Category Archives: Right watch

Culture, Debates, Law, Religion, Right watch

न्याय के रास्ते धर्मतंत्र की कवायद: जस्टिस श्रीशानंद, विहिप की बैठक और काशी-मथुरा की बारी

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इन दिनों कर्नाटक उच्च न्यायालय के एक न्यायाधीश वी. श्रीशानंद सुर्खियों में हैं। उन्‍होंने बीते 28 अगस्‍त को एक अदालती सुनवाई के दौरान बेंगलुरु के एक मुस्लिम-बहुल इलाके को पाकिस्तान कह दिया और एक महिला वकील को लेकर आपत्तिजनक टिप्पणी की। इस बयान के कथित वीडियो पर सोशल मीडिया में जब काफी शोर मचा, तब मुल्क की आला अदालत घटना के को लेकर हरकत में आई। उसके कारण अगले ही दिन श्रीशानंद को खुली अदालत में खेद जताना पड़ा।

सुप्रीम कोर्ट के मुख्य न्यायाधीश चंद्रचूड़ की अध्यक्षता में पांच जजों की पीठ ने 20 सितंबर को श्रीशानंद के बयान पर स्‍वत: संज्ञान लेते हुए उसे ‘अनावश्‍यक’ करार दिया और कर्नाटक उच्च न्यायालय के रजिस्‍ट्रार जनरल को इस संबंध में रिपोर्ट बना कर भेजने का आदेश दिया था। सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने यह भी कहा था कि वह सुनवाई के दौरान जजों के प्रेक्षण को लेकर कोई दिशानिर्देश जारी कर सकती है। अगली सुनवाई की तारीख 25 सितंबर दी गई थी।

इस दूसरी ही तारीख पर मामले को निपटा दिया गया। 25 सितंबर को सुनवाई शुरू होते ही मुख्य न्यायाधीश ने बताया कि 23 सितंबर को ही कर्नाटक उच्च न्यायालय के रजिस्‍ट्रार जनरल द्वारा उक्त रिपोर्ट जमा कराई जा चुकी है। चूंकि जस्टिस श्रीशानंद ने खेद जता दिया है, तो सर्वोच्च अदालत इस मामले को आगे नहीं ले जाएगी और उन्हें नोटिस नहीं देगी।

दिलचस्प है कि सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने केस को निपटाते हुए जजों के लिए कथित ‘दिशानिर्देशों’ का कोई जिक्र नहीं किया, जिसका हवाला 20 सितंबर को दिया गया था। इससे भी ज्यादा हैरान करने वाली बात है कि इस मामले में श्रीशानंद के बयान को मुख्य न्यायाधीश ने “बुनियादी रूप से भारत की अखंडता के खिलाफ” करार दिया। पहले उन्होंने इसे “अनावश्यक” कहा था।

बहरहाल, सुप्रीम कोर्ट का यह हल्का हस्तक्षेप भी काबिले तारीफ है, पर सवाल उठता है कि जजों के लिए अगर कोई दिशानिर्देश बन भी जाए तो भविष्य में अदालतों में कही जाने वाली उलट-सुलट बातों पर क्या रोक लग जाएगी?  ( Read the full post here :https://followupstories.com/politics/ethics-of-judiciary-and-justice-shrishanand-episode/)

Capitalism, Centre watch, Debates, Politics, Right watch

Would Agniveer Ever Be Scrapped ?

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It is a plan to militarise civilians a la Israel.

Representational Image.

Truth, as they say, has an uncanny ability of bursting out into the open, unannounced. This seems to have happened with the controversial Agniveer Scheme – the introduction of contract based employment in the military for four years – which even cost the ruling dispensation a few seats in the recent parliamentary elections.

What Prafulla Ketkar, who has been editor of ‘Organiser’ for the last eleven years, underlined in an event merits close attention in this connection. To a pointed question where he was asked ‘[w]hether India should prepare civilians for situations similar to those faced by Israel’, he specifically mentioned that ‘[t]he Agniveer scheme was introduced for this purpose only. The scheme aims to train military-ready individuals who can be deployed during crises.’

It has been more than four days since Ketkar made this explosive statement, which obviously contradicts what the government wants us to believe. But there has been neither any denial of the statement from the highest level nor has he been reprimanded by top bosses of the Sangh Parivar for making such outrageous statements.

