing a threat to the process of nation building.

Price hike, farmers’ suicides, anti-farmer land acquisition bill, stringent unfavorable labor laws, liberal imperialist FDI policies, unholy economic and military alliance with Israel, uncontrolled mining policies and destruction of Adivasi habitats, etc. are heading the nation towards a great misery. This all blatantly shows that the government at Center is interested in safeguarding the comforts of only rightist designs and corporate agenda.

It is the time now to all peace loving Indian citizens to unite and protect the nation from the clutches of the fascist forces and their communal agenda. Keeping silent and kneeling down in front the destructive elements really helps the perpetrators to continue further with broad impunity. Our nation needs strong resistance against such anti-national elements and we all should unite to fight against this anti-people rule to build our nation on the foundation of peace and love.

BJP’s Bihar Rout

Recent Bihar assembly election is memorable not because of the victory of ‘grand alliance’ but for the humiliating defeat of BJP. Out of total 243 seats, ‘Maha Gathbandhan’, an alliance of JDU, BJD, INC bagged 178 seats and NDA, the alliance of BJP,RLSP, LJP and Manjhi’s HAM diminished to just 58 seats. BJP had a high ambition to form a government in Bihar with a scheme of grabbing Non BJP states one by one into its parlor. It had worked out many tricks to gain caste based votes in Bihar. Clasping Dalit backed parties like HAM LJP and RLSP did not fetch votes to NDA.  Prime Minister NarendraModi himself rallied many times in Bihar wherein he announced a special package of whopping Rs.1.25 lakh crores. BJP leaders used diverging cards like ‘Holy cow’ and ‘Pakistan’. Like in Loksabha, this time too, NDA had used the media profusely to impress the voters. In spite of playing all types of tricks, gimmicks and caste politics this assembly elections witnessed the destruction of BJP and its allies in Bihar. ‘Modi Wave’ proved to be a ludicrous myth.

Surprisingly BJP is slowly losing its base in Gujarat and MP as well. In the Panchayat election held in Gujarat in the month of November 2015, it has lost its 21 district Panchayat out of 31 districts and Congress gained majority of seats. In BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh too, the party has been losing its grip to Congress.  Out of 8 Municipal Committee election BJP lost in 5 local bodies. The bye election held in Ratlam Parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh in December, BJP lost its seat.

By assuming power at the Center with an unprecedented majority, BJP with its RSS ideology has vested all its efforts to design BJP rule in all states in the country.  Bihar election result is a very clear indication that the people in the country have absolutely disappointed by the communal and corporate rule by the BJP. Bihar assembly election result proves that the communal politics will perish if the secular parties unite. However, the result is not an indication of popular governance by the JDU, RJD and INC, but it was peoples’ united decision to vote them in the absence of a strong alternative, to defeat communal BJP. Bihar election strategy will be likely to become a key strategy for these parties. BJP’s defeat has also devastated the sensation of ‘superman’ which was built around Modi. Yet, the ‘grand alliance’ model in Bihar has inspired all secular parties to unite and to stay on to anti-BJP alliance movement throughout the country.

The secular parties like Congress, JDU, JDS, RJD, NCP and CPM though their ideologies are based on secularism and socialism, have miserably failed to act upon it in their rule. There are several instances wherein some of these pseudo-secular parties established ties with communal parties for the sake of power. They do not follow what they preach. Dalits, Minorities, backward communities have faced series of agony during their regime. Present backwardness, poverty, hunger, fear, etc. are the result of the partisan and pro-capitalist rule by these so called secular parties. Hence, alternative secular parties like SDPI should be grown up in the country to get the share in power.

Mandir Politics to lure Voters

It was ‘Ram Janma bhoomi Issue’ which was polarized the Hindu votes in favor of BJP to gain power at the Center. As a result BJP won and increased its number of Parliament seats in the 1989, 1991 and 1996 Loksabha elections whereas in 1984 election it got only 2 seats. The self-proclaimed ‘Ram Janma bhoomi’ issue created a sentiment of religious fervor in Hindu community to support BJP for the construction of ‘Ram Mandir’ at the site of Babri Masjid. Rathyathra, shilayathra, etc. were militant, masculine and anti-Muslim in nature. Demolition of Babri Masjid was a ghastly incident and a black dot in the history of democratic secular India. This conspiracy and barbaric act triggered waves of violence between Hindus and Muslims erupted all over the country, killing over 2,000 people and created a clear division between the two communities.

Now, Vishwa Hindu Parshad (VHP) is raking up the same issue of ‘Ram Mandir’. It has been stacking stones and doing pujas in the vicinity of Babri Masjid site. Fresh lots of stones meant for construction of ‘Ram Temple’ arrived at the office of the VHP in Ayodhya and ‘Shila Pujan’ (prayer of the stones) has been performed. Meanwhile Mahant Nritya Gopal Das said that there was a “Signal” from the Modi Government that the temple will be built “now”. The other VHP & RSS leaders are trying to keep the issue live in the minds of people by issuing statements and making propaganda of the subject of building Ram Mandir.

The “Babri Masjid – Ram Janma Bhoomi” case is still pending in the Supreme Court and there is a prevailing order of maintaining status quo. However, in the context of assembly election of Uttar Pradesh scheduled in 2017, VHP under the protection cover from Modi led BJP government at the Centre is igniting religious sentiments in Hindu community through such mischievous acts.

We should be very cautious in expressing our concern in this matter because an immediate outburst will accelerate the publicity and motif of BJP and Sangh nexus. It is the very idea of BJP/VHP to infuriate the Muslims in this matter and to enrage them to come to the streets paving way for the communal outfit to orchestrate riots aimed at polarization of votes. BJP is in a desperate move to capture power in UP assembly through any sort of venomous political game and gimmicks.

