RSS outfits grow, away from politics
Posted: 20 Oct 2009 03:05 AM PDT
The BJP’s ongoing membership drive may be struggling but the party’s Sangh parivar siblings are growing robustly.
These other RSS progenies claim that being away from power and politics is an advantage, and that the BJP’s departure from the Centre and loss of ground in some state strongholds have actually helped them.
Since its electoral success in 1989, the BJP had been the Sangh’s favourite child until it lost power in the 2004 polls and began showing the rot that had set in within the organisation.
Now, as BJP leaders vie with each other for a shrinking political space, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram are bursting with good health.
They have some way to go yet before they can match the BJP’s numbers, but the day that happens, the BJP would lose its rank in the parivar, a Sangh source warned.
The BMS, India’s largest trade union, has over one crore members — about half the BJP’s 2.14 crore.
According to the last official count by the labour ministry in 2002, the BMS had 62.2 lakh members while the Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress (Intuc) had 38 lakh and the CPI’s Aituc, 33 lakh.
Both the BMS and Intuc now claim they have a crore each. But when quizzed hard on what accounted for the leap, Intuc president and Rajya Sabha member G. Sanjeeva Reddy became cautious and said: “A Congress government at the Centre has certainly helped us make inroads into the organised and unorganised sectors.”
Girish Awasthi, the BMS chief and a man of Sangh provenance, however, argued that “governmental affinity” was a hindrance rather than a help.
He said that for the six years the BJP had ruled at the Centre, the BMS had repeatedly taken on the government over economic reforms and foreign direct investments — and that each time it did so, its membership grew.
“Trade unions virtually don’t exist in the private sector. We draw our strength and sustenance from the public sector. So each time there’s a major divestment project and we raise our voice, the PSU employees rally round us,” Awasthi said.
“Because the BMS is not attached to a political party but to a service organisation like the RSS, we are not encumbered by compulsions to back a party’s agenda.”
The leaders of some other RSS front outfits too cited their “autonomy” from the BJP as the main reason for their survival and growth.
Dinesh Dattatreya Kulkarni, organising secretary of the farmers’ union, said: “Our only competitor used to be the Shetkari Sangathan of Sharad Joshi. But he too converted it into a political party, the Swatantra Bharat Paksha. Not being in politics gives a core of integrity to our work because we are not forced to make compromises or deals, or to defend the indefensible.”
The BKS, which was born in 1979 with 1,500 members and now has nine lakh, confronted the Narendra Modi government when it hiked the power tariff for farmers in Gujarat and arrested those who failed to clear their arrears. Its activists were arrested and the RSS went into a sulk.
Before the last Gujarat elections, many thought the Kisan Sangh’s near-revolt against Modi might turn the peasants against the BJP. But in keeping with an avowed policy to remain “neutral” in politics, the organisation didn’t work against Modi, either.
The ABVP, the Sangh student arm that the BJP often appropriates as its own, is convinced that “political neutrality” is the passport to success. It claims 19 lakh members (the Congress-backed NSUI refused to give figures saying its elections were on).
The ABVP has the largest following in BJP-ruled Karnataka and in Andhra Pradesh, a state where the party practically doesn’t exist.
“Students are attracted to us because we work beyond the campus for the betterment of society. Our biggest slogan is against the commercialisation of education and that affects one and all,” said Ravi Kumar, ABVP national secretary.
Kripa Prasad Singh, joint general secretary of the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram, which works mainly in the Maoist zones, said an “apolitical” outlook was the best way of ensuring that state governments did not stand in the organisation’s way.
“Congress governments have never harassed us because they appreciate the services we render to the tribals,” Singh said.
“Even the CPM government in Tripura has been friendly. But not the Bengal government — they deprive the tribals who use our schools and hostels of the monthly stipend they are entitled to.”
article by RADHIKA RAMASESHAN in The Telegraph
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091017/jsp/frontpage/story_11626260.jsp
Friday, October 30, 2009
RSS Resolutions at Rajgir (ABKM).
RSS Resolutions at Rajgir (ABKM).
Posted: 12 Oct 2009 02:53 AM PDT
jk"Vªh; Lo;alsod la?k
vf[ky Hkkjrh; dk;Zdkjh eaMy] ;qxkCn 5111
fnukad % 9]10]11 vDVwcj] 2009
jktx`g] ukyUnk ¼fcgkj½
Resolution – 1
STRENGTHEN BORDER SECURITY
The Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal views recent developments along Bharat-Tibet (China occupied) border with grave concern. Several news reports, which have subsequently been confirmed by responsible sections in our security establishment, have highlighted relentless campaign by the expansionist China to encroach upon our territory.
These reports confirm that there were 270 Line of Control violations and 2,285 instances of “aggressive border patrolling” by the People's Liberation Army of China last year alone. It is a sad commentary on our political dispensation that instead of cautioning the countrymen over the evil designs of our adversary there were efforts to gag the voices of caution by trying to take action against the media and blatantly trying to underplay the looming danger. It is disheartening and demoralising to see our leaders making defeatist statements about our preparedness against the Chinese’ aggressive maneuvers.
It is unfortunate that our response to the bullying tactics of the countries around us has always been lackluster. Except for the historic decision of providing asylum to
HH the Dalai Lama our handling of the Tibetan question has all along been a series of blunders ending up in practically endorsing Chinese annexation of that sovereign and independent country. China went on to occupy Aksai Chin region of Ladakh in the 50s. The Chinese’ designs for further annexation of our territory have resulted in humiliating compromises from our side on Sumdorong Chu Valley in 1987. Emboldened by our timidity the Chinese have now started making claims over entire Arunachal Pradesh.
The ABKM views Bharat’s response to these acts of aggression grossly inadequate and calls upon the Government to take immediate steps to strengthen our borders on
Bharat-Tibet side as well as other borders like the maritime border, Bharat-Pak and Bharat-Bangladesh border. It is necessary to enhance the response capability of our forces on the Bharat-Tibet border in the face of the huge military build up and infrastructure building by China on the other side.
The Chinese have deployed three Es – Engagement, Encirclement and Encouragement of our enemies – as their tactical weapons to harass Bharat. They have developed
Coco Islands Listening Post in South Myanmar into a full-fledged military base. They are building a commercial port in Sri Lanka while the Gwadar military port in the
Sindh Province of Pakistan built by them is ready for operations. They are using
Bharat-Tibet border for military provocations while the Bharat-Myanmar border is being used by them to support the terrorist and anti-national elements in the North-East.
They even started talking about dismemberment of Bharat.
The ABKM regrets that the pussyfooting of our Government is resulting in not only the setbacks on territory front but also on the diplomatic front. China has succeeded in raking up Arunachal Pradesh issue in the Asian Development Bank with a view to scuttle our efforts to secure loans for developmental activity in that state. It unsuccessfully tried to prevent the Nuclear Supplier Group countries from lifting sanctions against our country.
The ABKM wants to remind the Government that it must proceed in the spirit of the
14 November 1962 unanimous resolution of our Parliament in which it was categorically stated that the territory annexed by China must be brought back. Our Government should tell the counterparts in China that they must vacate the land annexed in the western sector and make no claims over the remaining sectors. It should be asked to honour the McMahon Line as Bharat’s international border in the same manner as it has accepted it as the border between Myanmar and itself.
It is shocking to hear that the Chinese have been issuing paper Visas to our citizens from Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir. Through this provocative act they want to show that they don’t recognize Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir as integral parts of Bharat. The ABKM demands that the Government issue orders to the immigration authorities forthwith banning the use of such Visas for leaving our country. Such stern steps, coupled with aggressive diplomacy, will only yield favourable results with China.
The ABKM wants to underscore similar concerns on Bharat-Pak front also. Especially of great shock to the nation is the joint statement of the Prime Ministers of Bharat and Pakistan at Sharm-el-Sheik on 9 July 2009. Many experts and leaders from across the political spectrum have pointed out the huge diplomatic goof-up in that statement by way of the inclusion of Baluchisthan issue and our readiness to resume talks with Pakistan
in spite of it continuing to indulge in cross-border terror.
The ABKM demands that on Pakistan too our Government should follow the spirit of the 22 February 1994 unanimous resolution of our Parliament that the only outstanding issue is the return of the PoK to Bharat.
The ABKM registers its appreciation for our soldiers and officers for their valiant efforts to secure our borders and calls upon the countrymen to be ever-vigilant to ensure that the Government does everything possible to safeguard our territorial integrity and self-respect.
Resolution – 2
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT CRISIS AND BHARATIYA VIEW
The seamless rhythm of nature unwinding over millennia is suddenly being disturbed during the last few decades. The Akhil Bharaiya Karyakari Mandal expresses its deep concern over the serious global environmental crisis as evident from increasing water scarcity, air pollution, continuous erosion of forests and bio-diversity which is the outcome of growing worldwide consumerism and unrestrained consumption of natural resources.
This imbalance in the nature’s cycle is the direct result of the western individualistic worldview based on tenets like ‘struggle for existence’ and ‘exploitation of nature’. It is this worldview that has resulted in developed countries with only 16% of world population emitting more than half of total Carbon Dioxide emissions. With a mere
4% of world population the USA alone is responsible for 25% of CO2 emissions. The resultant rise in global temperature is expected to be anywhere between 2.5º F – 10º F in the twenty first century as against 0.7º F to 1.4º F in the twentieth century. Destruction of bio-diversity, depletion of ozone layer, increasing epidemics and melting of polar ice which may lead to the rise in sea levels from 0.2 – 1.5 meters inundating large chunks of land areas are some of the serious threats on the horizon as a result of this global warming.