( Read the full article here : https://www.newsclick.in/would-agniveer-ever-be-scrapped)

Culture, Debates, Democracy, Education, Law, Politics, Right watch

Dr. Ambedkar’s  Interpretation of Present  National Crises

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Prof Sukhdeo Thorat

Professor Emeritus, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 

Theme :Dr. Ambedkar’s  Interpretation of Present  National Crises

Number of scholars have tried to explain the present crisis by drawing insights from  the experience of Fascism of Hitler in Germany 1930’s and/or  similar viewpoints . Without undermining these attempts, I feel that  Ambedkar’s  theoretical perspective on Indian history presumably helps us more to grapple with the  present crisis .In Ambedkar’s view it is continuation of the non-stop efforts from ancient times to bring back Brahmanism . Ambedkar observes that “that there was in ancient India, a great struggle between Buddhism and Brahmanism. It is not even a struggle but a quarrel over some creed ,The Buddhism  was revolutionary and while Brahminsm  was  counter-revolutionary. It was a revolution and counter revolution in doctrine by a revolution in political and social philosophy”. The present attempt is an on-going legacy of the ancient Indian where it began , and carried through the medieval to British and to the present time with tenacity and stubbornness to maintain the privileges that the Brahmanical ideology bestowed on  those who coined this ideology .The lecture will try to bring insights on Ambedkar’s perspective .

About the Speaker
Prof Sukhdeo Thorat, Professor Emeritus, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi ; former Chairman of University Grants Commission and former Chairman of ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research) is a leading economist, educationist and writer.
A renowned Ambedkar scholar Prof Thorat graduated with a B.A. from Milind College of Arts, Aurangabad, Maharashtra and has done PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was a  Faculty Member at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and visiting faculty at Department of Economics, Iowa State University, Ames, USA and has been associated with various national-international institutes and organisations.
Recipient of many awards including Dr Ambedkar National Award (2011) and Padmashree ( 2008), he has authored and edited many books and monographs. Here is a list of his major publications :
– Ambedkar on Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy
– Dalits in India? Social and Economic Profile (Sage)
– Ambedkar in Retrospect: Essays in Economics, Society, and Politics (edited) with Aryama & Negi. (Rawat Publication)
– Social Science Research in India : Status, Issue and Policies ( co-authored with Samar Varma) – Oxford University Press ( 2016)
– Politics of Representation : Historically Disadvantaged Groups in India’s Democracy ( co edited with Prof Sudha Pai) Palgrave Macmillan ( 2012)
– Untouchability in Rural India Sage, 2006 (with G. Shah, Harsh Mander, Satish Deshpande & Amrita)
– Caste, Race, and Discrimination – Discourse in International Context (edited) (with Umakant), Rawat Publication, Jaipur (2004)

Culture, Democracy, Feminism, Politics, Right watch, Violence/Conflict

Long Live the Eternal Feminist, Anti-Fascist Fire and Flower Gauri! – A Letter from ALIFA

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Following is an Open Letter from ALIFA (All India Feminist Alliance ) to Gauri Lankesh, marking 7 years of her cowardly killing. The Open Letter is in both English and Kannada. The Kannada version follows after the English one. ALIFA is linked to NAPM (National Alliance of People’s Movements). ಆತ್ಮೀಯ ಗೌರಿ ಲಂಕೇಶ್ ಅವರ ಹೇಡಿತನದ ಹತ್ಯೆಗೆ 7 ವರ್ಷಗಳಾಗಿ, ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅಲಿಫಾದಿಂದ (ALIFA) ಬಹಿರಂಗ ಪತ್ರ

Gauri Lankesh, image courtesy Asianet Newsable

Gauri, dear sister, dear comrade!

It has been seven years. We still remember the day, the night! 5th September, 2017 – in fact the very moments – when the ‘news’ hit us. Gauri Lankesh shot in cold blood. Details poured in. Number of bullets. At your residence. By two men. We reeled with shock under immeasurable grief, loss and helplessness. Abandoning so many unfinished conversations, you left a void in all our hearts, the shape and size of a star!

Continue reading Long Live the Eternal Feminist, Anti-Fascist Fire and Flower Gauri! – A Letter from ALIFA →
Capitalism, Centre watch, Debates, Democracy, Government, Law, Right watch

Who Can Stop Bulldozer (in)justice ?

