Rebuilding India

A truly secular government would not segregate the communities and religions. It would not operate based on dividing lines.

A truly secular government would achieve integration of communities and religions. It would blur the dividing lines, if they exist.

Mahatma Gandhi said "Swaraj is synonymous with Rama Raj—the establishment of the Kingdom of Righteousness on earth."

So, one can clearly see, Gandhi did not see in terms of one religion against the other. He rather created a composite thought wherein Ram Rajya could bring common good of all in our society as much as the brotherhood of Islam could spread harmony of existence. In the present context, there has been an attempt to bring in disharmony amongst communities by way of unilateral declarations that ideas derived from Hinduism are necessarily opposed to Islam. An attempt is being made that we cannot consider the ancient ideals and inspirations from Hinduism as common heritage of the country if we want to be secular. That is not how it should be. The ideals from the lives of Ram and Krishna are as much those of Hindus as those of the people who follow Islam. They are universal.

"I have accepted all the names and forms attributed to God as symbols connoting one formless omnipresent Rama. To me, therefore, Rama described as the lord of Sita, son of Dasharatha, is the all-powerful essence whose name inscribed in the heart, removes all suffering? mental, moral and physical."....Mahatma Gandhi, Harijan, 2-6-''46

When we look from that perspective, we can see the folowing points so meaningfully:

• We can bring in Ram Rajya in India. We can spread the message of Rahim and Kabir in India. We can spread the message of Guru Nanak in India.

• We can spread the fragrance of the love of Jesus in India.We can spread the Din-e-Ilahee of Akbar in India and can teach the tolerance and composite thought of Dara Shikoh.

• We can teach the message of universal family from Hinduism and we can spread the brotherhood of all from Islam.

That is how, by integrating the faiths and by creating an inclusive polity, we can rebuild a great nation called India

The Elitist Congress and Chidambaram's Dislike for the Poor

The problem is that the elitist Congress sends it Yuvaraj to a Dalit house to eat, but, when the same Dalit, Backward, or the Poor tries to return the favour and comes to Delhi, he is unwelcome and is branded as criminal.

Crime is due to the prevalence of Police Raj and corrupt government. Crime is due to nourishment and favours shown to gangsters and mafia. Crime is due to the feeling amongst the rowdies - out there in any society - that they can get away with it.

The elitist Congress does not like the smell of a poor man's clothes around in the pink winters of Delhi...they only want votes and then they want sprawling green lawns to take a stroll around for next five year. Do not disturb! This is an order from Mr. Chidambaram... have you noticed the martinet in him for those not in power or for those who are disadvantaged, as if they did not deserve an existence!

And yes where is the grand old lady Mrs. Shiela Dixit, after CWG corruption saga, she is busy in strategy building, perhaps. She too does not feel positive about the migrants. Ah, it's a collective problem of ideology of this government and its leaders.

As You Remain Silent Rahul!

The range of questions is expanding

And the murmurs are turning into clamours

The central hall echoed with the thundering claps when you spoke about Kalavati

And indeed, Kalavati received her alms too…

But, as the great powers of Delhi kept a watch

An unimaginable amount of money of the likes of Kalavati got looted – just in a game
And you remained silent as usual Rahul…

Perhaps purposefully so!

Do we label it as your inexperience or do we call it your intent (?)

Please do not ask us to believe,

That this was all about bureaucratic mess,

Or that you were just unaware!

In the telecom corruption saga,

Alas, we had no choice but to stand and watch helplessly from a distance,

Our very own money was being looted as your ministers kept a watch,

Now insisting on an endless enquiry, the government is teaching us patience immense.

Just do not tell us

This is all about Manmohan ji dear

The reins in the hands of  Sonia ji are strong enough to control all known to be the powers of the day

We know all this and much more, even though, we are just Kalavati and Natthulal in the fray.

The range of questions is expanding

And the clamours are turning into slogans

Under the foundation of the Kargil building, you lost the probity to be there at the helms in Delhi

But you remain silent as usual Rahul!

The merciless whipping by the inflationary policies has left the tongues of the masses numb

And lo behold! You walk into the scene with a ‘tasla’ to move some mud, as if attempting a cruel joke

We would have had some respite if the pulses were a bit cheaper and if we could afford a bit of onion...

We could have carried our 'tasla' happily on our own and you would have been spared the glare of the cameras.