It is to be noted that the BJP and Sangh nexus has steered hundreds of communal clashes in UP during these 3 years of Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party government through fabricated and flimsy reasons. Creating insecurity in the minds of Hinds, igniting religious sentiments and creating image of savior of Hindu Sanathan Dharma is the malicious strategy of these right wing nexus to win upcoming assembly election of UP in 2017.

Corruption with ‘Clean’ Certificate

Delhi CM Arvind Kejrival and BJP MP former cricketer Kirti Azad have made strong allegation of corruption on the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in connection with DDCA (Delhi District Cricket Association) scam. There is a lot of melodrama in this connection as the CBI raid on CM Arvind Kejriwal’s office without any notice or genuine reason really raised the eyebrows of the opposition parties. Arvind accuses that CBI is playing buffoons at the hands of PM Narendra Modi. His allegation on CBI and PM, that the raid was nothing but to trace some documents in connection with the DDCA scam. The raid without any authenticity ridiculed the dignity of a high office of democratically elected body which compelled CM Arvind to call PM Narendra Modi as a ‘psychopath’.

In spite of BJP’s own MP’s allegation with proof and appointment of an enquiry commission by the Delhi Government to enquire in to the DDCA scam and role of Jaitley in it, PM Narendra Modi instead of ousting him, has declared Arun Jaitly as a clean man like L.K. Advani. This partisan policy of PM and BJP is mockery of the democracy.  Tainted ArunJaitly is still continuing in his portfolio shamelessly whereas BJP MP Kirti Azad is continuing to make strong allegations on him with confidence. BJP ideologue Ram Jethmalani’s outburst and support towards Kirti Azad also really symptomatic.

In another incident, the criminal complaint lodged by BJP leader Subramaniyan Swamy led to summon Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi to a local court against allegation of cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of now defunct daily National Herald. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, AICC treasurer Moti Lal Vohra, Gen. Sec Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda the other directors of Young Indian Ltd(YI), a company incorporated in 2010 which took over the ‘debt’ of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of National Herald. The allegation on them was that they have conspired to cheat and misappropriated funds by just paying Rs.50 lakh by which Young Indian obtained the right to recover Rs. 90.25 crore which the AJL had owed to the Congress Party.

Sonia Gandhi and Congress leaders were playing lot of sentimental drama and alleging on Central BJP government that this is nothing but political vengeance. Sonia Gandhi’s assertion ‘I don’t fear’ really echoes in the ears of common people in the country as why should she fear as she is encircled by political power and capability. Congress Party’s statement saying Sonia Gandhi is innocent is really ridiculous. During Congress regime thousands of youths belonging to Muslim, Dalit communities and Adivasi were pushed into jails under the draconian law UAPA for no crime committed by them and hundreds of riots were reported across the country making lives of thousands miserable. Now the congress leaders are shedding tears for the fate of their leaders. One can imagine how many thousands of parents and family members of those innocents would shedding tears for their jailed innocent sons.

Juvenile Justice Act

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 is a proposed Act of the Parliament of India. It aims to replace existing  Indian juvenile delinquency law, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, so that juveniles in conflict with Law in the age group of 16–18, involved in Heinous Offences, can be tried as adults.It was passed on 7 May 2015 by the Lok Sabha amid intense protest by several Members of Parliament. It was passed on 22 December 2015 by the Rajya Sabha as well.

There was a hue and cry across the country against letting free of a gang rape accused due to existing JJ Act. It was the concern over the age of the perpetrator accused in the horrible gang rape case in Delhi in December 2012 in which one of the perpetrator was 6 months short for age of 18 when the offence happened. In this case, a maximum punishment can be given for a juvenile is 3 years confinement in a juvenile home.

The new Juvenile Just Bill 2015 will allows the judiciary to try the accused of heinous crimes aged from 16 to 18 under Indian Penal Code. The matters should be presented to the Juvenile Justice Board on a case by case basis, which will decide then based on an assessment of the mental state of the child as whether the crime was committed with or without an understanding of its consequences.  Based on this assessment, the juvenile offenders will be treated under either IPC or the JJ Act.

There is strong resistance from several organizations and activists saying that the decision taken to amend the act was emotional, irrational and unscientific. They won’t find any justification in reducing the age of juvenile from 18 to 16 for sending them to jail. They stress to understand the psychology of the youngster, their hormonal changes and their emotional upheavals during the age of growth when he is neither a child nor an adult. Those who are opposing the JJ Act argue that the adolescent need therapeutic treatment and on the contrary imprisonment would make close proximity with criminals which may lead to treat them as their role models.

There is also a concern about the atmosphere where the child is living is the factor behind creating mental status and character. Poverty, exploitation, crime, lawlessness, obscenity, lack of education, family factor, media influence, etc. are the factors of influence on the minds and character of the child. The opinion is that the government has to rethink its policies and schemes as instead of toughening the juvenile law it should enact to protect the child and its mental growth.

Global Warming

Global Warming is the increase of Earth’s average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. This is a type of greenhouse effect. Too much of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet. Burning fossils fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for energy or cut down and burn forests to create pastures and plantations, carbon dioxide accumulates and overloads our atmosphere.

Climate change is the greatest environmental threat of our time, endangering our health, economy and national security. Extreme weather, sea level rise, imbalance in ecological system, increased cyclonic activity, and changes in ambient temperature and precipitation patterns, have affected or are projected to affect the subcontinent.