In our country too, the same flawed lifestyle is leading to imbalance in the nature’s cycle. Today, the forest cover in Bharat is about 20% in place of mandated 33%. 80% of the diseases in Bharat are the direct outcome of polluted drinking water and lack of hygiene because over 75% of the population is forced to use polluted drinking water. Every year, half of the districts in the country are affected either by drought or floods. Continually depleting groundwater levels, increasing temperatures in summer, thousands of acres of agriculture land becoming saline and toxic due to uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are some of the warning signals. No ebb is in sight to the diseases caused by unabated air pollution, sound pollution and water pollution due to industries in Metro cities and the menace of growing hazardous waste generated from thermocoal and plastic because of the 'Use and throw ' culture.
The present worldview is at the root of this global environmental crisis. Unless the reductionist and mechanistic worldview is negated, no solution will be in sight. Lifestyle based on 'Tena Tyaktena Bhunjeethah' (restrained consumption) coupled with a holistic and integral worldview is the necessity of the day. The ABKM is of the considered opinion that the Hindu worldview of integrated approach to humans, ecology and living creatures, gratitude towards ‘Panchamahabhootas’ (five universal elements viz Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space), belief in the concept of ‘Mother Earth’ and conservation of Water-Soil-Forests and the wildlife is crucial for a balanced ecology and nature. This worldview is being accepted globally also.
The ABKM is of the opinion that a positive initiative from policy makers and the society is essential for this. Articles 48A and 51A of our Constitution mandate both the citizens and State to protect environment, water sources and wildlife as their duty. In this context, it is pertinent to note that obstructing the flow of a river – a major source of water – severely endangers the environment.
Customs like worshipping of rivers and trees in our tradition are the manifestation of our holistic worldview. Martyrdom of Imartidevi along with 363 people to oppose cutting of trees in Rajasthan about 370 years back is its living testimony. Efforts for
environmental protection like the Chipko movement of independent Bharat and present
‘Vruksha – Laksha’ movement in Karnataka are worthy of emulation.
The ABKM appeals to the central and state governments to
1) take appropriate measures for preservation and development of water resources in the country
2) conserve soil by the restoration of natural and organic farming through the use of organic manure
3) make special plans for preservation of ecology of Himalayas and other mountain ranges
4) develop various alternative energy sources
5) take stringent measures against industries polluting water and air and take steps to put an end to the pollution in all the rivers like Ganga and Yamuna
6) to ensure continuous flow of river Ganga while implementing any project.
Appropriate policy based on community participation should be adopted in all such issues related to environment and development keeping in mind our social and cultural values. So also no unjust and inappropriate international treaty on such issues should be accepted.
The ABKM appeals to all the citizens including swayamsevaks that instead of depending on the government alone they should voluntarily initiate measures for water conservation, minimal use of plastic and electricity, afforestation etc. Care should be taken to ensure that no pollution or ecological imbalance is caused due to our customs. Let us contribute in this awareness campaign through our own example and collaborating with various initiatives of environment protection in the country.
Resolution – 3
MAKE VILLAGE THE FOCUS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
All great men who dreamt about prosperous and self reliant Bharat have stressed that the soul of Bharat lives in villages and that the real path of progress for our country is possible only through the well being of villages. Mahatma Gandhi in 'Hind Swaraj' and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in his conception of Ekatma Manav Darshan emphasized the same. Based on this conception, eminent social worker Shri Nanaji Deshmukh has successfully achieved integrated rural development of several villages in and around Chitrakoot. Eminent thinker Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia also gave an outline of prosperous Bharat based on rural development. Even during freedom struggle, Gandhiji had observed that a day would come when not only Bharat but the entire world would have to make village a focal point of development for attaining real freedom and contentment. For this he visualized making villages of Bharat Gokuls, through cow, agriculture and village industries.
The present global economic crisis and environmental hazards have put a question mark on the western life style in its entirety. The end of socialism and the failure of capitalism are making the intellectuals throughout the world to seek a new approach for development. Humanity is in search of a new path for material and spiritual upliftment. Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal firmly believes that only Bharat can pave such a path. This belief is based on Hindu way of life based on harmony between man, society and nature which has been followed successfully for thousands of years. On the basis of such social structure, we could establish a most prosperous and developed civilization in the past; self reliant villages were the basic units of the social structure and necessity based production was the order of the day and wants were limited.
After independence, we gave up this basic vision and adopted Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based development model which lost credibility now in the western world itself. Rural economy got continuously neglected; agriculture became non-remunerative and village artisans and cottage industries were neglected. Due to lack of employment opportunities, proper health, educational and infrastructural facilities and onslaught of decadent western culture through TV and cinema, there has been mass exodus of people from villages to cities. By establishing facilities for processing and marketing of raw materials in villages and linking them with rural entrepreneurship, this exodus from villages could have been stopped. This neglect had disastrous effect on the rural economy. Continuous decline in rural investment and five year plan allocations are clear pointers to this neglect resulting in lack of funds for comprehensive development of rural infrastructure and agriculture based rural industries, and research and development facilities for agriculture. It is imperative for the government to provide for quality education relevant for villages, health services, employment opportunities, infrastructural facilities and create such modern models of development of villages which are ecofriendly and promote social harmony facilitating national integrity and progress.
ABKM is clearly of the opinion that cow-centric, organic and natural farming based village model supported by artisanship and rural industries can provide sustainable development forParam Vaibhav Bharat. Several experiments have indicated that organic farming can increase farm output. Research is also being conducted at several higher scientific institutions on integration of traditional knowledge with modern science to enhance quality of life in villages. Today materialism and greed are destroying social fabric and family. Cultural degradation is the natural consequence of this.
Rural reconstruction suited to the modern age based on simple living and sacrifice (thyag) is the only alternative. Cow connects us to our surroundings. Cow-centred village pattern in tune with nature, will not only be more profitable because it is not capital and machine based, but also will increase land fertility by use of natural fertilisers and pestcontrols. Gobar gas can also be alternative energy source. Panchagavya (milk, curd, ghee, Gomutra and Gobar), milk products and other medicines made from Gomutra can improve the economic standing of the villagers. For most of the farmers, plough based, or non-tilling (natural) agricultural will become a better option. Thus cow improves village life and is an important contributor for improving agricultural productivity.
This kind of self-reliant village system can effectively solve the economic and environmental problems. By crop rotation, use of green fertilisers, organic manures and pestcontrols, giving priority to traditional water resources like ponds, wells etc., and use of appropriate technology, it is possible to rejuvenate rural capabilities. Nature based and decentralised use of energy will not only reduce energy crisis, but will also decrease carbon emission levels. 'Vishwa Mangala Go Grama Yatra' organized by Saints and Dharmacharyas is a great endeavour for national awakening to tap this immense potential. ABKM welcomes this great effort.
ABKM urges the Central government to create a blue print for self reliant village based economy instead of populist slogans and plans. ABKM calls upon the society at large to leave behind complexes and build a prosperous Bharat based on village prosperity and calls upon the people for ‘Chalen Gram Ki Aur’ — March towards Villages.
Posted: 12 Oct 2009 02:53 AM PDT
jk"Vªh; Lo;alsod la?k
vf[ky Hkkjrh; dk;Zdkjh eaMy] ;qxkCn 5111
fnukad % 9]10]11 vDVwcj] 2009
jktx`g] ukyUnk ¼fcgkj½
Resolution – 1
STRENGTHEN BORDER SECURITY
The Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal views recent developments along Bharat-Tibet (China occupied) border with grave concern. Several news reports, which have subsequently been confirmed by responsible sections in our security establishment, have highlighted relentless campaign by the expansionist China to encroach upon our territory.
These reports confirm that there were 270 Line of Control violations and 2,285 instances of “aggressive border patrolling” by the People's Liberation Army of China last year alone. It is a sad commentary on our political dispensation that instead of cautioning the countrymen over the evil designs of our adversary there were efforts to gag the voices of caution by trying to take action against the media and blatantly trying to underplay the looming danger. It is disheartening and demoralising to see our leaders making defeatist statements about our preparedness against the Chinese’ aggressive maneuvers.
It is unfortunate that our response to the bullying tactics of the countries around us has always been lackluster. Except for the historic decision of providing asylum to
HH the Dalai Lama our handling of the Tibetan question has all along been a series of blunders ending up in practically endorsing Chinese annexation of that sovereign and independent country. China went on to occupy Aksai Chin region of Ladakh in the 50s. The Chinese’ designs for further annexation of our territory have resulted in humiliating compromises from our side on Sumdorong Chu Valley in 1987. Emboldened by our timidity the Chinese have now started making claims over entire Arunachal Pradesh.
The ABKM views Bharat’s response to these acts of aggression grossly inadequate and calls upon the Government to take immediate steps to strengthen our borders on
Bharat-Tibet side as well as other borders like the maritime border, Bharat-Pak and Bharat-Bangladesh border. It is necessary to enhance the response capability of our forces on the Bharat-Tibet border in the face of the huge military build up and infrastructure building by China on the other side.
The Chinese have deployed three Es – Engagement, Encirclement and Encouragement of our enemies – as their tactical weapons to harass Bharat. They have developed
Coco Islands Listening Post in South Myanmar into a full-fledged military base. They are building a commercial port in Sri Lanka while the Gwadar military port in the
Sindh Province of Pakistan built by them is ready for operations. They are using
Bharat-Tibet border for military provocations while the Bharat-Myanmar border is being used by them to support the terrorist and anti-national elements in the North-East.
They even started talking about dismemberment of Bharat.
The ABKM regrets that the pussyfooting of our Government is resulting in not only the setbacks on territory front but also on the diplomatic front. China has succeeded in raking up Arunachal Pradesh issue in the Asian Development Bank with a view to scuttle our efforts to secure loans for developmental activity in that state. It unsuccessfully tried to prevent the Nuclear Supplier Group countries from lifting sanctions against our country.
The ABKM wants to remind the Government that it must proceed in the spirit of the
14 November 1962 unanimous resolution of our Parliament in which it was categorically stated that the territory annexed by China must be brought back. Our Government should tell the counterparts in China that they must vacate the land annexed in the western sector and make no claims over the remaining sectors. It should be asked to honour the McMahon Line as Bharat’s international border in the same manner as it has accepted it as the border between Myanmar and itself.
