Is there a level of political violence that a state must reach before it becomes national news? If not, what explains the country’s stony silence to the savagery in West Bengal?

The state has been plunging deeper and deeper into the abyss of political violence, while the ruling deity of the cult moves around the country with tolerance, peace and democracy on her lips. It is nearing that point from where there may be no return. And yet all it elicits is unconcern.

What happened to Dhiren Let, a former four-time MLA of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), in Mayureshwar in Bibhum district on Saturday should have been on the front page of all the national dailies. It, however, found place in only The Telegraph. Continue reading React To The Savagery in West Bengal →

दो वर्ष पहले लालू प्रसाद के दल के एक नेता ने पटना से दिल्ली की एक रेल यात्रा के दौरान मुझे बताया था कि लालू प्रसाद के पारिवारिक समीकरण के जाल में कैसे उनका दल फँस गया है.पुत्रों में किसका महत्त्व होगा,पुत्री उपेक्षित तो नहीं होगी,लालू प्रसाद के लिए इन झगड़ों को सुलझाना एक बड़ा सरदर्द है.

उस वक्त उन्होंने बताया था कि लालू प्रसाद के बड़े बेटे के प्रति माँ की ममता के दबाव से लड़ना लालूजी के लिए उतना ही कठिन साबित होगा जितना अपनी पहली पारी में पत्नी के भाइयों की   आपराधिक दबंगई से निबटना था.उन दोनों को ही खुली छूट मिल गई और बिहार एक भयानक अराजकता में फँस गया. उन सालों में न जाने कितनी बार ‘मृच्छकटिक’ के पात्र शकार के उस संवाद का ध्यान हो आया, “तू जानता नहीं, मैं राजो को सालो हूँ.” Continue reading बिहार के जनादेश को लालू प्रसाद का पहला तमाचा →

No matter who wins, Bihar would be a loser. Social justice faces a roll-back .’Secular’ politics exposed. Governance a non-issue
This is what thinker-politician Yogendra Yadav had tweeted on September 9.

He, like many others, was not for the Bharatiya Janata Party but was unhappy with Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar for having forged an alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress. That the move robbed Nitish Kumar and, in turn, Bihar of the possibility of an alternative politics, was – and still is – the view of many like him. Continue reading The politics of the Bihar-Verdict →

‘For Nitish Kumar the message is to be democratic. With the support of the BJP, he had suppressed criticism in Bihar. He would also need to change his highly authoritarian way of governance.’

‘The Grand Alliance, given the decisive mandate in its favour, cannot afford to fail the people. They have a duty to make it a model for the rest of India,’

‘The people of Bihar have shown that they are not communal and that they are literate,’ read a Facebook post of a school teacher who is also a Muslim woman after the trends of the election results of Bihar firmed up. Her Facebook history shows that she is a normal, apolitical, if not non-political, person who defines her life within the circle of her family and friends.

On Sunday, November 8, when some television news channels started predicting a comfortable victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party, a middle age housewife, again a Muslim, hovering round the television set, asked her husband, ‘Does this mean we’ll have to live in constant fear now?’

“Assalamualaikum,” was the early morning greeting I received when my phone rang the next morning. On the other side was a friend, currently in the US. He is not a Muslim, but he belongs to the much maligned community of those who are now officially called ‘sickulars’ by the BJP and its friends, against whom a leading Bollywood actor organised a march in Delhi a few days back.

A day before the results, a friend, again a non-Muslim, and a hardened professional journalist who does not like to be called ‘secular’ told me that it was necessary for the BJP to be defeated in the Bihar elections for the profession of journalism to get breathing space to revive itself in its integrity. Continue reading The Message From Bihar →

Remember,Lalu Prasad and Rahul Gandhi have been  been saying all along that the BJP is not a normal democratic political party.It is the mask of the RSS.

The new leader of the BJP, Narendra Modi is, however RSS+.

For the RSS to survive and keep BJP under its thumb, it’ll have to control Narendra Modi. Will it happen? They can only hope at this juncture.

While reading it, keep the dateline in your mind: July 26, 2013

Yashwant  Sinha is a worried man these days. He is apprehensive of his leader Narendra Modi being taken for a ride by the Congress party. He says that the Congress party is laying a trap for him, a trap of the binary of Communalism and Secularism and  fears that his upward looking Narendra Modi might fall in it. So, well  wisher that he is of Narendra Bhai, he wants to alert him: do not get  entangled in the conspiracy of the wily Congress. He appeals to Narendra Modi to stick to people’s issues and not let the political discourse  shift to the terrain of the Secularism  versus Communalism debate.