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Where are Indians, who like the conscience keepers of Israeli society or the legendary Rachel Corrie, are ready to swim against the tide?

‘Our Problem is Civil Obedience…’

These words of the legendary American historian, playwright, philosopher and socialist intellectual, Howard Zinn (1922-2010), are still repeated the world over whenever people living in a country have no qualms in gulping whatever the rulers do or say.

Not much is known about the brief history of this speech which was delivered in the Baltimore campus during the heyday of the anti-war movement in the US, (1971). That was the period when a mass movement had emerged opposing the US government’s participation in the Vietnam war, where Zinn was invited to address students in one of the universities. ……………..

Zinn left for Baltimore, where he delivered the said speech, which received a thunderous applause from students and teachers, and when he presented himself before the courts the next day, as expected, he was sent to jail for a few weeks.

Time and again, as the phenomenon of, what is popularly known as “bulldozer justice, raises its head in India, which is now called the ‘biggest country that regularly holds elections’, this poser by Zinn in his Baltimore speech sounds more and more appropriate.

( Read the full article here : https://www.newsclick.in/who-can-stop-bulldozer-injustice)

Movements, Politics, Right watch, Sexual Violence, Violence/Conflict

Women’s Rights Now! Citizens Speak Out Against Brutal Cases of Sexual Violence Across India

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[More than 900 organizations and individuals speak out against brutal rape and cultures of impunity from Kolkata and Manipur to Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and other parts of the country. Published below is their statement issued on 26 August 2024.]

WOMEN RIGHTS NOW!

CITIZENS SPEAK OUT AGAINST BRUTAL CASES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE FROM KOLKATA TO MANIPUR, GUJARAT, UTTARAKHAND, BIHAR, UTTAR PRADESH…

DEMAND URGENT, INDEPENDENT AND UNBIASED INVESTIGATIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY!

NO MORE SHIELDING OF PERPETRATORS AND THEIR PROTECTORS

JUSTICE TO VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES!

Continue reading Women’s Rights Now! Citizens Speak Out Against Brutal Cases of Sexual Violence Across India →
Culture, Debates, Law, Politics, Right watch

महाराष्ट्र का नया कानून और ‘पुलिस राज’ का कसता शिकंजा

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[भारत में 1 जुलाई से लागू हुई नई न्‍याय संहिताओं के साथ-साथ महाराष्‍ट्र में एक नया जनसुरक्षा कानून भी आया है। यह कानून उस ‘शहरी नक्‍सल’ के खतरे पर अंकुश के लिए बनाया गया है, जिसके बारे में इस देश का गृह राज्‍यमंत्री संसद में कह चुका है कि गृह मंत्रालय और सरकार की आधिकारिक शब्‍दावली में यह शब्‍द है ही नहीं। ऐसे अनधिकारिक और अपरिभाषित शब्‍दों के नाम पर बनाए जा रहे कानून और की जा रही कार्रवाइयों के मकसद और मंशा पर नजर ..]

ऐसे अवसर बहुत कम आते हैं जब कोई साधारण सा ट्वीट सामने आ रही वास्तविकता को स्पष्ट शब्दों में रेखांकित कर दे। जानी-मानी वकील और मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ता इंदिरा जयसिंह का 30 जून को किया ट्वीट ऐसा ही था, जिसमें उन्‍होंने अगली सुबह से लागू होने वाले तीन नए फौजदारी कानूनों पर चिंता जाहिर की थी।

इंदिरा जयसिंह के ट्वीट में ‘पुलिस राज’ का रूपक इस बात का संकेत था कि सत्ताधारी केवल ताकत की भाषा समझते हैं। वे न तो संवाद में विश्वास करते हैं और न ही किसी के साथ संवाद करने को तैयार हैं- सिवाय अपने मित्रों के एक चुनिंदा गिरोह के।

इस चिंता में वे अकेली नहीं थीं। अन्य प्रमुख वकील और मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ता भी इस बारे में समान रूप से चिंतित हैं।