It is shocking to hear that the Chinese have been issuing paper Visas to our citizens from Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir. Through this provocative act they want to show that they don’t recognize Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir as integral parts of Bharat. The ABKM demands that the Government issue orders to the immigration authorities forthwith banning the use of such Visas for leaving our country. Such stern steps, coupled with aggressive diplomacy, will only yield favourable results with China.
The ABKM wants to underscore similar concerns on Bharat-Pak front also. Especially of great shock to the nation is the joint statement of the Prime Ministers of Bharat and Pakistan at Sharm-el-Sheik on 9 July 2009. Many experts and leaders from across the political spectrum have pointed out the huge diplomatic goof-up in that statement by way of the inclusion of Baluchisthan issue and our readiness to resume talks with Pakistan
in spite of it continuing to indulge in cross-border terror.
The ABKM demands that on Pakistan too our Government should follow the spirit of the 22 February 1994 unanimous resolution of our Parliament that the only outstanding issue is the return of the PoK to Bharat.
The ABKM registers its appreciation for our soldiers and officers for their valiant efforts to secure our borders and calls upon the countrymen to be ever-vigilant to ensure that the Government does everything possible to safeguard our territorial integrity and self-respect.
Resolution – 2
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT CRISIS AND BHARATIYA VIEW
The seamless rhythm of nature unwinding over millennia is suddenly being disturbed during the last few decades. The Akhil Bharaiya Karyakari Mandal expresses its deep concern over the serious global environmental crisis as evident from increasing water scarcity, air pollution, continuous erosion of forests and bio-diversity which is the outcome of growing worldwide consumerism and unrestrained consumption of natural resources.
This imbalance in the nature’s cycle is the direct result of the western individualistic worldview based on tenets like ‘struggle for existence’ and ‘exploitation of nature’. It is this worldview that has resulted in developed countries with only 16% of world population emitting more than half of total Carbon Dioxide emissions. With a mere
4% of world population the USA alone is responsible for 25% of CO2 emissions. The resultant rise in global temperature is expected to be anywhere between 2.5º F – 10º F in the twenty first century as against 0.7º F to 1.4º F in the twentieth century. Destruction of bio-diversity, depletion of ozone layer, increasing epidemics and melting of polar ice which may lead to the rise in sea levels from 0.2 – 1.5 meters inundating large chunks of land areas are some of the serious threats on the horizon as a result of this global warming.
In our country too, the same flawed lifestyle is leading to imbalance in the nature’s cycle. Today, the forest cover in Bharat is about 20% in place of mandated 33%. 80% of the diseases in Bharat are the direct outcome of polluted drinking water and lack of hygiene because over 75% of the population is forced to use polluted drinking water. Every year, half of the districts in the country are affected either by drought or floods. Continually depleting groundwater levels, increasing temperatures in summer, thousands of acres of agriculture land becoming saline and toxic due to uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are some of the warning signals. No ebb is in sight to the diseases caused by unabated air pollution, sound pollution and water pollution due to industries in Metro cities and the menace of growing hazardous waste generated from thermocoal and plastic because of the 'Use and throw ' culture.
The present worldview is at the root of this global environmental crisis. Unless the reductionist and mechanistic worldview is negated, no solution will be in sight. Lifestyle based on 'Tena Tyaktena Bhunjeethah' (restrained consumption) coupled with a holistic and integral worldview is the necessity of the day. The ABKM is of the considered opinion that the Hindu worldview of integrated approach to humans, ecology and living creatures, gratitude towards ‘Panchamahabhootas’ (five universal elements viz Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space), belief in the concept of ‘Mother Earth’ and conservation of Water-Soil-Forests and the wildlife is crucial for a balanced ecology and nature. This worldview is being accepted globally also.
The ABKM is of the opinion that a positive initiative from policy makers and the society is essential for this. Articles 48A and 51A of our Constitution mandate both the citizens and State to protect environment, water sources and wildlife as their duty. In this context, it is pertinent to note that obstructing the flow of a river – a major source of water – severely endangers the environment.
Customs like worshipping of rivers and trees in our tradition are the manifestation of our holistic worldview. Martyrdom of Imartidevi along with 363 people to oppose cutting of trees in Rajasthan about 370 years back is its living testimony. Efforts for
environmental protection like the Chipko movement of independent Bharat and present
‘Vruksha – Laksha’ movement in Karnataka are worthy of emulation.
The ABKM appeals to the central and state governments to
1) take appropriate measures for preservation and development of water resources in the country
2) conserve soil by the restoration of natural and organic farming through the use of organic manure
3) make special plans for preservation of ecology of Himalayas and other mountain ranges
4) develop various alternative energy sources
5) take stringent measures against industries polluting water and air and take steps to put an end to the pollution in all the rivers like Ganga and Yamuna
6) to ensure continuous flow of river Ganga while implementing any project.
Appropriate policy based on community participation should be adopted in all such issues related to environment and development keeping in mind our social and cultural values. So also no unjust and inappropriate international treaty on such issues should be accepted.
The ABKM appeals to all the citizens including swayamsevaks that instead of depending on the government alone they should voluntarily initiate measures for water conservation, minimal use of plastic and electricity, afforestation etc. Care should be taken to ensure that no pollution or ecological imbalance is caused due to our customs. Let us contribute in this awareness campaign through our own example and collaborating with various initiatives of environment protection in the country.
Resolution – 3
MAKE VILLAGE THE FOCUS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
All great men who dreamt about prosperous and self reliant Bharat have stressed that the soul of Bharat lives in villages and that the real path of progress for our country is possible only through the well being of villages. Mahatma Gandhi in 'Hind Swaraj' and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in his conception of Ekatma Manav Darshan emphasized the same. Based on this conception, eminent social worker Shri Nanaji Deshmukh has successfully achieved integrated rural development of several villages in and around Chitrakoot. Eminent thinker Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia also gave an outline of prosperous Bharat based on rural development. Even during freedom struggle, Gandhiji had observed that a day would come when not only Bharat but the entire world would have to make village a focal point of development for attaining real freedom and contentment. For this he visualized making villages of Bharat Gokuls, through cow, agriculture and village industries.
The present global economic crisis and environmental hazards have put a question mark on the western life style in its entirety. The end of socialism and the failure of capitalism are making the intellectuals throughout the world to seek a new approach for development. Humanity is in search of a new path for material and spiritual upliftment. Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal firmly believes that only Bharat can pave such a path. This belief is based on Hindu way of life based on harmony between man, society and nature which has been followed successfully for thousands of years. On the basis of such social structure, we could establish a most prosperous and developed civilization in the past; self reliant villages were the basic units of the social structure and necessity based production was the order of the day and wants were limited.
After independence, we gave up this basic vision and adopted Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based development model which lost credibility now in the western world itself. Rural economy got continuously neglected; agriculture became non-remunerative and village artisans and cottage industries were neglected. Due to lack of employment opportunities, proper health, educational and infrastructural facilities and onslaught of decadent western culture through TV and cinema, there has been mass exodus of people from villages to cities. By establishing facilities for processing and marketing of raw materials in villages and linking them with rural entrepreneurship, this exodus from villages could have been stopped. This neglect had disastrous effect on the rural economy. Continuous decline in rural investment and five year plan allocations are clear pointers to this neglect resulting in lack of funds for comprehensive development of rural infrastructure and agriculture based rural industries, and research and development facilities for agriculture. It is imperative for the government to provide for quality education relevant for villages, health services, employment opportunities, infrastructural facilities and create such modern models of development of villages which are ecofriendly and promote social harmony facilitating national integrity and progress.
ABKM is clearly of the opinion that cow-centric, organic and natural farming based village model supported by artisanship and rural industries can provide sustainable development forParam Vaibhav Bharat. Several experiments have indicated that organic farming can increase farm output. Research is also being conducted at several higher scientific institutions on integration of traditional knowledge with modern science to enhance quality of life in villages. Today materialism and greed are destroying social fabric and family. Cultural degradation is the natural consequence of this.
Rural reconstruction suited to the modern age based on simple living and sacrifice (thyag) is the only alternative. Cow connects us to our surroundings. Cow-centred village pattern in tune with nature, will not only be more profitable because it is not capital and machine based, but also will increase land fertility by use of natural fertilisers and pestcontrols. Gobar gas can also be alternative energy source. Panchagavya (milk, curd, ghee, Gomutra and Gobar), milk products and other medicines made from Gomutra can improve the economic standing of the villagers. For most of the farmers, plough based, or non-tilling (natural) agricultural will become a better option. Thus cow improves village life and is an important contributor for improving agricultural productivity.
This kind of self-reliant village system can effectively solve the economic and environmental problems. By crop rotation, use of green fertilisers, organic manures and pestcontrols, giving priority to traditional water resources like ponds, wells etc., and use of appropriate technology, it is possible to rejuvenate rural capabilities. Nature based and decentralised use of energy will not only reduce energy crisis, but will also decrease carbon emission levels. 'Vishwa Mangala Go Grama Yatra' organized by Saints and Dharmacharyas is a great endeavour for national awakening to tap this immense potential. ABKM welcomes this great effort.
ABKM urges the Central government to create a blue print for self reliant village based economy instead of populist slogans and plans. ABKM calls upon the society at large to leave behind complexes and build a prosperous Bharat based on village prosperity and calls upon the people for ‘Chalen Gram Ki Aur’ — March towards Villages.
Look what RSS is up to! You want to wait? RSS chief plans to make India Sanghmayi, here’s how he is going about it
Look what RSS is up to! You want to wait? RSS chief plans to make India Sanghmayi, here’s how he is going about it
Posted: 10 Oct 2009 10:02 AM PDT
Journalism has many constraints, but perhaps the biggest is its frequent failure to see trends and developments that happen just beneath the surface and remain outside the pale of headlines and a sharp public focus till something explodes in full view as an “incident”, a “statement”, a “controversy”.