Impacts of global warming on climate of India

The effect of global warming on the climate of India has led to climate disasters as per some experts. India is a disaster prone area, with the statistics of 27 out of 35 states being disaster prone, with foods being the most frequent disasters. The process of global warming has led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of these climatic disasters. According to surveys, in the year 2007-2008, India ranked the third highest in the world regarding the number of significant disasters, with 18 such events in one year, resulting in the death of 1103 people due to these catastrophes. The anticipated increase in precipitation, the melting of glaciers and expanding seas have the power to influence the Indian climate negatively, with an increase in incidence of floods, hurricanes and storms. Global warming may also pose a significant threat to the food security situation in India.

According to the The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, if the process of global warming continues to increase, resulting climatic disasters would cause a decrease in India’s GDP to decline by about 9%, with a decrease by 40% of the production of the major crops. A temperature increase of 2° C in India is projected to displace seven million people, with a submersion of the major cities of India like Mumbai and Chennai.

 Floods in India

India is the most flood distressed state in the world after Bangladesh, accounting for 1/ 5th of the global deaths every year with 30 million people displaced from their homes yearly. Approximately 40 million hectares of the land is vulnerable to floods, with 8 million hectares affected by it. Unprecedented floods take place every year at one place or the other, with the most vulnerable states of India being Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Gujarat, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. The climatic history of India is studded with a very large number of floods, which have wreaked havoc on the country’s economy.

Other climatic disasters in India – Droughts: Of the total agricultural land in India, about 68% is prone to drought of which 33% is chronically drought prone, receiving rainfall of less than 750mm per year. This is particularly the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. The World Record for Drought was in 2000 in Rajasthan, India.

According to researches, unabated global warming will lead to exacerbation of the droughts, cutting down the water availability in the plains of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. India’s initial National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention (UNFCCC) on Climate Change projects that Luni; the west flowing rivers of Kutchh and Saurashtra are likely to experience acute physical water scarcity. The river basins of Mahi, Pennar, Sabarmati and Tapi are also likely to experience constant water scarcities and shortages.

The Indian economy is considered as one of the fastest growing major economies. However, the country is plagued by climatic disasters that continue to wreak havoc on its economy. As a result, majority of the people of India continue to live in poverty, with malnutrition and diseases corroding the society. In this light, a comprehensive mitigation and adaptation plan needs to be drafted and implemented for better preparation and response to such climate disasters that are generated as a result of global warming.

India should act to control the global warming coping with International measures.  While taking steps to control emissions, the government should protect welfare of the people as the measures should not affect the economic growth, alleviation of poverty, industrial production, etc.

 CONCLUSION

The people of our country is struggling in the hands of communal BJP government. Instead of giving good governance for the welfare of all people of the country irrespective of cast creed color, it has the essence only in establishing saffron interests and corporate welfare. It’s proud and prodigy lies especially in the promotion of the Vedic and Brahminical ideology. At one side the BJP leaders speaks about development of all and on the other side they spew venom on minorities and Dalits.  Learning tough lessons from the election result of Bihar, the BJP may embrace new tactics to garner votes in the coming elections in the country. Obviously, inspiring from the success of Muslim Rasthriya Manch (MRM) floated by RSS, it is now preparing to form Isai Manch (IM) to deceive and exploit Christian community as well. SDPI is reaching  out to the people to create awareness and unite them against these communal forces and their evil design of divisive politics.

The age old pseudo-secular parties like Congress, RJD, JDS, SP, BSP, JDU, etc. have miserably failed to fight against communal forces and communal parties. Their mild voice and even sometime silence encouraged the communal parties to grow to such an extent. These so called secular parties including CPM have done nothing to the welfare of poor people, farmers, labors and rural folk during their rule. Corruption, nepotism and hooliganism are the work force to these parties. Dynastic politics and upper cast hegemony are the controlling powers in these so called secular parties which is a mockery of democracy.

Party with Unique Features – Solution to the Problems of India

Our country is respected the world over because of its diverse culture, religious tolerance and for its democratic traditions. The illustrious leaders of our country who fought for the freedom have laid the foundation for the nation’s unity in diversity. The country exists because its people believe in peaceful coexistence. But, at present, fear and suspicion have started to spread like a dark fog all over the nation. Communal terror is threatening peaceful co-existence and religious harmony.  Screams of anarchy and insecurity has been increasingly heard in the country. While the citizen are protesting against the wave of intolerance, the ruling parties just showing insensitivity.

Efforts to destruct secular values in educational system, killings of Dalits in the name of cast, lynching of Muslims in the name of beef, killings of progressive persons for questioning and criticizing the cultural shibboleths and beliefs, attacks on Christians in the name of conversion, killings of RTI activists, false cases on social and rights activists, nerve-wracking price hikes, farmers suicides, anti-farmer land acquisition bill, anti-labour laws, rampant corruption, etc. are widespread in the country. The ruling parties are not taking these issues as serious and just indulged in cast based politics and thus insulting our constitution and democracy.

After the demolition of Babri Masjid, Muslims and Dalits maintained distance from powerful political parties and started identifying and voting the regional secular parties like SP, BSP, RJD, JDU, NCP, JDS, etc. However, these regional parties instead of empowering the poor and the downtrodden communities, they exploited them for their selfish benefits.

SDPI is the alternative for all these political parties. ,whenever any sort of anti-constitutional and anti-people moves are adopted by the governments or by the opposition parties, be them in states or at the Centre. It is committed to protect the welfare of every citizen irrespective of his/her caste, creed and color. We have been inspired by the support of the people all over the country. As a political party we stand on our feet and through Campaigns across the country we are geared up to thwart out the communal forces in our county with the support of Masses. SDPI is committed to change the country as a welfare nation and believes that people’s welfare itself is nation’s welfare. Let’s struggle till Dalit atrocities, Caste Discrimination and Attacks on the Weak come to an End in our beloved Country.