And then Yashwant Sinha rushes to clarify- ‘ No, no, he was speaking  to Congress and not to Narendra Modi’. After all, how can HE, the SAB-JANTA-WALA be  advised by an ordinary party member like him? Sinhaji only wants the nefarious design of the Congress to be foiled. Read what he writes, “The Modi-baiters have a clear game plan. The more he speaks, the more controversy they will create. The pre- election political discourse will, thus, be distorted and attention will shift from the mis-governance and corruption of this government to what happened more than 11 years ago in Gujarat. We must bring the discourse back from the past to the present.” Continue reading Is it end road for the BJP’s very own Stalin? →

(First published by Catchnews on 29 October,2015)

The man has spoken yet again. If the liberals keep complaining even after this about his silence, they should go and get their ears checked.

He speaks again and again, but they do not hear him. Is it just their old ‘secular’ embarrassment that prevents them from accepting what he has been saying all along in his own voice?

This time, the mobiliser, or polariser, tried to give an anti-Muslim spin to the reservation debate. He told his audience that there was a conspiracy being hatched by Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar to snatch away the quota of the Extremely Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes, and give it to a particular community. He left the community unnamed. Continue reading The Polariser is peddling a lie that could lead to a civil war. And yet we’re silent. →

Continue reading It is not about BEEF any longer, it is about life: Gaurav Jain →

This statement in Hindi is followed by an English statement.

हम पहले की बातें भूल भी जाएं फिर भी राजधानी दिल्ली के निकट के दादरी गांव में 29 सितंबर को मुहम्मद अखलाक की पीट-पीट कर की गई वहशियाना हत्या से ले कर 16 अक्तूबर को हिमाचल प्रदेश में पीट-पीट कर मारे गये नोमन अख्तर की हत्या तक जैसे जहरीली हवा बहाई जा रही है, उन सबसे हम बेहद व्यथित अौर शर्मिंदा हैं. अौर इस अाग में प्रधानमंत्री अौर उनकी सरकार अौर पार्टी के लोगों ने जिस तरह घी डालने का काम किया है, वह किसी अपशकुन की तरह दिखाई देता है. मुंबई में सुधींद्र कुलकर्णी के चेहरे पर पोती गई काली स्याही फैलती हुई कश्मीर तक पहुंच रही है अौर अंधेरा गहरा रहा है. हम पूरी जिम्मेवारी से कहना चाहते हैं कि ये घटनाएं अफवाहों से उन्मादित भीड़ का पागलपन नहीं है बल्कि देश के सांप्रदायिक माहौल को बिगाड़ने की योजनाबद्ध कोशिशें हैं. इन सबसे देश में एक ऐसा माहौल बनता दिखाई दे रहा है जिसमें कानून, संविधान अौर इन सबसे ऊपर भारतीय समाज की समन्वयकारी संस्कृति पर लगातार चोट पड़ रही है.

हम जानते हैं कि इससे पहले भी सरकारें, पुलिस-व्यवस्था अादि अपने कर्तव्यपालन में विफल होती रही हैं अौर समाज का सांप्रदायिक सद्भाव टूटता रहा है. लेकिन हम जिसे चिंता व अाशंका से देख रहे हैं वह तो वह माहौल है जिसमें अल्पसंख्यकों को लगातार असुरक्षा की तरफ धकेला जा रहा है अौर इस माहौल से लोगों को अागाह करने वाले लेखकों-बुद्धिजीवियों को मारने व अपमानित करने का सिलसिला चलाया जा रहा है. लेखकों-संस्कृतिकर्मियों ने सरकारी सम्मानों-पुरस्कारों को वापस लौटाने का जो सिलसिला चलाया है, वह असहमति की उनकी बेहद रचनात्मक कोशिश है. उसका सम्मान करने अौर उनकी पीड़ा को समझने की जगह उनका उपहास किया जा रहा है अौर उन पर बदनीयती का अारोप लगाया जा रहा है. हम केंद्र सरकार को सावधान करते हैं कि उसकी सदाशयता पर देश भर में गंभीर सवाल खड़े हो रहे हैं. इसकी अनदेखी उसे भी अौर समाज को भी भारी पड़ेगी. पार्टियां अौर सरकारें नहीं, हमारी चिंता के केंद्र में भारतीय समाज की वह संरचना है जो इस राष्ट्र की अात्मा है अौर जिससे खेलने की इजाजत हम किसी को नहीं दे सकते.

