Round The
States
New Delhi, 21 December 2019
Shah’s CAA
NEW INDIA’S YOUTH SAY BIG NO
By Insaf
India’s educated youth
is standing up! The country is in turmoil to put it mildly and New Delhi in a
conundrum, as the reaction by students and the intelligentsia among others, to
the Citizenship Amendment Act, is simply startling. The initial brutal actions
of the police in educational institutions including Jamia Millia Islamia,
Aligarh Muslim University and against peaceful protesting students, whether in
capital, Delhi, across cities of Mumbai and Chennai, has nudged citizen and
people’s groups to join them on the streets. While the violent protests in parts
of Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore, Gujarat etc must be condemned,
the Government must reason and more importantly Prime Minister Modi must break his
silence. The basic fact that despite prohibitory orders and metro stations and
internet shut downs, both young and old are assembling in hundreds at venues of
the protest, at the risk of being lathi-charged or detained means they are
unwilling to be silenced. For the Government to say, through an odd minister
here and there that it will go ahead with its plans sends a wrong message,
specially in any democratic society.
Not only the common
citizen, but Modi-Shah team must reach out to the Opposition as well for after
all India is a democracy and cannot be run the rule of a brute majority. So
far, not only have the Chief Ministers of West
Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Kerala openly said that they would oppose
both the CAA and NRC, but Odisha and ally JD(U) in Bihar have joined the ranks.
Plus, ruling parties in States like the Telangana Rasthra Samithi (TRS) and AAP
in Delhi have criticised a nationwide NRC. The argument being that the CAA and
NRC is divisive, unconstitutional and affects the fundamental principle of
secularism of the nation. At the same time, there are many petitioners who have knocked on the door of the Supreme Court
seeking a stay on the CAA operation. Though this has been refused,
the highest court of the land has issued a notice to the Centre and the next
date of hearing is January 22. Too long a date? The anger, it is feared is
bound to grow. Will the Centre consider the adage—a stitch in time saves nine
and do whatever it takes to save peace?
* * * *
SC
Conscience Nudged
The ever-increasing rape
cases in the country, including those in Unnao and Telangana, are now searching
the conscience of none other than the Supreme Court. It took suo motu cognisance on the ‘assessment of the criminal
justice system regarding sexual offences,’ and asked all the States and High
Courts on Wednesday last to ‘reply and give status report’ on facets such as
investigation process, collection of evidence, recording of statement of victim
and time frame for trial. It noted the need to collate information and status
reports to ensure ‘holistic’ implementation of the provisions of the rape law
and even appointed Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra as amicus curiae to assist
it. This on grounds that the December 2012 rape case “shocked nation’s
conscience; delay in such matters created agitation, anxiety, and unrest in the
minds of people,” and rejected review petition by one of the four-death row
convicts in the Nirbhaya case. Prior to this, CJI Bobde has appointed a two-judge
committee for speedy disposal of rape cases across the country. Can young girls
and women of the country hope for safer times?
* * * *
Educated Jobless Youth
Mind boggling and scandalous are the statistics on unemployed educated
youth in Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh. In just within a year, the number has
risen by a whopping seven lakh to 28
lakh (October 2018 were 20,77,222 and in 2019 were 27,79,725). Not hearsay but
figures admitted in the ongoing Assembly session. Chief Minister Kamal Nath has
sought to soften the blow saying 34,000 youth got jobs in the same period.
Certainly no solace and worse the reasoning that the State topped unemployment list
for 15 years before Congress came to power, or the number may have risen as youth
are ‘hopeful of getting jobs under the regime and registered in large numbers
with job exchanges’ or that they have done so to get the Rs 4000 monthly
jobless allowance as promised, is unconvincing. Nath must realise that passing
the buck to his predecessor, which is standard practice of our netas, doesn’t make matters any better.
He needs to pull up his socks as the Opposition claims there are 3 lakh-odd vacancies
in the government alone, which are yet to open. No more excuses, as a restive
youth is the last MP should have to deal with. New Delhi is a clear example, to
see.
* * * *
Hope
for Kashmir?
Can winter offer some
warmth to the protesting Kashmiris? Honestly no, but a ray of hope can’t be
ruled out. For the first time in near five months since New Delhi abrogated
Article 370 and the people launched a civil disobedience movement, congregational
prayers were held at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on Wednesday last,
even though by a 100-odd people. This was after 136 days, since authorities
sealed all entry points to the mosque on August 5. And, while authorities claimed
to have lifted security restrictions in the area after a few weeks, the locals refused
to offer prayers till heavy presence of armed forces around it was removed. How
soon Friday congregational prayers will take place needs to be seen as the gap
has been the longest in over 50 years? Plus, should the aam admi and journalists hope to get mobile internet services
restored following authorities providing facilities to the 33 detained political
leaders in Srinagar – some now have TV in rooms; can meet family
members 2-3 times a week; few mobile phones and phone lines are operational for
them to speak to relatives etc. Time will tell, but normalcy is a far cry.
* * * *
Watch
Your Lyrics
Mind your lyrics or
else risk being behind bars. The warning bells ring this time from Goa. Four
musicians were arrested on Wednesday last during the Serendipity Festival.
Their crime -- performing songs that allegedly “insulted religious sentiments
of Hindus,” under IPC section 295. Says the police, the band ‘Dastaan’ sang
with “malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of Hindu
citizens”. ‘Om’ was part of the
lyrics with words like ‘Ullu ka Pattha’
(Hindi abuse), which enraged a Supreme Court advocate, who filed the complaint.
While the singers are on bail they would need to visit the police station when
called. The cops are to look at the footage, listen if they did use these words
and call witnesses to confirm if it hurt any sentiments. However, the festival organisers
say the performance was a “curated work” of several poems, which already exist!
Jarring note for the cops? ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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