Mainstream media reporting on Sikh, Punjab or India related issues very often deliberately skirts such issues while keeping the sham of objectivity. As a community newspaper representing and alive to Sikh interests, the World Sikh News does not have the luxury to wait till an “incident”, a “statement”, a “controversy” breaks through to give us a peg to report on a phenomena which all know is happening but none is daring to talk about except a few enlightened souls in civil society.
At a time when the near centrist Congress party in India is making a song and dance about standing like a bulwark against the forces of communalism, it is maintaining a pregnant silence on the deep inroads into the Indian psyche being made by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Mark our words. The RSS is in an aggressive, proactive mode in India now. Its entire work culture is changing, it has launched a countrywide movement and program to embrace the influential and increasingly affluent middle class, it is hogging in many states and domains the place usually reserved for regular political parties, and it is preparing to shed its silent-worker, behind-the-scenes, nose-to-the-grind image.
Leading the RSS-in-an-aggressive-expansionist-mode drive is none other than its chief Mohan Bhagwat who publicly repeats at least twice a week that India is a Hindu Rashtra, something he said within moments after his anointment as the RSS head and significantly, something that has gone unchallenged by the Congress as well as the many avatars of the communist parties.
In Punjab, the Akali Dal and the SGPC remain blissfully untouched by repeated statements of Mohan Bhagwat about entire India being a Hindu Rashtra and all citizens of India being Hindus, even as the Akali Dal continues to maintain a fraternal love-clasp with the political child of the RSS, the BJP. Akali Dal patron and CM Prakash Singh Badal often describes the alliance as much more than a political understanding. “We are almost brothers,” he has repeated ad nauseum now.
As another story on Page 15 of this edition explains, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat landed at Delhi’s Dwarka suburb on October 2, the occasion ostensibly meant to mark the day India dedicates to its near mock exercise of committing itself to a self-styled apostle of peace. Bhagwat did so by performing worship of AK 47 and other guns and ammunition, and then delivered the RSS mumbo jumbo of worshipping power to ensure non-violence.
But what is even more important is the other social trend being actively promoted by the RSS under Bhagwat. Its leaders are out in the open, RSS is making open political statements, it is explicitly interfering and intervening in the affairs of the BJP, it is taking overt political position on all kinds of matters including issues of foreign policy, it is gathering forces under its own banner inviting former army officers, sants and sadhs, intellectuals and journalists.
In Punjab, the number of RSS shakhas has grown astonishingly huge in the last three years. At a time when elections to Punjab’s colleges are banned by law and students have remained deprived of meaningful engagement with politics for almost a quarter century, the RSS has its shakhas in hundreds of schools and colleges.
Bhagwat chose to make his traditional shastra puja (weapon worship) address in Dwarka, a fast growing suburb in Delhi’s south-west, and RSS is reaching across to the white collar migrants in many towns and metros.
Delhi’s posh areas and highly congested suburbs witness RSS shakhas in the park being sold to youngsters as health clubs cum spiritual exercises. Sources in the RSS said they have instructions to expand in all suburbs and focus on the well to do as well as the unemployed.
“We must have new image, a post-corporate image of a young, English and Hindi speaking, modern yet spiritual, traditional yet wearing branded jeans, quoting Proust and vedas in the same breath,” a young RSS pracharak lectured in a Moga shakha last Sunday. This Sunday, he was back, underlining and bringing about the significance of the fact that an estimated 15,000 RSS cadres clad in their traditional khaki short pants, white shirts and black caps had converged to listen to “Bhagwat ji”.
In the decade that the suburb has come into being, the 84-year-old Hindu nationalist organization has set up 200 shakhas (daily assemblies) in just Dwarka. In Chandigarh alone, more than 20 shakhas of the RSS are currently in operation.
The middle class Indian suburbs now represent not just the “new and more flexible face of the RSS” but also its most pernicious. No more will the RSS carry its explicit communal card; instead, like the age old practice of Brahmanism, it is evolving and metamorphosing into an entity that will make it hard to pin it down as the party of hate and poisonous minds.
The RSS leaders are now clear that they to achieve such an objective, they must recruit new potential cadres from professional ranks. So, the lumpen youth in search of a purpose will not be asked to get up at 5 am to join the shakha. Instead, the well educated will be told the shakha timings are to their advantage, and there is a gym next door that will be available for free.
In many colonies in the metros as well as in Punjab’s cities, the RSS has ensured that timings and the regimen are flexible. While conventionally, the shakhas have operated in the morning and entailed exercise drills, now you have night shakhas in areas such as Dwarka. “We need to accommodate working professionals,” Bhagwat explained helpfully.
And listen to his nuanced talk: “While our nation has the reputation, it has utterly failed to secure supremacy in the world arena. Our values of truth and non-violence cannot be asserted until we wield and worship power, something which the RSS preaches and practices. The country must become Sanghmayi.”
Sanghmayi means drenched in RSS ideology.
Clearly, the rebuilding efforts are designed to reposition the RSS as an acceptable ideological faith to a rapidly evolving demography, moving away from the traditional perception of being dominated by the upper castes. It is on the time tested Hindutva road of an assimilation drive and is making special efforts to attract the dalits and the backward castes to its fold.
The operation is below the surface, subtle and slow, and RSS will wait till it gets the results with time. And then the RSS will be a formidable force for the minorities to engage with. Some, of course, do think that the fundamentalist, religious and ideological slant militates against its ability to reach out to a wider cross-section in the country, but much harm would be done in a matter of a couple of years itself.
Bhagwat is not saying, is not even alluding that the RSS has any intention to change and become an inclusive force. His idea of inclusiveness is limited to assimilation. The RSS has expanded its presence steadily since 1990, growing its base of shakhas from 29,000 in 1990 to 40,000 at the end of March. Most of these expansions have come about in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which have a strong presence of the socially backward communities.
Officially, the RSS today has 800,000 cadres attending its daily shakhas across the country. It operates almost like a secret paramilitary organizationand efforts to re-invent itself are aimed not at any soul searching but to win more souls for the devil.
The IT Milan, and Shakha on the Web!
Look at the bold new initiatives of the RSS. In Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Chandigarh, it is running “IT Milan” gatherings (information technology meetings) where it exhorts informal gatherings of its supporters and sympathizers from the IT sector to imbibe the RSS ideology if they want to counter the dragon of China and overpower and sublimate Pakistan.
The obsolete rules are gone. No need for sporting the khaki knickers. There is more acceptability of married members. Pracharaks will soon not have to be celibate full-time members. It is coming up with plans like Vishesh Sampark Yojana to reach out to bureaucrats and NRIs. Members are being encouraged to use social networking to attract youngsters. They are asked to use Yahoo Groups and Orkut.
“Many shakhas are called now ‘software shakhas’ to groom busy IT professionals in the RSS way of thinking,” said Ram Madhav, RSS spokesperson. The new age shakhas will be on the web too, and right into your child’s laptop.
How prepared are we to counter such shrewdly thought out plans at penetrating, assimilating, metamorphosing the societal agendas? Remember, the RSS will leave no stone unturned in trying to appropriate the Sikh Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib, our religious idiom. Why do you think it has set up the other RSS, the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat? It is time to wake up, unless you want to wait for an “incident”, a “statement”, a “controversy”.
http://worldsikhnews.com/7%20October%202009/Look%20what%20RSS%20is%20up%20to!%20You%20want%20to%20wait.htm
Posted: 10 Oct 2009 10:02 AM PDT
Journalism has many constraints, but perhaps the biggest is its frequent failure to see trends and developments that happen just beneath the surface and remain outside the pale of headlines and a sharp public focus till something explodes in full view as an “incident”, a “statement”, a “controversy”.
Mainstream media reporting on Sikh, Punjab or India related issues very often deliberately skirts such issues while keeping the sham of objectivity. As a community newspaper representing and alive to Sikh interests, the World Sikh News does not have the luxury to wait till an “incident”, a “statement”, a “controversy” breaks through to give us a peg to report on a phenomena which all know is happening but none is daring to talk about except a few enlightened souls in civil society.
At a time when the near centrist Congress party in India is making a song and dance about standing like a bulwark against the forces of communalism, it is maintaining a pregnant silence on the deep inroads into the Indian psyche being made by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Mark our words. The RSS is in an aggressive, proactive mode in India now. Its entire work culture is changing, it has launched a countrywide movement and program to embrace the influential and increasingly affluent middle class, it is hogging in many states and domains the place usually reserved for regular political parties, and it is preparing to shed its silent-worker, behind-the-scenes, nose-to-the-grind image.
Leading the RSS-in-an-aggressive-expansionist-mode drive is none other than its chief Mohan Bhagwat who publicly repeats at least twice a week that India is a Hindu Rashtra, something he said within moments after his anointment as the RSS head and significantly, something that has gone unchallenged by the Congress as well as the many avatars of the communist parties.
In Punjab, the Akali Dal and the SGPC remain blissfully untouched by repeated statements of Mohan Bhagwat about entire India being a Hindu Rashtra and all citizens of India being Hindus, even as the Akali Dal continues to maintain a fraternal love-clasp with the political child of the RSS, the BJP. Akali Dal patron and CM Prakash Singh Badal often describes the alliance as much more than a political understanding. “We are almost brothers,” he has repeated ad nauseum now.
As another story on Page 15 of this edition explains, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat landed at Delhi’s Dwarka suburb on October 2, the occasion ostensibly meant to mark the day India dedicates to its near mock exercise of committing itself to a self-styled apostle of peace. Bhagwat did so by performing worship of AK 47 and other guns and ammunition, and then delivered the RSS mumbo jumbo of worshipping power to ensure non-violence.