इस दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटनाक्रम से सरकार क्या सबक लेती है अौर इस चेतावनी को वह कैसे कबूल करती है, इस पर हमारी भी अौर सारे देश की भी नजर रहेगी. गांधी-परिवार के हम प्रतिनिधि उन सबसे क्षमा मांगते हैं जिनके घर-परिवार का नुकसान हुअा है अौर हम हर हिंदुस्तानी से कहना चाहते हैं कि अाज शांति अौर सद्भाव ही सबसे बड़ा अौर बेशकीमती विकास है.

गोपीनाथन नायर, अध्यक्ष                                               कुमार प्रशांत, अध्यक्ष

     रामचंद्र राही, मंत्री                                                     अनुपम मिश्र, संपादक ‘ गांधी मार्ग’                          

 गांधी स्मारक निधि, नई दिल्ली                                          गांधी शांति प्रतिष्ठान, नई दिल्ली 

Press Release 

Peace and harmony is the real ‘development’

Public statement of Senior Gandhians  

Even if we were to forget the past, the recent events, vitiating the communal harmony in the country, are extremely painful and disturbing. On 29^th September, a violent mob lynched 52 years old Muhmmad Akhlaq in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh. Since then the discord has spread over the country and on 16^th October Noman Akhtar was beaten to death in Himachal Pradesh.  The Prime Minister, his government and his party have only added fuel to the fire in these past weeks. This is a bad omen. The black ink thrown on Sudheendra Kularni’s face has now reached Kashmir and the smugness is spreading. With full responsibility, we would like to say that these events are not random and do not merely result of rumours. This is a systematic effort to create communal tensions in the nation. It is not just a matter of law and order, the environment thus created is hurting the core of Indian culture.

We are aware that the previous governments and the police did not have any better record on the matter and that the communal tensions have been erupting time and again. But it is the direction and the intent of the recent events that has made us suspicious and worried. There is a constant attempt to push the minorities to the corner. Intellectuals and literary personalities raising their voice against this intolerance, they are being victimised and insulted. Authors and cultural personalities have been returning the awards and honours given to them in the past. It is a very positive way of showing their dissent. Instead of respecting their opinion and understanding their pains, they are being made a laughing stock. We would like to caution the government that its intentions are under a cloud of suspicion. Brushing the matter under the carpet will make the whole society, including them, pay for it. Parties and governments are irrelevant here. We are more worried about the tried and tested inclusive structure of Indian society. It is the soul of Indian society and we cannot allow anyone to play with it.

We, along with the whole nation, are closely watching the steps and initiatives taken by the government in response to the unfortunate incidences in various parts of the country. On behalf of the Gandhian family, we ask for forgiveness from the families who have lost their near and dear ones, and homes. We also want to convey to every Indian that peace and harmony are the biggest and priceless ‘development’ that any country can have.

Gopinanathan Nayar : President                                                         Kumar Prashant: President

Ramchandra Rahi : Secretary                             Anupam Mishra: Editor ‘ Gandhi Marg’ 

Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, New Delhi                             Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi

GUEST POST by SATYA SAGAR

They say one should not speak ill of the dead. And yet I propose to do precisely that about Dr Abdul Kalam, the `Austere, Hardworking, Diligent’ and now recently departed ‘Missile Man’.

I am willing to break convention on this occasion for several reasons.

The first one is a very simple and practical one. I have always found it very safe to speak ill of the dead. For, not only do dead men ‘tell no tales’, they also ‘pull no triggers’. And since neither me nor Dr Kalam (as far as I know) have ever believed in ghosts I doubt he is coming back to haunt my house anytime soon.

Secondly, I find it difficult to subscribe to the popular media fiction that Dr Kalam rose from a modest background to the highest positions in the country merely through dint of learning, commitment and a burning passion for great achievements in his heart. While there are many good, sincere, hard-working scientists in the variousinstitutions Dr Kalam was part of,mostof themwill not rise to any big administrative or political positions as only afew know howto play the game of ‘patriotism’ to promote their own careers. Continue reading Goodbye Dr Abdul ‘Strangelove’ Kalam: Satya Sagar →