ऐसे खतरों को समझते हुए भी उस वक्‍त शायद किसी को इस बात का जरा सा भी अंदाजा नहीं था कि इसके आगे भी कुछ और होने वाला है, जिसके संकेत आम चुनाव के बाद महाराष्ट्र के मुख्यमंत्री एकनाथ शिंदे ने अपने एक भाषण में दे दिए थे। ..उस समय किसी को भी यह अनुमान नहीं था कि इस भाषण के एक महीने के भीतर ही राज्‍य सरकार अर्बन नक्सल के ‘खतरे’ को रोकने के लिए एक विधेयक लेकर आ जाएगी। [ Read the full article here :https://followupstories.com/politics/a-police-state-in-the-becoming-the-maharashtra-special-psa-2024/]

Democracy, Government, Movements, Politics, Right watch, State Terror

In Defense of the Bangladeshi Students’ Uprising

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One of the innumerable anti-quota protests across Bangladesh, image courtesy Pressenza – International Press Agency

This post is dedicated to the innumerable young students of Bangladesh who have lost their lives in the last few days of struggle. This wasn’t supposed to be our first post on the Bangladesh students’ struggle because our friend Sarwar Tusher, one among the group of dynamic young critical intellectuals associated with the journal Rashtrochinta, was supposed to write a first hand analytical account. Meanwhile, from Thursday night (18 July) the Sheikh Hasina government enforced a total internet shutdown as the Army moved in to quell the protests. Tanks had already been seen moving in some streets and the protesters were expecting an exponential increase in state violence. Another Tienanmen Square seemed to be in the offing.

Continue reading In Defense of the Bangladeshi Students’ Uprising →
Culture, Debates, Democracy, Law, Politics, Right watch

McCarthyism in India?

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Return of The Urban Naxal Bogey!

‘India Will Awake to Police Raj’!

““I am reminded of Pandit Nehru ‘s speech “ At the stroke of midnight India will awake to freedom” . At the stroke of midnight night 1st July 2024 India will awake to police raj,” (1)

There are rare occasions when a simple tweet underlines the unfolding reality in stark terms.

Noted lawyer and human rights activist Indira Jaising’s tweet a fortnight back created similar ripples. Her concern was over the three new criminal laws coming into operation the next morning.

And she was not alone, other leading lawyers and human rights activists seemed equally concerned about it …

But perhaps nobody had a faint idea that more was in the offing.

Post elections, Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister of Maharashtra in one of speeches had talked of Urban Naxals ‘penetrating NGOs and help creating ‘..false narratives against the government’    A speech made during a rally for BJP Konkan Graduates Constituency in the MLC polls was considered out of tune with the ambiance.

Little anyone had premonition that within a month of this speech the government will come out with a bill supposedly to curb the ‘menace’ of Urban Naxalism.’ ( Read the full article here : https://countercurrents.org/2024/07/mccarthyism-in-india-the-return-of-the-urban-naxal-bogey/)

Capitalism, Democracy, Government, Law, Politics, Right watch

Arvind Kejriwal’s Bail: Why the Establishment Wants to Destroy AAP

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The Establishment’s desperation is becoming clearer by the day. And by ‘Establishment’ here, I do not mean simply the ruling duo in power today but a constellation of forces, many of whom congregated at a mega-wedding event in Mumbai recently. The embryonic New Congress thankfully stayed out of it – though the Old Congress is pretty much part of the Establishment, as we will see below.

Popular Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal has finally got bail from the Supreme Court – both interim and regular – in the totally fictitious Enforcement Directorate (ED) case in which he has been framed. Yet he must remain in jail because on the eve of his release by a Delhi court and Additional Sessions Judge Nyay Bindu, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) went and arrested him while he was still in jail!

Image courtesy The Economic Times

This arrest-within-arrest shows a desperation of the Establishment that has rarely ever been seen before. The desperation was even more evident in the fact that the High court judge, Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain went ahead to uphold the ED plea against the bail order by Judge Nyay Bindu, even before the order had been uploaded to their website. 157 lawyers wrote to the CJI alleging that the brother of the Judge, Anurag Jain is one of the counsels for the ED, which showed a clear conflict of interest. More importantly, referring to the urgent listing, hearing and stay of the trial court’s bail order by the high court, the lawyers’ letter said,

Continue reading Arvind Kejriwal’s Bail: Why the Establishment Wants to Destroy AAP →
Democracy, Everyday Life, Identities, Right watch, Violence/Conflict

Anti Muslim violence after June 4th election results: APCR

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Report prepared by Association for Protection of Civil Rights

Although the BJP came back with a much reduced majority (or perhaps because of that) the agenda of anti Muslim violence has been ramped up.  We, the people of India, who restored the dignity of the Constitution, must continue to bear witness, continue to fight against the hate filled politics of Hindu Rashtra, continue to assert  – Not in My Name.