But what is even more important is the other social trend being actively promoted by the RSS under Bhagwat. Its leaders are out in the open, RSS is making open political statements, it is explicitly interfering and intervening in the affairs of the BJP, it is taking overt political position on all kinds of matters including issues of foreign policy, it is gathering forces under its own banner inviting former army officers, sants and sadhs, intellectuals and journalists.
In Punjab, the number of RSS shakhas has grown astonishingly huge in the last three years. At a time when elections to Punjab’s colleges are banned by law and students have remained deprived of meaningful engagement with politics for almost a quarter century, the RSS has its shakhas in hundreds of schools and colleges.
Bhagwat chose to make his traditional shastra puja (weapon worship) address in Dwarka, a fast growing suburb in Delhi’s south-west, and RSS is reaching across to the white collar migrants in many towns and metros.
Delhi’s posh areas and highly congested suburbs witness RSS shakhas in the park being sold to youngsters as health clubs cum spiritual exercises. Sources in the RSS said they have instructions to expand in all suburbs and focus on the well to do as well as the unemployed.
“We must have new image, a post-corporate image of a young, English and Hindi speaking, modern yet spiritual, traditional yet wearing branded jeans, quoting Proust and vedas in the same breath,” a young RSS pracharak lectured in a Moga shakha last Sunday. This Sunday, he was back, underlining and bringing about the significance of the fact that an estimated 15,000 RSS cadres clad in their traditional khaki short pants, white shirts and black caps had converged to listen to “Bhagwat ji”.
In the decade that the suburb has come into being, the 84-year-old Hindu nationalist organization has set up 200 shakhas (daily assemblies) in just Dwarka. In Chandigarh alone, more than 20 shakhas of the RSS are currently in operation.
The middle class Indian suburbs now represent not just the “new and more flexible face of the RSS” but also its most pernicious. No more will the RSS carry its explicit communal card; instead, like the age old practice of Brahmanism, it is evolving and metamorphosing into an entity that will make it hard to pin it down as the party of hate and poisonous minds.
The RSS leaders are now clear that they to achieve such an objective, they must recruit new potential cadres from professional ranks. So, the lumpen youth in search of a purpose will not be asked to get up at 5 am to join the shakha. Instead, the well educated will be told the shakha timings are to their advantage, and there is a gym next door that will be available for free.
In many colonies in the metros as well as in Punjab’s cities, the RSS has ensured that timings and the regimen are flexible. While conventionally, the shakhas have operated in the morning and entailed exercise drills, now you have night shakhas in areas such as Dwarka. “We need to accommodate working professionals,” Bhagwat explained helpfully.
And listen to his nuanced talk: “While our nation has the reputation, it has utterly failed to secure supremacy in the world arena. Our values of truth and non-violence cannot be asserted until we wield and worship power, something which the RSS preaches and practices. The country must become Sanghmayi.”
Sanghmayi means drenched in RSS ideology.
Clearly, the rebuilding efforts are designed to reposition the RSS as an acceptable ideological faith to a rapidly evolving demography, moving away from the traditional perception of being dominated by the upper castes. It is on the time tested Hindutva road of an assimilation drive and is making special efforts to attract the dalits and the backward castes to its fold.
The operation is below the surface, subtle and slow, and RSS will wait till it gets the results with time. And then the RSS will be a formidable force for the minorities to engage with. Some, of course, do think that the fundamentalist, religious and ideological slant militates against its ability to reach out to a wider cross-section in the country, but much harm would be done in a matter of a couple of years itself.
Bhagwat is not saying, is not even alluding that the RSS has any intention to change and become an inclusive force. His idea of inclusiveness is limited to assimilation. The RSS has expanded its presence steadily since 1990, growing its base of shakhas from 29,000 in 1990 to 40,000 at the end of March. Most of these expansions have come about in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which have a strong presence of the socially backward communities.
Officially, the RSS today has 800,000 cadres attending its daily shakhas across the country. It operates almost like a secret paramilitary organizationand efforts to re-invent itself are aimed not at any soul searching but to win more souls for the devil.
The IT Milan, and Shakha on the Web!
Look at the bold new initiatives of the RSS. In Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Chandigarh, it is running “IT Milan” gatherings (information technology meetings) where it exhorts informal gatherings of its supporters and sympathizers from the IT sector to imbibe the RSS ideology if they want to counter the dragon of China and overpower and sublimate Pakistan.
The obsolete rules are gone. No need for sporting the khaki knickers. There is more acceptability of married members. Pracharaks will soon not have to be celibate full-time members. It is coming up with plans like Vishesh Sampark Yojana to reach out to bureaucrats and NRIs. Members are being encouraged to use social networking to attract youngsters. They are asked to use Yahoo Groups and Orkut.
“Many shakhas are called now ‘software shakhas’ to groom busy IT professionals in the RSS way of thinking,” said Ram Madhav, RSS spokesperson. The new age shakhas will be on the web too, and right into your child’s laptop.
How prepared are we to counter such shrewdly thought out plans at penetrating, assimilating, metamorphosing the societal agendas? Remember, the RSS will leave no stone unturned in trying to appropriate the Sikh Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib, our religious idiom. Why do you think it has set up the other RSS, the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat? It is time to wake up, unless you want to wait for an “incident”, a “statement”, a “controversy”.
http://worldsikhnews.com/7%20October%202009/Look%20what%20RSS%20is%20up%20to!%20You%20want%20to%20wait.htm
INDIA HAS MORAL COMMITMENT ON TIBET
We need a strategic vision.
Leverage on diplomatic relations
By Ram Madhav
For almost one decade the Russia-China talks remained deadlocked over this ‘principle’ issue. But with the Soviets not budging the Chinese had to climb down and in 1983 they finally agreed to not insist on the principle anymore. The US and many others tend to dismiss all this as Chinese propaganda. It may be partly true. But the underlying lesson remains; that you don’t have to acquire same number of naval carriers as your adversary; you should rather have enough capability to disable them.
‘Dialogue is the only solution’, our leaders untiringly exhort when it comes to our relations with the neighbours. Undoubtedly. But what is more important is perseverance.
With countries like China we need to understand that there is no easy solution even if you are ready to talk. The border dispute between our countries is more than six decades old. And the talks too are almost three decades old by now. Not much has been achieved. In fact while the talks are on we concede more and achieve little.
That is the most important lesson that we must learn: while in talks, be firm. Set your goals firmly before going into the talks; and once there, be steadfast.
Maybe we can take a leaf or two out of China’s own history. China resolved a very vexatious border dispute with Russia in 1991. While India has a border stretching to over 4500 kms, Russia too shares a border of almost the same length with China. Interestingly not just the length of the border but the nature of the dispute too is same; China declares that it doesn’t recognise ‘imperial treaties’ as they were ‘unequal’ treaties. It is well-known that China wants everything redone after 1949.
The pattern followed by China in its talks with Soviet Russia is similar to what it does with all other countries; and to what it did with India too. When the talks began between China and Soviet Russia in mid-60s the Chinese insisted that the Russian side should first of all agree ‘on principles’. By ‘principles’ what it meant was that the Russians should agree with its contention that all the historical treaties arrived at between Russia and China prior to 1949 should be considered as ‘unequal treaties’.
Realising the carefully laid trap in the name of ‘principle’ the Russians at once rejected the Chinese argument and insisted that they were not going to negotiate a new boundary and were only willing to discuss ‘minor technical adjustments’. They accused China of "attempting to substantiate its claim to 1.5 million sq kms of land that properly belonged to the Soviet Union by using a far-fetched pretext of righting the ‘injustices’ of past centuries".
Naturally the initial talks in 1964 collapsed. When they resumed in 1969 the Soviets were firm on their position that there is no question of negotiating a new boundary except to talk about a few issues limited to not more that 0.1 million square kilometers. The Chinese side persisted with its demand that the ‘basic principle’ of the unequal nature of the past treaties must be accepted by Russia first.
For almost one decade the Russia-China talks remained deadlocked over this ‘principle’ issue. But with the Soviets not budging the Chinese had to climb down and in 1983 they finally agreed to not insist on the principle anymore. Once that happened the rest of the negotiations went on and a final settlement was arrived at by 1991.
Just to understand the success of Russia and China border settlement we have to understand the mindset of the Russian leaders. One statement of Boris Yeltsin while on his way to Beijing in 1996 would suffice to indicate it: "There are instances in which we agree to no compromises. For example, the issue of to whom the three islands - in the Amur River not far from Khabarovsk and the.... Bolshoy Island in the Argun River in Chita should belong. With regard to this our position remains firm: the border should be where it lies now’.
Can we show that firmness? Have we done that before? China insisted that it wouldn’t recognize McMahon Line since it is an ‘Imperial Line’. Have we come across a Yeltsin in India who would have told them that if McMahon Line is fine for China and Burma to settle their borders why not the same for China and India? Do we have the courage to tell them that barring some ‘minor technicalities’, the border should be where it lied in 1947 or 1949?
So perseverance - the Russian type, is the key. But two more issues played important role in settling Russia-China border dispute. Firstly, both the countries felt a need for ‘coming closer’ for strategic purposes. In early 80s under Deng Xiaoping it became an important part of the Chinese new foreign policy. But more importantly the second factor, the superior military might of Russia, was also a clincher.
No meaningful settlement will be possible between two unequal neighbours. It has been made amply clear by the repeated statements of our military bosses that India lags far behind China in terms of its military capability. Elsewhere the new RSS Sarsanghachalak Sri Mohan Bhagwat also said: "Though frequent wars and border infringements imposed on us after the independence have made us some what less complacent regarding our defense preparedness, we are still less prepared for any potential war as compared to that of China and it is necessary to make more potent arrangement to secure our borders".