Elyas Mohammed Thumbe is the National General Secretary, Social Democratic Party of India.

Global sea levels rising faster due to global warming

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Man-made climate change responsible for fastest rise in sea levels in the past 2,800 years.

Sea levels rose 14cm during the 20th century [AP]

Sea levels rose 14cm during the 20th century [AP]

by Al Jazeera

Sea levels are rising several times faster than in the past 2,800 years and are accelerating because of man-made global warming, according to new studies.

An international team of scientists dug into two dozen locations across the globe to chart gently rising and falling seas over centuries and millennia. Until the 1880s and the world’s industrialisation, the fastest rise in sea levels was about 3cm to 4cm a century, plus or minus a bit.

During that time the global sea level really did not get much higher or lower than 7.62cm above or below the 2,000-year average. But in the 20th century the world’s seas rose 14cm.

Since 1993 the rate has soared to 30cm and two different studies, published on Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said that by 2100 the world’s oceans would rise between 28 and 131cm, depending on how much heat-trapping gas Earth’s industries and vehicles expel.

“There’s no question that the 20th century is the fastest,” said Bob Kopp, Rutgers earth and planetary sciences professor and the lead author of the study that looked back at sea levels over the past three millennia.

“It’s because of the temperature increase in the 20th century, which has been driven by fossil fuel use.”

If seas continue to rise as projected, another 45cm of sea-level rise will cause lots of problems and expense, especially with surge during storms, said study co-author Stefan Rahmstorf, of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany.

The link to temperature is basic science, the study’s authors say. Warm water expands. Cold water contracts. The scientists pointed to specific past eras when temperatures and sea rose and fell together.

Both studies project increases of about 57 to 131cm if greenhouse gas pollution continues at the current rate. If countries fulfill the treaty agreed last year in Paris and limit further warming to another two degrees Fahrenheit, the rise in sea levels would be in the 28cm to 56cm range.

Syria government willing to accept cessation deal

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Damascus accepts terms of US-Russia agreement, as opposition raises concerns about armed groups not included in deal.

bashar-al-assad

by Al Jazeera

Syria’s government has said it will accept a halt to “combat operations”, after the US and Russia agreed on a plan for the cessation of hostilities to begin this weekend.

Several parties to the conflict, however, were sceptical that any peace deal would actually take effect.

In a statement on Tuesday, President Bashar al-Assad’s government said it would coordinate with Russia to decide what other groups – along with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al-Nusra Front – should be excluded from the plan.

The government stressed the importance of sealing its borders, halting foreign support to armed groups and “preventing these organisations from strengthening their capabilities or changing their positions, in order to avoid what may lead to wrecking this agreement”.

The announcement from Damascus came after the US and Russia said on Monday that the International Syria Support Group had agreed to terms for a cessation of hostilities in Syria.

The agreement called on all sides to sign up to the agreement by midday on Friday, February 26 and to stop fighting by midnight.

Hours after the agreement was announced, the Syrian Opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) – the major opposition bloc involved in negotiations – said it would accept the terms of the deal.

It added, however, that it does not believe Assad’s regime and its allies would do the same.

“Our main concern in the opposition is that both Russia and the regime are not serious about their commitments to the cessation of hostilities,” said HNC spokesman Riyad Naasan Agha.

“Excluding ISIL and Nusra can be a ploy by the regime and their allies to keep slaughtering our civilians and trying to finish off the real Syrian opposition.”

Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor James Bays, reporting from New York, said some critics believed the timing of the deal would allow different sides in the conflict to push for more territory in the lead-up to the truce on Friday.

“Given everything that is happening in Syria, there is not a great deal of optimism about the proposed cessation of hostilities, particularly as many observers fear there will be an increase in the violence – with the warring sides trying to make gains in the days before it is due to start,” he said.

Underscoring those concerns, Russian air strikes continued to pound rebel-held areas of Aleppo city on Monday night, as the government’s offensive continued in the province.

Elsewhere, fighting took place on Tuesday between Syrian rebels and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units in rural areas in the north and west of the province.

Syria’s civil war started five years ago when initially peaceful protests against Assad’s rule gave way to a war that has killed at least 250,000 people and forced millions from the country.

87 year old man, with a complex heart condition deemed inoperable, gets a fresh lease of life

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“Fortis Heart Team replaces the aortic heart valve without opening the chest or heart”

Fortis

Bengaluru: In a show of exemplary teamwork, the Heart Team of Fortis Hospital Bangalore comprising senior Cardiologists, Cardiac surgeons and Cardiac anesthetists under the leadership of Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chairman, Department Of Cardio-Vascular Science, performed a rare procedure called TAVR (Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement) to give a new lease of life to 87-year old Mr. Subba Rao from Mysore. This rare procedure was performed successfully to treat a severe and otherwise inoperable conditionin the patient’s heart in just over an hour.  In contrast to a regular procedure which takes several hours and requires prolonged hospital stay this novel technique took just over an hour to complete and the patient was discharged in just 5 days.

The heart disease had severely affected ’Subba Raos quality of life and created a danger of sudden death. He often experienced shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing during activity and struggled to walk. He also developed a prostate enlargement that forced him to carry urinary bag whenever he stepped outside as the prostate was inoperable due to the diseased heart. Because of multiple diseases and frail health traditional heart surgery posed a very high degree of risk to the patient’s life and hence the doctors at the hospital suggested that he undergo the TAVR procedure.