The range of questions is expanding

And the slogans are leading to mass movements…

On Pravakta - Yah Kaisa Loktantra ?

http://www.pravakta.com/story/16364

Divisive and Anti National Statements on Kashmir and the Silence of Congress Led Central Governement

Read at:

Article on Pravakata:

http://www.pravakta.com/story/15329

Ulook Darshan - Owl Philosophy

Read at:

http://www.pravakta.com/story/15294

Arundhati Roy – Crusading Against India

Out of a choice between the company of a malicious person and a snake, one should  choose that of a snake as the snake is likely to strike only when the death is destined whereas a malicious person is bound to strike at every step (Chanakya Niti, 3.4)

Arundhati Roy, the author with the Booker Prize winning credentials to her favour has been acting maliciously against India and its people. She has been leaving no opportunity to side with the people who are openly against the very idea of a democratic and sovereign India.

The Corrupt Politics of Common Wealth Games - Delhi 2010

Finally common Indian citizen has been spared the ignominy of a possibility of failed Common Wealth Games... the games got over and the medals tally was good enough, rather excellent, as compared to all our past performances. Imagine the situation, the Indians across the globe kept feeling the gloomy scenarios for so many weeks!

Ah, who invited this trouble in the first place! That must be quite a botheration for many.

The other day Sheila Dikshit, the honourable chief minister of Delhi was heard on a TV show stating something to the effect that so far as the work got over and the games could start, how did it matter whether the work got over early or just in time...! Imagine the sense of responsibility from our famous politician. She was presumably the most accountable person in Delhi to ensure that the games could be planned and played well keeping the pride of Delhi intact. And now that the games are over she is putting the onus of responsibility on Kalmadi.

Then there is the Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi who is discreetly keeping from Suresh Kalmadi. Rahul Gandhi, the young Congress MP could also be seen interacting with the players and officers recently while Kalmadi was missing from the scene.

So, who is Suresh Kalmadi and how come everybody is being made to believe that he is the only one responsible.

First of all, Suresh Kalmadi is a member of parliament (Lok Sabha) belonging to none other but the Congress of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. He has been associated with Congress in various capacities since as early as 1978 when he was president of Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress. He has been an active politician and currently is a sitting MP from Pune in Maharashtra. He is well known and could not be someone who could be operating in the dark alleys of politics without being seen by the watchful eyes of Congress supremo. In fact no one from Congress could lead such important gaming events and could hold such critical prtfolios without being in the good books of Congress supremo.

It is impossible for Kalmadi and his associates being the only ones responsible for the corrupt and inefficient handling of the preparations for the Common Wealth Games. He is only the scapegoat. The entire episode of singling out Kalmadi and his associates is meant to hide the bigger players behind the dust and smoke.

Maoist Sympathisers Celebrate the Death of Morals

Living on the high moral grounds, the Maoist sympathisers have got used to celebrating victories in their own ways. Today, Sep 03, 2010 must have been a day of celebrations for them. After all, thay can now claim to be free from the heavy load of almost dead morals that they were carrying with them.

The killing of the abducted helpless cop on his official duty by the Maoists must have relieved them of this last burden from their lives.

The "goddess of big things" would now have a reason to feel reassured. Nobody listened to her demand to give away Kashmir to the separatists. Now she has more support. After the success of her novel, Arundhati Roy thought it to be her "moral duty" to take to social causes and having laid her hands on a variety of issues, she found partition of India to be the most potent idea to be appealing to her. How narrow could be her thought that she believed that rest of Indians had no claim on Kashmir. Kashmir belonged only to the separatists. And to add to the blatant errors, she has shown no concerns for the plight of Kashmiri Pandits. She just does not seem to understand India.

Medha Patkar seemed to be doing all the right things with her pro tribals and displaced people's movement. However, she could not understand the difference between the right to oppose and the options to coexist. Living in an ecosystem does not mean that no one else is allowed there. Living on the banks of a river does not mean that the river belongs to that set of people only. The larger population in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere could see the flaw in her approach. Having lost her movement in the waters of Narmada, "the voice of tribals" could consider telling them to follow this new trend to overthrow democracy in India.  If that is not the case, what  explanations can she offer now?


Shyam Vepa Rao, now known as Swami Agnivesh, the self proclaimed messiah of the bonded labourers can go back and tell the world the successful methods of  his Maoist friends in dealing with people under bondage. He belongs to Chattisgarh. He has a degree in Law and Economics. Due to his leanings towards Arya Samaj, he got a foothold in Haryana. He is known to have said "It is wrong to attribute the wrongdoings of a few individuals to the whole community", in the context of Islam. He is forgetting his own preachings now when the Maoists are bent upon detroying the entire fabric of democracy in India in the name of wrongdoings on the part of corrupt politicians. Is he under pressure?

And yes, the power of having government at your side leaves one in safe hands, she is not answerable to us little mortals. Her position is truly enviable in any case. The lady with an agenda needs no introduction. How would Ms. Banerji justify the Maoist killings is for everyone to guess.

