Round The States
New
Delhi, 1 January 2022
Hate
Speech & Hinduism
VISION OF ‘NEW
INDIA’?
By Insaf
Where is India
headed? The hate speeches at Haridwar’s Dharam Sansad, religious
conclave, and right-wing activists stalling Xmas celebrations in Karnataka, Assam
and Gurugram should make many a head hang in shame. The Haridwar
conclaveunabashedly indulged in open Muslim-baiting and incitement to Hindus to
take up arms, there were calls for genocide and violence. Neither a single
person arrested nor the ruling BJP reining in the sadhus, which it fosters. Worse,
it smacks of double standards wherein a stand-up comedian is arrested for
statements attributed to him, social activists’ languishing in jail under the
draconian UAPA law for speeches, or for that matter an young activist arrested
for an NGO toolkit, to mention only a few. Is the right to freedom of speech
and expression a given for those speaking for a ‘Hindu Rashtra’? And only
because the battle of the ballot is upcoming in UP and Uttarakhand and such
speeches will woo the BJP’s vote bank, that it is brazenly ignored? Sending
notices for appearance or lodging FIRs against one or two hate speech
perpetrator is making a mockery of the system. Will the Supreme Court heed to a
letter by 76 of its lawyers to take suo-moto cognisance of the events?
* * * * * * *
It doesn’t stop here.
There are instances of right-wing activists targeting the Christians this past
week. The group ‘Hindu JagaranaVedike’bullied and heckled aChristian convent
Nirmala English High School’s management in Mandya district in Karnataka, over Xmas
celebrations. ‘Why Hindu festivals like Ganesha festival were not being
celebrated!, it asked. The Head Mistress said the groupasked us to hang a photo
of Goddess Saraswathi in the school and accused ‘us of converting students
which isn’t true.” In Assam’s Silchar district, members of Bajrang Daldisrupted
a Christmas programme in the town demanding Hindus must shun the celebrations
and in another incident a group forced its way into a church and demanded it be
shut down because Hindus could not take part in the festivities! In yet another
incident a group of men claiming to be right-wing activists barged into a
church premises in Gurugram’s Pataudi disrupting the prayers, raising slogans
‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.Well, if the Dharam Sansad and these
incidents are examples of the kind of society we are building, then God bless
‘New India’!
* * * * * * *Naga Conundrum
Has
the Union Home Ministry made matters worse in Nagaland? Extending the Armed
Forces (Special Powers) Act for another six months by issuing a notification on
Thursday last, declaring the entire state a “disturbed area”, is being seen as
an ‘insult to all Nagas.’ More so its timing – amidst a growing clamour for
AFSPA’s withdrawal following the botched army operation which led to killing of
14 civilians. Worse, the move puts a big question mark on the Centre’s
sincerity to make amends and heal wounds as just days before Amit Shah set up a
committee to look into the possibility of its withdrawal, following a meeting
with Chief Minister Rio and his team in Delhi. The Ministry’s justification it
was necessary as the committee would submit its report in 3 months and the June
extension was expiring on 30 December, has no takers. Rather there is
condemnation: An ‘aghast and affronted’ National People’s Front (NPF), a
constituent of State government slammed Modi government’s “utter disregard” for
“voices of smaller states” and “it added salt to injury’; the Naga Students’
Federation reacted, the notification claiming whole of Nagaland was “disturbed”
was an “insult to Nagas at this time of grief” and it has decided to come all
out against the notification through a ‘series of democratic agitations’. Has
the Home Ministry bitten more than it can chew and isn’t it versed with the
idiom ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’?
* * * * * * *
AAP’s Chandigarh
Debut
There’s good reason
for jubilation in AAP’s camp. It’s made a stunning debut in Chandigarh
Municipal Corporation polls, winning 14 of the 35 seats, including that of the Mayor’s
by its dhaba owner candidate. BJP came close by bagging 12 seats, Congress 8, Akali
Dal staying at one. An upbeat chief Kejriwal, who campaigned vigorously for
these city polls tweeted: “AAP’s victory points at imminent change in Punjab.
People have rejected corrupt politics and have chosen AAP...Punjab is ready for
change,” with its party spokesperson Raghav Chadha adding: “The Chandigarh
election is a trailer, Punjab will be the full movie. The mood in Chandigarh is
the mood in Punjab.” Perhaps. For AAP’s entry is bound to have a chilling
effect on BJP, SAD and Congress, just months before the ensuing big Assembly
battle. The BJP in particular, seems to be showing signs as the same day it
announced a poll tie up with Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress and SS Dhindsa’s
SAD (Sanyukt). The Congress, though raised its share, continues to struggle
with infighting and needs to find more ways of keeping its flock together, with
two more MLAs and a senior leader leaving the ‘sinking ship.” How the SAD-BSP
alliance fares is anybody’s guess. One thing is certain; the city elections have
provided AAP leaders and cadres a stimulus and ignited hope.
* * * * * * *
Relief For Delhi
The national capital,
Delhi can heave a sigh of relief. The Federation of Resident Doctors
Association (FORDA) has ended its 15-day long strike early Friday last,
following assurances of their demands being met. These were: To get NEET-PG
counselling expedited; an apology from authorities for police manhandling the
doctors and withdrawal of FIRs registered against protesters.Patient care
should limp back to normalcy asOPD services, wards and emergency services were
impacted, worse at a time when Delhi’s covid cases are drastically on the
rise. And while Union Health Minister
Mandaviyatoo should be less stressed, the big question he must address is why
do doctors, the ‘frontline workers’ applauded for their stellar work during the
pandemic, have to get on to the streets? Their demand for expediting NEET-PG
counselling is justified, for the government’s delay has left medical college
hospitals ‘short-staffed’ with outgoing batch of 3rdyear PG students
having already left and many resident doctors are ending up working 100 to 120
hours a week due to the shortfall. This when nearly 45,000 NEET-PG aspirants
across the country are waiting to join the workforce! The Ministry would do
well in future to take the cue from ‘A stitch in time saves nine’.
* * * * * * *
Innovative Jharkhand
Jharkhand shows the
way. Petrol will be subsidised for the poor! On Wednesday last, marking two
years of the JMM-led government Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced that petrol
will be subsidised by Rs 25 per litre for ration-card holders with
two-wheelers, among other schemes. However, there may be a cap of 10 litres per
family per month, once modalities are finalised to the scheme to begin from
Republic Day. This as Soren said: There are motorcycles in poor’s homes, but
people can’t ride these because they don’t have money for petrol… the person is
unable to go to the market to sell his crop. We hear that people are mixing
kerosene and petrol to ride motorcycles…” Like other States, petrol and diesel
prices are Rs 98.52 per litre, and Rs 91.56 respectively, a pinch for the
middle and lower-middle classes. According to data, there are 61 lakh families
that have ration cards, and of these 2 lakh to 20 lakhs would have motorcycles,
so the scheme is expected to make a difference, a feather in its cap. Other
States’ may consider riding the tide too. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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