Sab yaad rakha jayega, as the poet Aamir Aziz says.

We will remember these names, and the names of thousands of Muslims killed by lynch mobs, who have had their livelihoods destroyed, whose faith has been insulted, who suffer imprisonment without any basis till today.

Sab yaad rakha jayega.

There has been total of eight lynching incidents after the results of the General Elections were announced on June 4, 2024.

  • Twenty-three-year-old Salman Vohra, who had gone to watch a cricket tournament match in Chikhodra, Gujarat on 22 June, was mercilessly beaten to death by a group of men.
  • Three Muslim men, residents of Uttar Pradesh, were brutally attacked by a Hindutva mob in Chattisgarh’s Raipur on 7 June. Saddam Qureshi and his cousin Chand Miya Khan (23), both from Saharanpur district, and Guddu Khan (35) from Shamli district, were transporting cattle when they were allegedly chased by a mob in Raipur; two died on the spot, while one died after 10 days.

Continue reading Anti Muslim violence after June 4th election results: APCR →

Centre watch, Culture, Debates, Democracy, Government, Politics, Right watch

Return of the ‘Urban Naxal’ Bogey

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What does it portend for the unfolding struggle to save the Constitution and reinvigorate democracy?

Despotic kings or autocratic leaders share one thing in common. They have an uncanny ability to live in their bubbles or not learning from the immediate or past history at their own peril.

Narendra Damodardas Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Pracharak (propagandist), who famously declared during elections held for the 18th Lok Sabha that he was ‘non-biological’, looks no different. He has returned as the Prime Minister of India – for the third time, albeit with a reduced majority and with support from mercurial allies. Yet, he still wants to believe that nothing has changed. The oath taking ceremony, where (barring Pakistan) leaders of other neighbouring countries were invited, looked like a coronation of sorts.

Much on the lines of a king from a literary fairy tale written by a legendary Danish author, he is going about his business with usual élan.

( Read the full article here : https://www.newsclick.in/return-urban-naxal-bogey)

Culture, Democracy, Politics, Right watch

Elections 2024 – After the Euphoria, What Next?

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Representational image. Women voters in queue, image courtesy Hindustan Times

A Turning Point

We have all been justly euphoric since 4 June 2024 as results started pouring in, especially since the non-biological being himself was trailing behind the Congress candidate Ajay Rai for quite some time. If the claim made in a video of a hardcore BJP worker Ujjwal Kumar from Banaras is to be believed, they – the unsung workers – had to arrange for ‘extra votes’ to ensure that ‘he’ wins. Regardless of whether his claim is correct, we kept up our euphoria even as the ECI website stopped updating counting figures and reports kept coming in from different constituencies in UP and some other places that INDIA alliance candidates were being forcibly declared lost after having won.

Continue reading Elections 2024 – After the Euphoria, What Next? →
Centre watch, Culture, Debates, Democracy, Government, Politics, Right watch

‘Decoding the Verdict’ : Prof Zoya Hasan and Dr Ajay Gudavarthy

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Democracy Dialogues Series 32

Theme : ‘Decoding the Verdict’

Continue reading ‘Decoding the Verdict’ : Prof Zoya Hasan and Dr Ajay Gudavarthy →
Culture, Debates, Democracy, Identities, Religion, Right watch

‘Waterloo’ in Ayodhya : Who Is Stigmatising Hindus Now ?

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The debacle faced by BJP at Ayodhya-Faizabad is a big loss of face for the party and the broader Sangh Parivar.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

– George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905.

‘Zor ka Jhataka Dheere Se Lage‘ (roughly translated ‘powerful jolt felt lightly’)

The catch line of a song – or perhaps a famous ad campaign – very well describes the reverses faced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

Continue reading ‘Waterloo’ in Ayodhya : Who Is Stigmatising Hindus Now ? →
Bad ideas, Identities, Left watch, Religion, Right watch, Scams

A Winning Strategy in Thrissur: Understanding Suresh Gopi’s Victory

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So Suresh Gopi, persistent in his effort to ‘take Thrissur’ (his own words), has finally managed to win the Thrissur seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. I have been deluged with messages and queries from friends outside expressing shock and surprise.