In the mean time, let us, the common people of India, at least lament the death of the morals and join the poor and the downtrodden sharing the grief of the family of the cop killed by the Maoists. The cop killed by the Maoists indeed was a poor man. May his soul rest in peace!

A Saffron Title with Fears

There is an uproar on the Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram's remarks in a meeting with police officers in India. Mr. Chidambaram expressed his concerns about a phenomenon called "saffron terror". The use of this phrase is understood to suggest something more than the colour of terrorists. The home minister was certainly not talking about a code worded plot of terrorists. He was referring to a concept as understood by him and others who might be agreeing to his approach to handling law and order in our country. 

It is not an easy situation after these remarks.

The home minister of a country like India is a very powerful person. The police officers present there in that meeting also wield a huge amount of power.

It is likely that many people would now start packing their baggages with more care when they leave for out-of-station visits. In case the baggage is checked and a saffron dress is found by the police officer on duty, it might be construed to be indicating to the same phenomenon that the honourable home minister mentioned.

And what if there is a religious book in the baggage? Most of the religious books published for majority community carry a cloth cover which is also saffron. What should be the plan of action in such a situation?

Then there is a problem with spiritual discourses too. The majority community preachers come dressed in saffron. Are we supposed to attend such spiritual discourses in future or we should avoid them till the preachers change the colour of their dress? After all, post the instructions and guidelines from the home minister, the saffron colour clothed spiritual preachers might be subject of police investigations and all those who attend such discourses could be called to the police station for extended inquiries!

Where all is the colour saffron used? It is present in our national flag too. We have so much pride in our national flag and the saffron, white and green colours on our flag have meanings that are unquestionable.

During the festival of colours - HOLI - we might have a problem if the law enforcement agencies doubt our motive in using saffron colour. One should be cautious there.

And yes, very important, in the drawing classes that our kids attend to in their schools, we must be watchful whether the teacher is more focussed on saffron colour. We must regularly scrutinize the drawing books when kids come back from schools and look for any signs of this saffron phenomenon.

This is becoming a serious and daunting task Mr. Home Minster. The implications are huge.

The majority community in India might be in need for a major change at cultural, traditional and spiritual levels if this wave of thought catches momentum. But we have no choice after your remarks Sir. You are too powerful to be questioned about the propriety of your remarks! We are just a speck of dust in front of your powers and the forces.

But we are committed to work on nation buliding and we are hopeful that you would allow us to participate in spite of our seemingly doubtful background after your meaningful remarks as we have so much association with this single colour - Saffron.

Kashmir - For Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, ...for All Indians

The separatist thought that Kashmir belongs to them is flawed when judged on parameters of natural justice and historical perspective. Kashmir has remained part of greater definition of India since ages. Emperor Ashoka included Kashmir as part of his larger empire during his reign. Kashmir was a Hindu majority area till 1349 A.D. when Shah Mir became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir (1).

The above is important to note as by no arguments it can be claimed, as separatists try to explain, that Kashmir is a separate entity as a region and belongs to them only. Whole of India shares a great cultural, emotional, and national bond with Kashmir and we will not allow separatist demands to succeed. India is a democratic country and Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and all others have a right to live here and all have a duty to protect the unity and integrity of India.

We as Indians strongly oppose the idea of Autonomy to Kashmir and submit to the Government of India not to accept such demands of the separatists.

The hammer of autonomy will not throw separatists out of Kashmir, it would rather push the nail of separatism deeper into the Kashmir valley. The Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh must give attention to this issue and adopt an approach of integration of Kashmir through constitutional amendments. We in India are keen to embrace our Kasmiri fellow citizens in the mainstream with all love and affection!

References:
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir

Let Me Reply Mr. M. F. Husain

The literary expressions abound in similes and the visual expressions of thought abound in images.

These expressions of art need to be creative with responsibility.

Nature is creative and is responsible too. When Mr. M. F. Husain painted, India thought he was painting as an Indian with a mature background of the ethos of tolerance and coexistence. He erred though, and took liberties in being creative with nudity of Goddesses of the majority community while teaching them lessons in tolerance and with the expectations of high monetary value of such controversial works. He certainly did not dare to do so to the faith that he himself followed. The things went out of hand and the result is that he feels sad that others could not tolerate such expressions of art. Mr. M. F. Husain could not hear the mourns of lakhs of Kashmiris (he would perhaps prefer to call them as Kashmiri Pandits or only Pandits rather) being forced out of their lands and he did not wish to paint the painful plight of those helpless Kashmiri kids who did not pelt stones, the Kashmiri women who did not beat the chests, the Kashmiri men who did not revolt...there was no one to listen to them, they were being asked to leave their own homes in Kashmir or else convert to Islam. The other option was death. Mr. M. F. Husain rather chose to enjoy the high price being offered to him for his paintings in India.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/I-left-India-for-freedom-and-out-of-fear-Husain/articleshow/6277828.cms

Now here are a set of people in Kashmir, wanting to take away a part of India by claiming it exclusively belonging to them and for achieving that purpose, they choose to take shelter behind children and women. These separatists indoctrinate young minds and influence the women for years and years with the help of cross border support. The seeds have been poisoned and the harvest is spoilt. Mr. M. F. Husain, you need to see this with a larger perspective and realize for yourself why the kids would pick stones...!!!