“Having witnessed some of India’s best cardiac milestones in the last 25 years, we are extremely proud of performing such a technologically advanced procedure with a multi-disciplinary team of cardiac specialists. This technology is at a nascent stage in India and Fortis Hospital Cunningham Road is fortunate to be one of the few hospitals in the State with the medical expertise to perform such a complex procedure. We want to offer this life saving procedure to many more patients and give them a second chance at healthy living. Fortis hospitals across India have been leaders in the use of this technology,” said Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chairman, Dept. Of Cardio-Vascular Science, Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore.

Dr. Gopi, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham Road, who performed the procedure said, “Subba Rao was wheeled into the cath-lab on the day of the operation and after anesthesia, a small incision was put on the groin and a valve was mounted on a wire which was inserted into the artery of his leg. This valve was then deployed on the diseased aortic valve in the heart. In a day’s time the patient was able to move around without much stress. Such procedures are very effective as the recovery is fast and the success rate very high.

In India, only select medical centers which are pre-approved can perform the replacement procedure and that too under the guidance of world renowned medical experts. In this case Dr. Peters Andreka from Hungary was flown in specially to supervise this procedure.

Five days after surgery Subba Rao got discharged and is doing well. His family too has found new hope and is now eagerly waiting for his normalization and rapid recovery. “We are so happy to see him back on his feet as we had lost all hope at one time” said Subba Rao’s son Ramesh.

Congress leads in ZP, TP polls; BJP wins in DK, Udupi

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bjp-congress

Bengaluru/Mangaluru: The Congress in the state managed to secure a lead in more than 12 of the 30 zilla panchayats (ZP) in the recent elections held in two phases.

Trends indicated that the Congress was leading in Bidar, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Kolar, Koppal, Ramanagaram, Tumakuru, Uttara Kannada and Yadgir ZPs.

The story was different in other districts with the BJP leading in Ballari, Bengaluru Urban, Chikkamagaluru, Davanagere, Kodagu and Shivamogga and in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

The JD(S) secured a lead in Mandya and Mysuru.

The counting of votes began on Tuesday morning at 8. The fate of 17,000 candidates was decided in the two phased-elections held on February 13 and 20.

(Agencies)

President for debate, discussion; not disruption of Parliament

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pranab-mukherjee

New Delhi: Parliament reflects the supreme will of the people, President Pranab Mukherjee said today in a strong criticism of disruption and obstruction and called upon all MPs to discharge their responsibilities in a spirit of cooperation and mutual accommodation.

In his customary address to the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament outlining government’s agenda in the coming financial year, he also declared that the government will constantly strive for smooth and construction conduct of Parliamentary business.

“Our Parliament reflects the supreme will of the people. Democratic temper calls for debate and discussion, and not disruption of obstruction.

“My government will constantly strive for smooth and constructive conduct of Parliamentary business. I urge all Members of Parliament to discharge their solemn responsibilities in a spirit of cooperation and mutual accommodation. Let us all collectively endeavour to build a flourishing and prosperous India,” he said.

The President remarks assume significance in the context of repeated disruption of business on various issues, loss of time of Parliament and the stalling of legislative business in Rajya Sabha where the government lacks majority.

The 20-page speech was heard in rapt attention by members in the central hall of Parliament whenever he spoke of the government achievements and new announcements.

“Let noble thoughts come from all directions, should be the spirit behind the debate in this temple of democracy. Being a member of this great institution bestows great honour as well as important responsibilities,” Mukherjee said.

Asserting that the government is fully committed to firmly dealing with all challenges concerning the security of the country, the President said terrorism is a global threat and strong counter-terrorism measures are necessary worldwide to eradicate it completely.

“Let me congratulate the security forces in successfully foiling the recent attack at the Pathankot air base by terrorists. Firm and effective steps will be taken to deal with any situation arising out of cross-border terrorism,” he said.

“My government is committed to forging a mutually respectful relationship with Pakistan and in creating an environment of cooperation in combating cross border terrorism,” Mukherjee said while referring to the government’s foreign policy.

He said the government believes in a secure and prosperous future for the neighbourhood while committing itself to the principle of ‘the world is one family’.

Elaborating on the focus of the government ‘development for all’ beyond just the economic advancements that dominate headlines, the President said the country must ensure that the poor and deprived were truly empowered to take advantage of opportunities to improve their lives.

“Development for all means that backward sections of society are equally valued and are genuine stakeholders in the country’s progress. Development for all implies that we tackle the pollution, traffic, and garbage problems that plague our cities,” he said.

Mukherjee said ‘development for all’ also meant development of the entire world which was why India has to be a responsible member of the global comity of nations helping humanity solve major challenges such as terrorism, climate change and financial instability.

The President said the government is focused on poverty eradication, farmers’ prosperity and massive employment generation.

“The overriding goal for my government is poverty eradication,” he said adding the poorest of the poor were entitled to the first charge on the nation’s resources.

Removing the scourge of poverty and destitution was government’s most sacred moral responsibility, Mukherjee said it was pledge to making this goal possible through financial inclusion and social security, the two wings on which human aspiration takes fight.

“To this end,l my government has placed great emphasis on food security, Housing for All and subsidies that reach those who need them the most, when they need them the most,” he said.

The President said under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna he was proud to say that it was the world’s most successful financial inclusion programme.

“Under the programme, out of over 21 crore accounts opened, 15 crore accounts are operational with an aggregate deposit of over Rs.32,000 crore.

“The programme has gone beyond mere opening of bank accounts to becoming a platform for poverty eradication by offering basic financial services and security to the poor,” he said.

To universalise social security, the President said, the government has launched three new insurance and pension schemes which afford insurance to hitherto uncovered sections of society.

He said targeted subsidies ensure that benefits reach the deserving. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) has so far been extended to 42 schemes funded by the government.

“PAHAL has become the largest direct cash transfer programme of its kind in the world, with nearly 15 crore beneficiaries. Since June 2014, the food security coverage has more than doubled to cover over 68 crore persons.”