Critics may call it war-mongering, but the fact remains that we need to strengthen our preparedness. But what do we understand by defense preparedness? Do we mean parity in terms of weapons, aircraft and ships etc? Is it possible? Someone suggested that since China spends 7 per cent of its GDP on defense we too should spend that much. But 7 per cent of the GDP for China and 7 per cent of the GDP for India are not the same.
Here also the Chinese experience might give us a clue as to what we should do. For China, the US is a bigger rival. Even to this day it spends 14 times more money on its defense than China. That China had to face humiliating situation when a US aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz entered the Taiwan Strait in 1995-96 to force China to stand down from its threats to Taiwan. If China learnt any one lesson from this stand-off, it was that in military terms what is important is capability, not necessarily parity. Through capability one can build deterrents without actually entering into a race for parity. And that is what China did in the last 15 years.
The Chinese leadership has realised that it would be foolhardy to try to take on the US might head on. Instead they started working on the stratagem that would give it an advantage in case of any conflict. The bottomline for China is to raise the costs of war exorbitantly high for the US to think several times before taking the plunge. They call the military capabilities that support this strategy as "assassin’s mace". The ‘mantra’, to quote the Foreign Affairs magazine, is that the ‘assassin’s mace’ will enable ‘the inferior’ (China) to defeat ‘the superior’ (the US).
The Chinese today have ICBMs that can effectively destroy forward US bases like the Kadena Air Base on Okinawa Island in Japan or the Anderson Air Force Base on Guam in South of Japan. The message is clear: in the event of war, China has the capability to the forward bases of the US redundant in no time.
Today, the US is greatly worried about what is described as the "wasted assets". It has forward bases, but China has the capability to strike them with accuracy at will. The US has a huge and most powerful Navy, but the Chinese are deploying UAVs, radars and reconnaissance satellites that can detect warships at progressively greater distances. The Chinese have a large number of submarines with advanced torpedoes and high-speed sea-skimming missiles that can stalk US carriers. It has aircraft that carry high-speed anti-ship ballistic missiles. Thus even the vast US Navy is fast becoming a ‘wasted asset’ for the US.
In other words the East Asian seas are a no-go zone for the US Navy today. It is noteworthy that the Chinese Navy is still at its nascent stage. What China did was to demonstrate capability, not necessarily the parity.
Not just the seas and the sky, even the cyberspace is increasingly being made redundant for the US by China. It is reputed to have launched cyber attacks on the Pentagon that disabled computer systems there. Even the low-earth-orbit satellites of the US, which supply crucial military and commercial data for the US, are well within the reach of the anti-satellite ballistic missiles or ground-based lasers of China. In other words even those are turning out to be a ‘wasted asset’ for the US. Many of the ‘smart weapons’ of the US depend on the GPS constellation. The PLA is working overtime to acquire the capability to destroy this constellation thus making the US military just redundant when it comes to any confrontation in the East.
The US and many others tend to dismiss all this as Chinese propaganda. It may be partly true. But the underlying lesson remains; that you don’t have to acquire same number of naval carriers as your adversary; you should rather have enough capability to disable them. The mute point is: where do we stand in terms of research and production of modern weaponry? Prof. Steve Cohen of the Brookings Institute says that India is the most lethargic country when it comes to indigenous production of weapons. May be our politicians and military bosses are driven by ‘other’ considerations in depending on imports rather than developing indigenously?
Another important lesson that we should learn is to frustrate the enemy. China practices it to the full. It has encircled us from all sides. It has built a ‘listening post’ in Burma’s Coco Islands and upgraded it into a full base later. It has built the Gwadar Port in Sindh, Pakistan. It is building a commercial port in Sri Lanka. It is engaged in building infrastructure in countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. All these will become strategic assets for China. The Gwadar port can function as a base for the nuclear submarines of the Chinese Navy.
Sadly, we are doing nothing on that front too. We have done precious little to help countries like Taiwan. The Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was in India last month. Despite the fact that we have best of the relations with that country which is very strategically located: land-locked between Russia and China, we hardly thought of leveraging our relations to the strategic advantage of our country. The argument is that such a move would unnecessarily ‘irritate’ China. We have an Air Force base in Kazakhstan but no aircraft.
What is needed is a strategic vision, not just statements. Unfortunately while we seem to lack it we are not even trying to learn a lesson from our own adversary, China.
(Concluded)
(The writer is member of National Executive Council, RSS.)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=312&page=11
Leverage on diplomatic relations
By Ram Madhav
For almost one decade the Russia-China talks remained deadlocked over this ‘principle’ issue. But with the Soviets not budging the Chinese had to climb down and in 1983 they finally agreed to not insist on the principle anymore. The US and many others tend to dismiss all this as Chinese propaganda. It may be partly true. But the underlying lesson remains; that you don’t have to acquire same number of naval carriers as your adversary; you should rather have enough capability to disable them.
‘Dialogue is the only solution’, our leaders untiringly exhort when it comes to our relations with the neighbours. Undoubtedly. But what is more important is perseverance.
With countries like China we need to understand that there is no easy solution even if you are ready to talk. The border dispute between our countries is more than six decades old. And the talks too are almost three decades old by now. Not much has been achieved. In fact while the talks are on we concede more and achieve little.
That is the most important lesson that we must learn: while in talks, be firm. Set your goals firmly before going into the talks; and once there, be steadfast.
Maybe we can take a leaf or two out of China’s own history. China resolved a very vexatious border dispute with Russia in 1991. While India has a border stretching to over 4500 kms, Russia too shares a border of almost the same length with China. Interestingly not just the length of the border but the nature of the dispute too is same; China declares that it doesn’t recognise ‘imperial treaties’ as they were ‘unequal’ treaties. It is well-known that China wants everything redone after 1949.
The pattern followed by China in its talks with Soviet Russia is similar to what it does with all other countries; and to what it did with India too. When the talks began between China and Soviet Russia in mid-60s the Chinese insisted that the Russian side should first of all agree ‘on principles’. By ‘principles’ what it meant was that the Russians should agree with its contention that all the historical treaties arrived at between Russia and China prior to 1949 should be considered as ‘unequal treaties’.
Realising the carefully laid trap in the name of ‘principle’ the Russians at once rejected the Chinese argument and insisted that they were not going to negotiate a new boundary and were only willing to discuss ‘minor technical adjustments’. They accused China of "attempting to substantiate its claim to 1.5 million sq kms of land that properly belonged to the Soviet Union by using a far-fetched pretext of righting the ‘injustices’ of past centuries".
Naturally the initial talks in 1964 collapsed. When they resumed in 1969 the Soviets were firm on their position that there is no question of negotiating a new boundary except to talk about a few issues limited to not more that 0.1 million square kilometers. The Chinese side persisted with its demand that the ‘basic principle’ of the unequal nature of the past treaties must be accepted by Russia first.
For almost one decade the Russia-China talks remained deadlocked over this ‘principle’ issue. But with the Soviets not budging the Chinese had to climb down and in 1983 they finally agreed to not insist on the principle anymore. Once that happened the rest of the negotiations went on and a final settlement was arrived at by 1991.
Just to understand the success of Russia and China border settlement we have to understand the mindset of the Russian leaders. One statement of Boris Yeltsin while on his way to Beijing in 1996 would suffice to indicate it: "There are instances in which we agree to no compromises. For example, the issue of to whom the three islands - in the Amur River not far from Khabarovsk and the.... Bolshoy Island in the Argun River in Chita should belong. With regard to this our position remains firm: the border should be where it lies now’.
Can we show that firmness? Have we done that before? China insisted that it wouldn’t recognize McMahon Line since it is an ‘Imperial Line’. Have we come across a Yeltsin in India who would have told them that if McMahon Line is fine for China and Burma to settle their borders why not the same for China and India? Do we have the courage to tell them that barring some ‘minor technicalities’, the border should be where it lied in 1947 or 1949?
So perseverance - the Russian type, is the key. But two more issues played important role in settling Russia-China border dispute. Firstly, both the countries felt a need for ‘coming closer’ for strategic purposes. In early 80s under Deng Xiaoping it became an important part of the Chinese new foreign policy. But more importantly the second factor, the superior military might of Russia, was also a clincher.
No meaningful settlement will be possible between two unequal neighbours. It has been made amply clear by the repeated statements of our military bosses that India lags far behind China in terms of its military capability. Elsewhere the new RSS Sarsanghachalak Sri Mohan Bhagwat also said: "Though frequent wars and border infringements imposed on us after the independence have made us some what less complacent regarding our defense preparedness, we are still less prepared for any potential war as compared to that of China and it is necessary to make more potent arrangement to secure our borders".
Critics may call it war-mongering, but the fact remains that we need to strengthen our preparedness. But what do we understand by defense preparedness? Do we mean parity in terms of weapons, aircraft and ships etc? Is it possible? Someone suggested that since China spends 7 per cent of its GDP on defense we too should spend that much. But 7 per cent of the GDP for China and 7 per cent of the GDP for India are not the same.
Here also the Chinese experience might give us a clue as to what we should do. For China, the US is a bigger rival. Even to this day it spends 14 times more money on its defense than China. That China had to face humiliating situation when a US aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz entered the Taiwan Strait in 1995-96 to force China to stand down from its threats to Taiwan. If China learnt any one lesson from this stand-off, it was that in military terms what is important is capability, not necessarily parity. Through capability one can build deterrents without actually entering into a race for parity. And that is what China did in the last 15 years.
The Chinese leadership has realised that it would be foolhardy to try to take on the US might head on. Instead they started working on the stratagem that would give it an advantage in case of any conflict. The bottomline for China is to raise the costs of war exorbitantly high for the US to think several times before taking the plunge. They call the military capabilities that support this strategy as "assassin’s mace". The ‘mantra’, to quote the Foreign Affairs magazine, is that the ‘assassin’s mace’ will enable ‘the inferior’ (China) to defeat ‘the superior’ (the US).