तीस्ता के जेल जाने के मायने हैं भारत की आत्मा को कैद करना.यह कोई काव्योक्ति नहीं है.आत्मा कोई भौतिक यथार्थ नहीं है.वह है सत्य को पहचानने और उसके अनुसार काम करने का साहस अर्जित करने की हमारी आकांक्षा का एक दूसरा नाम. वह हमें अपनी सांसारिक क्षुद्रताओं को पहचानने और उनसे सीमित हो जाने पर लज्जित हो पाने की क्षमता है.आत्मा क्या है,यह आपको तब मालूम होगा जब आप सी बी आई के अधिकारियों से अकेले में बात करें और तीस्ता के साथ इस संस्था के व्यवहार पर उनकी प्रतिक्रिया सुनें.वे जो कर रहे हैं,उसकी अनैतिकता का उन्हें पूरा अहसास है.वे जानते हैं कि वे अपनी आत्मा को कुचल कर ही तीस्ता के साथ वह कर सकते हैं,जो अभी वे कर रहे हैं. Continue reading तीस्ता हमारे खून की प्यासी नहीं →

Guest Post  By ENAKSHI GANGULY

(A response to THE CHILD LABOUR (PROHIBITION AND REGULATION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2015) 

The Government of India is presenting before the country an amendment to the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012. This amendment had been first proposed by the UPA government in 2012.[2] The initial announcement that the law would now ban all forms of labour for children upto the age of 14 years and in hazardous occupations till the age in the 14-18 year age group was welcomed by activists. We felt that at last our plea of over two and a half decades to harmonise the child labour law with the right to education had been finally addressed.

Reading the final print of the law however raises a number of concerns. Frankly, apart from the distinction made in separating the children up to 14 years and 14 -18 years, in their treatment, and increase in penalties on employers, the law is not a huge progress between 1986 and 2015 or for that matter 1938, which was the first time a law child labour was enacted. This, despite the changes in socio-economic status as well as law and policy in the country in this period.

In fact, it is very much in keeping with the arguments offered by the government on social realities,  to continue with the reservation on Article 32 (dealing with child labour)  of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (which India ratified in 1992), with the it arguing “….that it is not practical immediately to prescribe minimum ages for admission to each and every area of employment in India – the Government of India undertakes to take measures to progressively implement the provisions of article 32, particularly paragraph 2 (a), in accordance with its national legislation and relevant international instruments to which it is a State Party”[3] Continue reading Should we ‘MAKE IN INDIA’ on the backs of our children?: Enakshi Ganguly →

क्या भारत में दो संवेदना-क्षेत्र बन चुके हैं:हिंदू संवेदना क्षेत्र और मुस्लिम संवेदना-क्षेत्र? क्या यह नाटकीय वक्तव्य है,या ऐसी आशंका जिसे हकीकत बनते देर नहीं लगेगी और  जिसे भारत के राजनीतिक दल और बुद्धिजीवी भी स्वीकार नहीं करना चाहते.उनका कहना है कि भारत जैसे विशाल देश के क्षेत्रफल और जनसंख्या के लिहाज से अटाली,गाज़ियाबाद,शामली,मुज़फ्फरनगर,लखनऊ,जहानाबाद,नागौर,छीपागढ़,जैसी घटनाएं नगण्य हैं और इनसे पूरे देश के बारे में कोई भी निष्कर्ष नहीं निकाला जा सकता.लेकिन वे भूल रहे हैं कि टेलीविज़न और इंटरनेट के इस वक्त में कोई भी घटना,कितनी ही छोटी क्यों न हो,स्थानीय नहीं रह जाती.वह घटित की जाती है एक सीमित, स्थानीय स्तर पर लेकिन उसका लक्ष्य वह व्यापक जनसमूह है जो भौतिक रूप से बिखरा हुआ और उस घटना स्थल से दूर है, यहाँ तक कि अमरीका और ऑस्ट्रेलिया में. Continue reading हिंदू भारत, मुस्लिम भारत →

Atali, the site of recent attacks on Muslims by their Hindi co-villagers, is a metaphor for India. Or,a mirror India should look into, to ‘re-cognize’ itself. To know that it is gradually turning into a majoritarian society. A society in which neighbors turn into strangers and yet keep feigning /pretending affinity and love for each other. A nation with a Hindu sensibility-zone and a Muslim sensibility zone.

The rites of passage are familiar. The majority has to be persuaded and convinced that it has to graduate from its present complacent position to a more respectable position of power, which was always its due but which it could not get because of the policies of ‘appeasement of the minorities’. After a long, sustained education, a ceremony, an event is organized in which majority has to participate as one person. It has to be a violent event in which blood would be shed. Had not Bhima drunk the blood of Kauravas? Or, Draupadi untied her hair with a vow that she would tie it only after washing it with the blood of Duhshasana? Continue reading Hindu Rashtra, village by village -Understanding Atali →