The ‘Give-It-Up’ campaign in tandem with the Give-Back programmes has released subsidised fresh connections to 50 lakh below-poverty-line families.

“More than 62 lakh LPG consumers have voluntarily surrendered their LPG consumers have surrendered their LPG subsidy under the campaign. The highest number of new cooking gas connections to9 the rural poor were distributed in 2015,” he said.

The President said the government has fostered competitive cooperation among various states to enhance ‘Ease of Doing Business’. State governments were being encouraged and supported to simplify procedures, introduce e-enabled processes and invest in infrastructure to improve investment climate.

“A series of reforms have been initiated to help convert job seekers into job creators. My government has launched the Start-Up India campaign which would deepen, expand and support the innovation eco system in the country,” he said.

Mukherjee said a landmark agreement with Japan will make the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor a reality.

By March 2019, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 1.78 lakh habitations will be connected with all-weather roads.

“My government has revived a majority of the 73 stalled road projects, completed construction of 7,200 km of high ways and awarded 12,900 km of highway projects which is the highest-ever number of new highway kilometres awarded,” he said amidst thumping of desks by members.

India, the President, said is a haven of stability in an increasingly turbulent global economy. GDP growth has increased making India the world’s fastest growing economy among large economies. Inflation, fiscal deficit and current account deficit have all decreased.

India recorded the highest-ever foreign exchange reserves in 2015, he said. Mukherjee said the government’s concerted efforts to tackle the menace of black money have started yielding results.

With the enactment of the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, a stringent legislative framework has been put in place to combat the menace.

The Gold Monetisation Scheme and Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme in November, 2015 has been launched to ensure productive utilisation of idle assets.

He said the government has taken a number of measures to put in place a simplified, progressive and non-adversarial tax regime by incorporating international prevalent best practices in tax administration.

A gamut of taxpayer facilities like e-filing of returns and various forms, electronic processing and retrieval of documents and online grievance redressal are now available to the citizen, he said.

(PTI)

Women to have 20% representation in Home dept jobs in Karnataka

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G Parameshwara Karnataka

Bengaluru: Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Monday that priority would be given to women while filling up vacant posts in the police department.

Speaking to reporters after an inspection of the all-women police station in Basavanagudi, he said, “I have received inputs that proper representation should be given to women in police stations. The government will reserve about 20 per cent of the seats for women when recruitments happen in future,” the Home Minister said.

“Only about six per cent of the staff in all ranks of the Home department are women, which is very less. The government aims to increase the representation up to 20 per cent. Hence, women will be given priority during the recruitments,” he said and added that the hurdles for the promotion of women staff would be removed soon.He said 10 new women’s police stations were opened recently and the government would soon open a women’s police station in every district, he added. Parameshwara was at the police station for about one and half hours. He held separate meetings to redress grievances of the staff. He obtained inputs about the women’s police station and duties of the staff of various ranks.

The Home Minister checked the attendance register, crime statistics, cells, drinking water supply, rifles among other things.Parameshwara held a separate meeting with DCP (South) B S Lokesh Kumar and obtained some details.

The all-women police station in Basavanagudi was commissioned in 2003 and about 45 police stations come under it. The station has a sanctioned staff strength of 24 and at present, 14 posts are vacant. As many as 24 cases were registered in 2015, of which 11 pertained to dowry harassment. The staff seek the assistance of male police if the situation demands.

The assistance of the male police was sought in arresting two persons from Bihar in a dowry harassment case in January.

(Agencies)

Death toll from Fiji cyclone rises to 21

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Fiji-cyclone

by AsiaOne

Sydney: Fiji began a massive cleanup on Monday after one of the most powerful storms recorded in the southern hemisphere tore through the Pacific island nation, killing 21 people, flattening remote villages and cutting off communications.

Aid agencies warned of a widespread health crisis, particularly in low-lying areas where thousands of Fiji’s 900,000 people live in tin shacks, after crops were wiped out and fresh water supplies blocked.

The Fiji Broadcasting Corp, quoting the country’s National Disaster Management Office, said 21 people had died and four were still missing at sea.

Almost 8,000 people remained hunkered down in hundreds of evacuation centres across Fiji where they had headed before tropical cyclone Winston hit late on Saturday with winds of up to 325 kph (200 mph).

“The death toll from Cyclone Winston continues to rise and reports of widespread damage are coming in from across Fiji,” said New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully. “It is clear that Fiji faces a major cleanup and recovery operation.”

McCully said a New Zealand Defence Force C-130 would leave for the Fijian capital, Suva, later on Monday with relief supplies and an emergency response team.

The majority of the fatalities were along the western coast and were caused mainly by flying debris and drowning in storm surges, authorities said.

A 36-hour curfew was lifted early on Monday, allowing the Fijian military to ramp up efforts to reach the more remote parts of the archipelago of about 300 islands.

“The Fijians are desperately trying to repair severed lines of communication, but they hold grave fears that the news waiting for them will be dire,” said Raijeli Nicole, Pacific regional director of aid group Oxfam.

“Given the intensity of the storm and the images we have seen so far, there are strong concerns that the death toll won’t stop climbing today and that hundreds of people will have seen their homes and livelihoods completely destroyed.”

Aerial footage of outlying islands taken by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and posted on the Fiji government’s official website, showed whole villages flattened and flooded.

Aid agencies were told at a meeting of Fiji’s National Emergency Operations Centre on Monday of potential “catastrophic” damage to Koro Island, Fiji’s seventh-largest island.

“The aerial survey suggested the runway looks OK so they are going to land on this later this afternoon with emergency personal and some supplies,” said Anna Cowley of CARE Australia.