The Chinese today have ICBMs that can effectively destroy forward US bases like the Kadena Air Base on Okinawa Island in Japan or the Anderson Air Force Base on Guam in South of Japan. The message is clear: in the event of war, China has the capability to the forward bases of the US redundant in no time.
Today, the US is greatly worried about what is described as the "wasted assets". It has forward bases, but China has the capability to strike them with accuracy at will. The US has a huge and most powerful Navy, but the Chinese are deploying UAVs, radars and reconnaissance satellites that can detect warships at progressively greater distances. The Chinese have a large number of submarines with advanced torpedoes and high-speed sea-skimming missiles that can stalk US carriers. It has aircraft that carry high-speed anti-ship ballistic missiles. Thus even the vast US Navy is fast becoming a ‘wasted asset’ for the US.
In other words the East Asian seas are a no-go zone for the US Navy today. It is noteworthy that the Chinese Navy is still at its nascent stage. What China did was to demonstrate capability, not necessarily the parity.
Not just the seas and the sky, even the cyberspace is increasingly being made redundant for the US by China. It is reputed to have launched cyber attacks on the Pentagon that disabled computer systems there. Even the low-earth-orbit satellites of the US, which supply crucial military and commercial data for the US, are well within the reach of the anti-satellite ballistic missiles or ground-based lasers of China. In other words even those are turning out to be a ‘wasted asset’ for the US. Many of the ‘smart weapons’ of the US depend on the GPS constellation. The PLA is working overtime to acquire the capability to destroy this constellation thus making the US military just redundant when it comes to any confrontation in the East.
The US and many others tend to dismiss all this as Chinese propaganda. It may be partly true. But the underlying lesson remains; that you don’t have to acquire same number of naval carriers as your adversary; you should rather have enough capability to disable them. The mute point is: where do we stand in terms of research and production of modern weaponry? Prof. Steve Cohen of the Brookings Institute says that India is the most lethargic country when it comes to indigenous production of weapons. May be our politicians and military bosses are driven by ‘other’ considerations in depending on imports rather than developing indigenously?
Another important lesson that we should learn is to frustrate the enemy. China practices it to the full. It has encircled us from all sides. It has built a ‘listening post’ in Burma’s Coco Islands and upgraded it into a full base later. It has built the Gwadar Port in Sindh, Pakistan. It is building a commercial port in Sri Lanka. It is engaged in building infrastructure in countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. All these will become strategic assets for China. The Gwadar port can function as a base for the nuclear submarines of the Chinese Navy.
Sadly, we are doing nothing on that front too. We have done precious little to help countries like Taiwan. The Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was in India last month. Despite the fact that we have best of the relations with that country which is very strategically located: land-locked between Russia and China, we hardly thought of leveraging our relations to the strategic advantage of our country. The argument is that such a move would unnecessarily ‘irritate’ China. We have an Air Force base in Kazakhstan but no aircraft.
What is needed is a strategic vision, not just statements. Unfortunately while we seem to lack it we are not even trying to learn a lesson from our own adversary, China.
(Concluded)
(The writer is member of National Executive Council, RSS.)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=312&page=11
Why India needs the BJP
Why India needs the BJP
Posted: 22 Aug 2009 09:49 AM PDT
The ideology that the Bharatiya Janata Party [ Images ] represents and its pan Indian appeal makes it an important cog in our democracy, argues Tarun Vijay
In a nation where most of the political parties are known by the names of their 'owners' turning the political process into a kind of family fiefdom, the existence of a party that still runs on democratic norms and represents a completely different ethos, must be valued as a need of the society. That is the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is useless to indulge in the contemporary dichotomies and scuffles that mar its current framework.
These are trivialities and have been a part of every political party, including the Jan Sangh that saw much bitter scenes involving top guns even when that was hardly as strong as its new avatar the BJP has become.
The basic question is -- do we have a future for a party that symbolises Hindu aspirations and civilisational rejuvenation through political instruments and acts as a part of a larger saffron brotherhood that has grown stronger by each year since its emergence in 1925?
Suppose if there was no Jan Sangh or the BJP there would have been no Kashmir [ Images ] movement, no demands to scrap two flags and two constitutional provisions for an Indian state and abolishing two Constitutional heads system for it. Who would have taken up the cause of an invincible Indian security and carried out the Pokaran II nuclear tests while preparing for Pokaran III?
The last millennium saw the foreign attacks on Bharat that is India and the target of these barbaric assaults were essentially the Hindu population and their temples. The truncated independence should have given them the highest freedom to flower and come to their own as a free and fearless nation would have honoured the great spirit of resistance that made Allama Iqbal write 'Kuch baat hai ki hasti mit-ti nahin hamaari (There is something extraordinary that we -- the civilisation -- survived centuries of assaults)'.
But after the massacres during Partition/independence in Calcutta, Noakhali, Muzaffarabad and Rawalpindi, Hindus got the secular marginalisation and a State apparatus that looked down at anything representing their age old-bruised ethos. That is why to uphold the dignity of being a Hindu and ensure equal attitude of the State for every citizen without any discrimination on the basis of caste or religion, the Jan Sangh was founded in 1951. The principles were unity in diversity, one nation, one culture and one people and justice to all, appeasement of none.
At the first all India session of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, its founder president Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee had said, 'India has been for centuries past the homeland of diverse people pursuing different faiths and religions. The need to preserve and respect the personal laws of such people especially in matters of religion and fundamental social obligations is undoubted. In all matters concerning the rights and duties of citizenship as such, there must be complete equality for all. We must be able to carry all sections of the people with us by creating in their minds a healthy and progressive attitude of co-operation based on true equality of opportunity and mutual tolerance and understanding. Our party's door remains open to all who believe in our programme and ideology irrespective of considerations of caste and religion.'
'Our party,' he added, 'believes that the future progress of India must be based on a natural synthesis between its full economic advance and the development of mind and character of the people in accordance with the highest traditions of Indian culture and civilization. The political freedom that we have achieved will be meaningless without economic freedom. It is a tragedy that a vast country such as India, with its almost limitless resources and raw materials, should be steeped in poverty, disease, ignorance and degradation. Our party believes that without plunging the country into the vortex of violent chaos and conflict, it should be possible for us to readjust the conditions of our economic life so as to bring to an end a shameful era of exploitation and silent human suffering.'
Without mincing any words he declared, 'Our party though, ever prepared to extend its hand of equality to all citizens, does not feel ashamed to urge for the consolidation of Hindu society, nor does it suffer from an inferiority complex to acknowledge proudly that the great edifice of Indian culture and civilization, which had stood the test of thousands of years, has been built, most of all by the labour, sacrifice and wisdom of Hindu sages, savants and patriots throughout the chequered history of our motherland. We are not so mean as to forget that in this gigantic process our country came into contact and conflict with many foreign races and ideologies and our great ancestors had the courage to fashion and refashion the country's structure in accordance with new ideas and with the changed conditions of our society. If India's freedom is to be purposeful, a correct appreciation of the fundamental features of Indian culture -- the discovery of that unity in diversity, which is the keynote of her civilization -- is highly essential.'
These lengthy quotations are essential to understand the real purpose behind the BJP, which has accepted Dr Mookerjee and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya as its sources of inspiration showing the ideological path.
In pre-Partition days, the independence movement essentially drew from Hindu nationalist symbols and writings expressed through Mahatma Gandhi's [ Images ] Ram Rajya, Sri Aurobindo's Bhawani Bharati concept which saw India as Durga incarnate and declared Sanatan Dharma as the nationality of India, Vivekananda, Lokmanya Tilak, and Subhas Bose. They were all deeply Hindu spiritual personalities who espoused the cause of freedom, liberty, equality and democracy.
There was less ideological apartheid that we see today and newspapers like The Hindu and The Hindustan Times were not looked down just because they bore a word Hindu and parties like the Hindu Mahasabha, Ram Rajya Parishad etc were in the mainstream without experiencing any kind of 'ideological untouchability'.
It's only after Independence under the influence of Nehruvian left-to-centre policies that the assertive Hindus segment was sought to be humiliated and segregated.
In the contemporary political scene, the Congress, which once represented the federal liberal character of Hindu nationalist ideas advocating equality to all, has turned into a family oriented party where internal democratic process is completely subjugated to the wishes and whims of a supreme leader who also happens to be a family head. Except for the Communist parties and the BJP there is a hardly a party that is democratically run and controlled from the grassroot levels.
Hence, in spite of internal bickering and trivial issues cropping up, a party that was born post Independence representing a distinct ideology and programmes can only be a strengthening factor for democracy. Its amazing growth and power to rule the nation quite successfully have further added to its credibility. Those who oppose it must look at the fact sheet it has so far built -- giving India the best of the highways, an IT and technological revolution, best run states in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh [ Images ] and Chhattisgarh and above all a credible opposition that has a vast acceptability at an all India level, giving a pan India character to the polity.
The poet who wrote, 'Gagan mein laharta hai bhagwa hamara (The saffron flies high in the sky)' became the most admired prime minister, the first genuinely non-Congress one and his regime saw the best of relations with neighbours. Atal Bihari Vajpayee [ Images ] allowed Pokaran II, yet maintained better ties with the US, China and Pakistan without compromising on national interest.
This party has another distinct feature -- it can boast of a galaxy of national leaders who command a mass following unlike others who have none but their 'eternally elected' chiefs alone for the posters and platforms diminishing any second or third rank leadership.
And you don't have to belong to a family or a family's durbar to aspire for higher goals and posts in the party. Someone who was a village level worker and did his bit to gain acceptance could become party president and was never told, oh you don't have a particular last name hence can rise this far and no further.
Pardon me if in this context, to clarify a bit more, I recall a Q&A session I had in China where I was asked in a university by students – 'What's the use of your democracy if it can't deliver? See Bihar and Orissa and UP's rural areas and farmers suicides? We may not be having the democracy you like to ape from the West but our one party system is delivering fine.'