Continue reading A Winning Strategy in Thrissur: Understanding Suresh Gopi’s Victory →
Centre watch, Debates, Democracy, Government, Law, Right watch

When a State Breaks Its Own Laws !

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The model of vigilante justice, i.e, bulldozer politics, by the State itself is a phenomenon that has gained fresh legitimacy during the past decade under Modi.

“Under what law can they demolish a house for an offence that hasn’t been proved?”

  • Former SC Justice Madan Lokur.

..police cannot, “under the guise of investigation”, bulldoze anyone’s house without permission, and if such practices continue then “nobody is safe in this country” ..: “Show me from any criminal jurisprudence that for investigating the crime, the police, without any order, can uproot a person, apply a bulldozer. .”

There are interventions of courts which are considered to be ‘breaking new grounds’.

The Gauhati High Court’s judgement in the ‘illegal demolitions’ at Salonabari (May 2022) was one such occasion.

The two-judge bench of the high court led by Chief Justice RM Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia had come down heavily on the demolitions executed without following any procedure and declared such actions ‘illegal’ and compared the police actions akin to a ‘gang war’ and ordered compensation to the victims as well as actions against guilty officials.

Two years later, this issue was again before high courts recently, as the affected families had approached it for the government’s dilly dallying on compensation and actions against officials.

Much water has flown down the Brahmaputra and its tributary rivers during this period. ( Read the full article here : https://www.newsclick.in/when-state-breaks-its-own-laws)

Culture, Debates, Democracy, Law, Media politics, Politics, Right watch

Towards a ‘Suitable’ Ambedkar and a ‘New’ Dalit ! 

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How Ten Years of Modi Regime Has Undermined Constitutional Rights to Dalits

Image courtesy: Wikimedia commons

“If the fundamental rights are opposed by the community, no Law, no Parliament, no Judiciary can guarantee them in the real sense of the word”,..“What is the use of fundamental rights to the Negro in America, to the Jews in Germany and to the untouchables in India. As Burke said there is no method found for punishing the multitude’

– Ambedkar

Introduction

Within less than a fortnight we will have a new government in power.

Indian people normally make a judicious choice while electing their representatives, their government and this year won’t be different.

One can recall their wisdom when their united resistance helped unseat Indira Gandhi regime after the emergency (1977) or their concerted action could overthrow the Vajpayi government ( 2004) despite the much hyped ‘India Shining’ rhetoric pushed by it.

Today also ground currents definitely suggest change is in the air.

People’s desire to defeat the Republic of Hate which is pushed before them and regain their Republic of Hope seems overwhelming. 

As already expressed by scholars, political activists, concerned citizens, if the elections remain free and fair, if the various guardrails of democracy can remain true to their mandate , we will have real ‘Acche Din‘ waiting for us.

It is an opportune time to look back and see how this much trumpeted regime fared in the last decade in various aspects of India’s society and state.

It is opportune to see how the ‘New India’ – which we have supposedly ushered in – has fared via-v-vis Dalits. What follows is not an exhaustive picture of the last decade of Modi rule but a cursory glance at the issue at hand.

Perhaps it would be opportune to begin with RSS Supremo Mohan Bhagwat’s interview in the wee hours of Modi’s reign as PM. ( Read the full article here : https://countercurrents.org/2024/05/towards-a-suitable-ambedkar-and-a-new-dalit-how-ten-years-of-modi-regime-has-undermined-constitutional-rights-to-dalits/

Culture, Debates, Democracy, Education, Politics, Right watch

How BJP Covers Betrayals in Glory

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The Right-wing party has been justifying and legitimising Mir Jafar, Mir Sadiq and associates, while demonising Siraj-ud-Daulah and Tipu Sultan.

The tomb of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Elections to the 18th Lok Sabha have broken records in many ways.

Right from the arrests of Opposition leaders on the eve of elections, the spinelessness shown by the Election Commission (EC) to the open mouthing of hateful speeches targeting a community by top members of the ruling dispensation, to complete metamorphosis of the mainstream media into a cheerleader of the government, all such signs are ominous for the future of democracy in the country.