Fiji also reopened its main airport at Nadi.

Food and water supplies are a growing concern, even for areas such as Suva that did not suffer as much damage as the more remote regions.

The Consumer Council of Fiji has urged traders not to sell food and other perishable items that have gone bad due to the effects of the cyclone. The Council’s chief executive Premila Kumar said supermarkets and other food stores should destroy such items.

Survivors spoke of the horror of the cyclone, while aid workers scrambled to help victims.

“The noise was deafening. At one point, I turned to my partner and questioned whether we would actually survive,” Sarah Bingham, an Australian on holiday on Tokoriki Island, told Reuters by telephone.

Paranoid Nationalism Doesn’t Make Us Secure: Admiral Ramdas

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Admiral Ramdas. Photo: IE

Admiral Ramdas. Photo: IE

by Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas

I have been a proud member of the uniformed fraternity for nearly forty-five years before retiring as Head of the Indian Navy in 1993. The present turbulence in our top academic institutions together with continuing manifestations of mob violence, totalitarian behaviour and intolerance, impel me once again, to speak up and share my concerns through this open letter. My two recent letters to the President and Prime Minister have not elicited more than a routine bureaucratic response. I am well aware that I may be one of the few from the fraternity of retired military veterans who continue to take public positions which might not always be in support of government policy. However, I see this is both a right and a duty of a former serviceman and a citizen like myself. I am well aware that serving members in uniform cannot express themselves as per the service conduct rules. However, we veterans out of uniform certainly can and must. If people like myself are quiet today, my grandchildren will ask me “If not you then who”, “if not now, then when”, Thatha?

I refer to the train of events that began with the tragic suicide of Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in December 2015 and continues till today with the unresolved JNU saga. The unprecedented entry of police into the Campus, the ensuing high decibel, high voltage “trial by media”, and subsequent student arrests under serious charges ranging from sedition, anti nationalism and terrorism, has hit headlines across the country. This has created an avoidable polarisation of views thanks to the entire episode having been handled with a lack of sensitivity and blown into a full scale crisis where students are being demonised and conspiracy theories abounding. Thousands of students and civil society groups as well as journalists, have been out on the streets of Delhi taking out some of the biggest, peaceful rallies seen in recent times.

Looking Back

Let me briefly rewind to my personal profile so as to better understand where I am coming from.

I joined the fledgling Indian Navy in January 1949 – barely 16 months after we gained our independence. It was a time of great expectations, big dreams and opportunities. The selection for entry into the Armed Forces of a resurgent India at the end of the sustained struggle against British colonial rule, was heady indeed for a young fifteen year old. Those 45 years in the Navy provided me a panoramic view of events that have unfolded across the world stage. And certainly I had a ring side view of events in an India that had been traumatised by the unprecedented brutality and slaughter of partition – the scars of which linger on in my personal and our collective consciousness on both sides of our borders.

Brick by brick, step by painful step, leaders and citizens together created and built a vision of a new and a free India. This vision, the product of long and tough debates within the Constituent Assembly, sought to encompass the huge and often conflicting diversities that had to be accommodated within the framework of a path breaking Constitutional document. Incorporating the often divergent views of an impressive range of thinkers and visionaries, the Indian Constitution firmly rejected a narrow, exclusionary monoculture in favour of a revolutionary definition of nationhood that was inclusive, confident and transformative under the guiding hand of Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

Armed Forces and the Nation

The Armed Forces of this newly independent nation were an equal part of this combined effort of nation building in a variety of ways -trained as we were to conduct ourselves with discipline and professionalism combined with compassion and a sense of our common humanity and purpose.

The unspoken and sacred credo has been that those in the armed forces will remain a-political. Indeed we forgo many of the normal rights as a citizen, enshrined in the Constitution when we join the Armed Forces. The accepted practice of honouring the principle of political control over the armed forces has been followed without exception ever since independence. However, the quid pro quo of this arrangement, unwritten as it is, implies that the government of the day will discharge its responsibilities towards the people [including the military] with honour and integrity.

After retirement each of us uniformed persons reverts to being a citizen of India, with all the implications of rights, duties and responsibilities that citizenship implies. The Regulations Navy/Army/Airforce are no longer in force. Whether in or out of uniform – we veterans have valued our right to vote – the hall mark of our democratic polity. Exercising our vote does mean that each of us would also choose a particular political position or perspective. The four decades of service in a maturing yet turbulent democracy most certainly impacted my political thinking post retirement.

Man of War to Man of Peace

After my retirement in September 1993, I moved to a village in Alibag, Maharashtra, where I practice organic farming and continue to live till today. Living in rural India has been a total re-education and one which has given me profound insights . I have shared the ups and downs of the life of an ordinary farmer – influenced by the vagaries of weather and pollution, local politics, threats of being evicted for so called development under SEZ, and much more. My years in uniform and first hand experience of two wars, together with a closer understanding of the imminent agrarian crisis which affects some 70% of our population, has directly influenced my belief that true liberation or “azadi” from poverty and hunger, will only come when and if the elites of this land demonstrate greater integrity and less greed. Recent disclosures by the RBI in response to an RTI question by the Indian Express revealed that an amount of 2.11 lakh crores of loans are still owing to the public sector banks by Industry. It has been reported that nearly half of this amount has been written off between 2013 and 2015 by the Govt as bad loans. Surprisingly neither this information nor its impact on the economy has yet been divulged by the Finance Ministry. And yet we have heard strong criticism about the petty amounts granted for education of scholars from weaker sections , in JNU and other universities, as examples of tax payers money being ill spent! We seldom question the fact that loans too come from tax payers money.