The need is to not to blame India itself, the need is that we must understand that the lessons of tolerance and coexistence are not for one community alone, they are for all and in this process we all have to join hands rather than fight for separation, because, fighting for separation will result in a counter fight for integration, and one may like it or not, the fights are always painful.

Militants in Kashmir issue Threats to Sikhs living there to either Convert to Islam or Leave the Valley

The inevitable has manifested. The last bastion of false hope has been destroyed. The ugly face of separatist politics of Kashmir is naked in front of us.

The militants in Kashmir have decided to hit at the last set of people other than those who follow Islam. Will ordinary citizens of India still sit silent and wait for the Government to act? Do we really believe that the Government would act without a pressure from the citizens of this country? I think the time has come that the battle has to be fought by every citizen of this country who believes that Kashmir belongs to us and we will not allow the separatists to take it away by force, coercion or whatever other means that they might adopt.

This is no simple threat. It is a challenge to the very concept of India.

This threat means that Islamic fundamentalist forces intend to take away entire India peice by piece. They want to convert whole of India step by step because they cannot devour the whole of it in a single go. They are on the job while we sit watching soap operas in front of our TV sets thinking that the problem is too far away.

Problem is not too far away. It is creeping towards all of us, step by step, and the days are not far off when it will knock right at our own doors. We need to create awareness. We need to mobilize mass movement. We need to be there by the side of our bretherens in Kashmir valley. We need to communicate to all concerned that if this is not handled with a tough hand and integrity of India remains at stake the same way as it is today, then, the patriots of India would be left with no option but to give a call for "Kashmir Chalo - March to Kashmir" and they would create a new Kashmir where the writ is run by Indians and not by the separatists. I'm sure the call would be answered by all those who believe in India - Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and all the rest.

Red Fort Address of the Prime Minister - Aug 15, 2010... "...We also consider it our duty to protect the minorities..."

The Independence Day speech of our respected Prime Minister is a valuable indicator of the policies of the Government and highlights what the political party in power considers paramount in its opinion.

We are a secular country and a democracy too. Our constitution provides the philosophical framework and executive and judicial mechanism to protect the rights of the citizens of our country in general.

Article 30 of the Constitution provides that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Apart from this there is no significant constitutional provision in my knowledge that delineates specific approach to minority protection. However, it must be due to some very important reasons that our honourable Prime Minister has chosen to state so on an Independence Day speech.

I, after due thought have a request to make to the leaders of our country. In the light of this resolve on the part of the PM, kindly take up the issue of the minorities in Kashmir, i.e. the Kashmiri Pandits. The reason why the separatists have become so bold in demanding separation form India is this: our government could not protect the right of Kashmiri Pandits to live with peace in the ancestoral homes in the Kashmir Valley.

The Kashmiri Pandits indeed are a minority in Kashmir. They were inhabitants in Kashmir for ages and were forced to leave when terrorists threatened them with dire consequences and violence erupted in the valley with their homes and property burnt. They need protection and safe passage back to the valley and an atmosphere needs to be created to generate trust amongst them. I hope the Government of India (GOI) would work in the true spirit of secularism and take care of the sad plight of Kashmiri Pandits who have become homeless because of terrorist violence.

Once this crucial step towards normalcy of situation in Kashmir is taken up, the separatist forces would be forced to reconcile with the fact that the GOI is serious about ensuring the rights of its people irrespective of religion, and is particularly conscious about protecting the minorities, even if it is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

I hope our honourable Prime Minister would pay heed to this logical corollary of his speech on August 15, 2010 from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Proposal for Autonomy to Kasmir

My fellow Indians, the idea of Autonomy for Kashmir has generated deep anguish in my heart and I believe there would be hundreds of millions of Indians sharing this feeling. This idea is fraught with danger to Indian nationhood and the situation demands active attention of all those who care for this land of ours.

This proposal will take India towards one more partition. Such proposals are filled with false notion of grandness in the minds of the rulers of the day and are the result of the misconception that if one is unable to handle a situation one can give away a part of our country.

I'll express my opinion on this subject through this forum and I appeal to all of you to mobilize opinion, generate resources and create alliances to oppose this proposal.

Let us fight this out this time before this wrong decision harms our beloved country.