May be one should add to it the open justification by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of the betrayal by the likes of Mir Jafar and his associates like Raja Krishnachandra Roy, Jagat Seth, Omi Chand — which lead to defeat of the Siraj-ud-Daulah (1733-July 2,1757), the last independent Nawab of Bengal in the Battle of Plassey, which ultimately opened the gates of conquest of the rest of India by the Britishers.

If 2019 elections are still remembered because BJP had fielded candidates who were accused of involved in terrorist acts, the 2024 elections would also be remembered how they helped betrayals covered in glory. ( Read the full article here : https://www.newsclick.in/how-bjp-covers-betrayals-glory)

( For a Hindi version of this article access this link : https://thewirehindi.com/275497/west-bengal-bjp-amrita-roy-battle-of-plassy-krishnanagar-loksabha/)

Centre watch, Debates, Democracy, Government, Politics, Right watch

The Political Economy of New India : Dr Parakala Prabhakar

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Democracy Dialogues Lecture 31 :

Speaker: 

Dr Parakala Prabhakar

Author, economist and public intellectual

Theme :

The Political Economy of New India

Time : 

6 PM (IST), Sunday, 26 th May 2024

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85326195073?pwd=UE4yeGxaU1RLWkhJMWZTTG1aamZIZz09

Meeting ID: 853 2619 5073
Passcode: 134090

The lecture will also be livestreamed on facebook :  facebook.com/newsocialistinitiative.nsi

About the Speaker and His Talk :

Dr. Parakala Prabhakar, is an author, economist, and public intellectual.
He  served as Communications Advisor, held a cabinet rank position in Andhra Pradesh Government between July 2014 and June 2018. He was also a former spokesman and one of the founding general secretaries of Praja Rajyam Party.

For several years he presented a current affairs discussion programme on television channels of Andhra Pradesh. His programmes included Pratidhwani on ETV2 and Namaste Andhra Pradesh on NTV  .

His book of essays ‘The Crooked Timber of New India : Essays on a Republic in Crisis‘ was widely discussed.

Dr Parakala completed his doctorate from the London School of Economics. He did his Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.

About the Talk :

Relentless in exposing the sinister nature of the communal politics of the current ruling dispensation and meticulous in exposing the voodoo economic policies pursued by them which are disastrous to the Indian economy, Dr Parakala Prabhakar is going to speak on ‘The Political Economy of New India’ in this lecture.

Culture, Debates, Democracy, Politics, Religion, Right watch

The Unending Discomfort of RSS With the Constitution

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The Vajpayee government tried to change the Constitution, but lost in 2004. We must be vigilant, as a similar chorus is being raised again by Hindutva Supremacist forces.

..make India an independent sovereign republic and guarantee and secure for all the people of India social, economic and political justice; equality of status and  opportunities and equality before law; and fundamental freedoms—of speech,  expression, belief, faith, worship, vocation, association and action—subject to law and public morality;

and also ensure that

adequate safeguards shall be provided for minorities, backward and tribal areas, and depressed and other backward classes.

(Excerpts of Objectives Resolution in the Constituent Assembly, moved by Pandit Nehru on December 13, 1946 and adopted unanimously by the Constituent Assembly on January 22, 1947)

It was just another press conference in the national capital.

The only difference was that it was held at the house of a member of Parliament belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition party then…

This was on December 25, 1992. Less than three weeks before India had witnessed one of its deeply troubling, disturbing moment in its history where a mosque, which stood for more than 500 years, had been demolished by a horde of people who had gathered there from different parts of the Country, mobilised by the forces of Hindutva supremacism.

..Swami Muktanand and Vamdeo Maharaj, who were closely associated with the Ram Mandir movement (India Today, January 31, 1993) addressed the press meet.

‘This Constitution is anti Hindu‘ and needs to be rejected.”We have no faith in country’s laws‘ and ‘Sadhus are above the law of the land‘.’

..The press meet ended rather abruptly.

Journalists, who had gathered there to hear something about the movement, felt cheated that what unfolded there was an anti-climax.

Little did they have a premonition that the press meet was just an opening shot and more was coming. ( Read the full text here : https://www.newsclick.in/unending-discomfort-rss-constitution)