To achieve a more just society based on sustainable development, we must build peace through better neighbourhood management. This means finding political solutions to existing problems. Then alone can we reduce our spending on armaments, regulate consumption, balance energy demands, and provide citizens with food , shelter, education, health and employment. I have led and been part of a sustained movement against SEZs in Raigad, and continue to push initiatives for renewable energy. Concerns over safety, cost and waste disposal, have contributed to my active engagement with the movement for Nuclear Disarmament and to end nuclear power by finding carbon free and nuclear free solutions. Efforts to strengthen the peace dividend have led me to take on leadership of organisations like the PIPFPD [Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy]and IPSI [India Pakistan Soldiers Initiative for Peace] . Both PIPFPD and IPSI have promoted people to people contact and better relations with Pakistan. I am also totally opposed to Capital Punishment and the Death Penalty, as also the continued imposition of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act [AFSPA ] – about which I have written and spoken publicly in several fora.

In my view each of the above, constitute areas of engagement which we as citizens not only have a right but a duty to address, even if it is against the policy of any particular government of the day. Does any of the above make me or anyone else anti national? Or less patriotic ? or a Desh Drohi?

I believe not.

My stand on this derives from the principle that political parties and governments alike are bound by the Constitution of the land. Every citizen has the right and the freedom to think and express views without fear of reprisal. The obsolete colonial law of sedition has no place in a modern democracy.

Therefore the question arises : why are we arraigning a Rohith Vemula, a Kanhaiya Kumar and an Umed Khalid under charges of being anti-national, seditious or terrorist activities? From available material it appears that these three young men were only acting to further the objectives outlined in our constitution and not indulging in any anti-national activity.

Nationalism And Who Defines It

In some ways it is a good thing that the death of Vemula, the arrest of Kanhaiya and the witch hunt against Umed Khalid, have actually led to a public debate about the definition of national and anti national, as also of the deeper and more intractable issues around caste, religion and discrimination in our society. The linked question regarding who, if anyone, has the right to decide on my nationalism or lack of it, is equally vexed and needs a longer, more mature discussion. To the best of my knowledge this has not been done since Independence. The existing laws and practice on this are largely inherited from the colonial period and were never addressed in a contemporary framework. This is critical for a mature democracy. Jingoism, waving the national flag, and shouting slogans , are not equivalent to a certification of patriotism. Upping the ante and making allegations of seditious behaviour and terrorist ties – may not pass judicial scrutiny. Many have publicly disagreed with the sloganeering and forms of protest, but none of this is new or radical . Certainly it is ludicrous to think that a few students can threaten the unity of the country, as is sought to be established by some media houses and their invisible paymasters.

If anything has been a matter of deep concern to someone like me, it is the spectacle of alleged members of the legal profession being allowed to run amok in the courtroom and to both threaten and actually assault scribes, students, teachers and Kanhaiya Kumar. All this, while the large numbers of police present apparently stood by and did nothing from all accounts. This is unacceptable from a uniformed, and a so called disciplined police force.

I have been through the wide range of written reports, and audio-visual material available in the public domain on the JNU and HCU imbroglio. The real tragedy to me lies in the fact that this entire exercise of raising the alarm on foreign funded, possibly terrorist and seditious activies, has been orchestrated in order to demand the shutting down and ‘sanitising‘ such a prestigious institution. One is forced to conclude that this smacks of a ‘false flag exercise’. And this is serious. By all means investigate the matter; allow the university officials to handle the students with appropriate disciplinary action. But great discretion and caution must be exercised before calling in the police; and worse , to make serious charges of sedition.

Way Ahead

Those who are leading the clamour for shutting down and/or “sanitisation” of JNU seem to have no idea of what this implies, and are exhibiting a frightening tendency to follow the mob blindly.

This might be a good moment to remind ourselves that in addition to being held in high esteem internationally, JNU is also among the few universities in India which recognises the courses run by Military Institutions like the NDA, NDC, the Naval Academy and others. Ties between service institutions and university departments have been carefully forged in order that our military personnel continue to benefit from these interactions and remain at the cutting edge of the latest strategic thinking. There are several service personnel who have had the benefit of attending academic courses at JNU and indeed are among the Alumnii. There are also civil servants and police officers who are in a similar category. I have intentionally mentioned this so that my band of brothers and sisters amongst ex-service veterans will carefully weigh the consequences of any hasty actions such as returning degrees and awards.

I have outlined at some length the many reasons for why I write this note today. It is imperative that senior public figures like myself and others speak out, to raise an alarm, before it is too late. Recent history has shown us that totalitarian regimes have come to power because good people chose to keep silent. Above all else it is imperative that we must preserve our democratic spaces and the freedom, indeed the right, to question, to dissent and to debate – especially in our institutions of higher learning. JNU has been a frontrunner in producing thinkers and professionals who are not scared to speak out. Frankly, after listening carefully to the speech of the young union leader – Kanhaiya – it left me with a reassuring feeling that all must be well in this complex and disparity riddled country if a young man in his twenties can speak with such compassion, intellect and passion about the real challenges and dangers we face in this land.

Far more than saluting a flag [which of course I continue to do with honour and respect] – it is the thoughts articulated by young idealists like a Rohit Vemula, a Kanhaiya Kumar, a Shehla Rashid and yes a Umar Khaled all of whom together with the many unnamed and unsung women and men across this country, embody the true spirit of nationalism and patriotism. We must collectively ensure that we not only protect those who have not yet been pushed to take the extreme steps like Rohith Vemula, but ensure that justice is promised and done to those presently in custody or forced into hiding, for fear of their lives.

In the ultimate analysis , human security is the best guarantee for National Security.

Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas is a former Chief of Naval Staff. This article first appeared on The Citizen.

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