I was not surprised. The value of democracy can be understood only when you lose it after enjoying its fruits. I simply said, even with half filled stomachs and often self defeating noises, we prefer freedom more than a totalitarian regime guaranteeing prosperity to all.
Liberty can have no alternative. And that's exactly the most powerful factor that makes the BJP indefatigable and invincible. The party's inner core promises to rise like a Phoenix if the outer shell fails to translate the ideals it was born to achieve.
It may look a bit preposterous to say these high pedestal things when the party is making news not for some happy reasons. It is sad, but it will pass. The party is not built by those who were adherents of a family, but by those small yet strongly committed young hearts who built it on their shoulders because they shared a vision and a dream.
I have seen three generations working together, first for the Jan Sangh and then for its new avatar, the BJP. They never aspired to make it big in Delhi [ Images ] but from Silchar to Shimoga and Doda to Port Blair, they have been working. These workers are the strength of the party and not those who make big speeches and then wash dirty linen in the media. They must be powered and their moral needs to be boosted by a united commitment to principles leaders claim they accept.
Today these workers have emerged taller because they have lived the ideals espoused by Deen Dayal Upadhyaya who had merged his identity with the common cadre and lived by his principles through his own life's example. He gave the alternative ideology of integral humanism before the two alien ones namely capitalism and communism. That almost supplements and complements Gandhi's Hind Swarajya whose hundredth year is passing so unceremoniously in the raj of the 'Gandhis'.
It is this perfectly ideological rock of our civilisation represented by the BJP in politics that India needs fervently.
Tarun Vijay is Director, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation
Posted: 22 Aug 2009 09:49 AM PDT
The ideology that the Bharatiya Janata Party [ Images ] represents and its pan Indian appeal makes it an important cog in our democracy, argues Tarun Vijay
In a nation where most of the political parties are known by the names of their 'owners' turning the political process into a kind of family fiefdom, the existence of a party that still runs on democratic norms and represents a completely different ethos, must be valued as a need of the society. That is the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is useless to indulge in the contemporary dichotomies and scuffles that mar its current framework.
These are trivialities and have been a part of every political party, including the Jan Sangh that saw much bitter scenes involving top guns even when that was hardly as strong as its new avatar the BJP has become.
The basic question is -- do we have a future for a party that symbolises Hindu aspirations and civilisational rejuvenation through political instruments and acts as a part of a larger saffron brotherhood that has grown stronger by each year since its emergence in 1925?
Suppose if there was no Jan Sangh or the BJP there would have been no Kashmir [ Images ] movement, no demands to scrap two flags and two constitutional provisions for an Indian state and abolishing two Constitutional heads system for it. Who would have taken up the cause of an invincible Indian security and carried out the Pokaran II nuclear tests while preparing for Pokaran III?
The last millennium saw the foreign attacks on Bharat that is India and the target of these barbaric assaults were essentially the Hindu population and their temples. The truncated independence should have given them the highest freedom to flower and come to their own as a free and fearless nation would have honoured the great spirit of resistance that made Allama Iqbal write 'Kuch baat hai ki hasti mit-ti nahin hamaari (There is something extraordinary that we -- the civilisation -- survived centuries of assaults)'.
But after the massacres during Partition/independence in Calcutta, Noakhali, Muzaffarabad and Rawalpindi, Hindus got the secular marginalisation and a State apparatus that looked down at anything representing their age old-bruised ethos. That is why to uphold the dignity of being a Hindu and ensure equal attitude of the State for every citizen without any discrimination on the basis of caste or religion, the Jan Sangh was founded in 1951. The principles were unity in diversity, one nation, one culture and one people and justice to all, appeasement of none.
At the first all India session of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, its founder president Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee had said, 'India has been for centuries past the homeland of diverse people pursuing different faiths and religions. The need to preserve and respect the personal laws of such people especially in matters of religion and fundamental social obligations is undoubted. In all matters concerning the rights and duties of citizenship as such, there must be complete equality for all. We must be able to carry all sections of the people with us by creating in their minds a healthy and progressive attitude of co-operation based on true equality of opportunity and mutual tolerance and understanding. Our party's door remains open to all who believe in our programme and ideology irrespective of considerations of caste and religion.'
'Our party,' he added, 'believes that the future progress of India must be based on a natural synthesis between its full economic advance and the development of mind and character of the people in accordance with the highest traditions of Indian culture and civilization. The political freedom that we have achieved will be meaningless without economic freedom. It is a tragedy that a vast country such as India, with its almost limitless resources and raw materials, should be steeped in poverty, disease, ignorance and degradation. Our party believes that without plunging the country into the vortex of violent chaos and conflict, it should be possible for us to readjust the conditions of our economic life so as to bring to an end a shameful era of exploitation and silent human suffering.'
Without mincing any words he declared, 'Our party though, ever prepared to extend its hand of equality to all citizens, does not feel ashamed to urge for the consolidation of Hindu society, nor does it suffer from an inferiority complex to acknowledge proudly that the great edifice of Indian culture and civilization, which had stood the test of thousands of years, has been built, most of all by the labour, sacrifice and wisdom of Hindu sages, savants and patriots throughout the chequered history of our motherland. We are not so mean as to forget that in this gigantic process our country came into contact and conflict with many foreign races and ideologies and our great ancestors had the courage to fashion and refashion the country's structure in accordance with new ideas and with the changed conditions of our society. If India's freedom is to be purposeful, a correct appreciation of the fundamental features of Indian culture -- the discovery of that unity in diversity, which is the keynote of her civilization -- is highly essential.'
These lengthy quotations are essential to understand the real purpose behind the BJP, which has accepted Dr Mookerjee and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya as its sources of inspiration showing the ideological path.
In pre-Partition days, the independence movement essentially drew from Hindu nationalist symbols and writings expressed through Mahatma Gandhi's [ Images ] Ram Rajya, Sri Aurobindo's Bhawani Bharati concept which saw India as Durga incarnate and declared Sanatan Dharma as the nationality of India, Vivekananda, Lokmanya Tilak, and Subhas Bose. They were all deeply Hindu spiritual personalities who espoused the cause of freedom, liberty, equality and democracy.
There was less ideological apartheid that we see today and newspapers like The Hindu and The Hindustan Times were not looked down just because they bore a word Hindu and parties like the Hindu Mahasabha, Ram Rajya Parishad etc were in the mainstream without experiencing any kind of 'ideological untouchability'.
It's only after Independence under the influence of Nehruvian left-to-centre policies that the assertive Hindus segment was sought to be humiliated and segregated.
In the contemporary political scene, the Congress, which once represented the federal liberal character of Hindu nationalist ideas advocating equality to all, has turned into a family oriented party where internal democratic process is completely subjugated to the wishes and whims of a supreme leader who also happens to be a family head. Except for the Communist parties and the BJP there is a hardly a party that is democratically run and controlled from the grassroot levels.
Hence, in spite of internal bickering and trivial issues cropping up, a party that was born post Independence representing a distinct ideology and programmes can only be a strengthening factor for democracy. Its amazing growth and power to rule the nation quite successfully have further added to its credibility. Those who oppose it must look at the fact sheet it has so far built -- giving India the best of the highways, an IT and technological revolution, best run states in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh [ Images ] and Chhattisgarh and above all a credible opposition that has a vast acceptability at an all India level, giving a pan India character to the polity.
The poet who wrote, 'Gagan mein laharta hai bhagwa hamara (The saffron flies high in the sky)' became the most admired prime minister, the first genuinely non-Congress one and his regime saw the best of relations with neighbours. Atal Bihari Vajpayee [ Images ] allowed Pokaran II, yet maintained better ties with the US, China and Pakistan without compromising on national interest.
This party has another distinct feature -- it can boast of a galaxy of national leaders who command a mass following unlike others who have none but their 'eternally elected' chiefs alone for the posters and platforms diminishing any second or third rank leadership.
And you don't have to belong to a family or a family's durbar to aspire for higher goals and posts in the party. Someone who was a village level worker and did his bit to gain acceptance could become party president and was never told, oh you don't have a particular last name hence can rise this far and no further.
Pardon me if in this context, to clarify a bit more, I recall a Q&A session I had in China where I was asked in a university by students – 'What's the use of your democracy if it can't deliver? See Bihar and Orissa and UP's rural areas and farmers suicides? We may not be having the democracy you like to ape from the West but our one party system is delivering fine.'
I was not surprised. The value of democracy can be understood only when you lose it after enjoying its fruits. I simply said, even with half filled stomachs and often self defeating noises, we prefer freedom more than a totalitarian regime guaranteeing prosperity to all.
Liberty can have no alternative. And that's exactly the most powerful factor that makes the BJP indefatigable and invincible. The party's inner core promises to rise like a Phoenix if the outer shell fails to translate the ideals it was born to achieve.
It may look a bit preposterous to say these high pedestal things when the party is making news not for some happy reasons. It is sad, but it will pass. The party is not built by those who were adherents of a family, but by those small yet strongly committed young hearts who built it on their shoulders because they shared a vision and a dream.
I have seen three generations working together, first for the Jan Sangh and then for its new avatar, the BJP. They never aspired to make it big in Delhi [ Images ] but from Silchar to Shimoga and Doda to Port Blair, they have been working. These workers are the strength of the party and not those who make big speeches and then wash dirty linen in the media. They must be powered and their moral needs to be boosted by a united commitment to principles leaders claim they accept.
Today these workers have emerged taller because they have lived the ideals espoused by Deen Dayal Upadhyaya who had merged his identity with the common cadre and lived by his principles through his own life's example. He gave the alternative ideology of integral humanism before the two alien ones namely capitalism and communism. That almost supplements and complements Gandhi's Hind Swarajya whose hundredth year is passing so unceremoniously in the raj of the 'Gandhis'.
It is this perfectly ideological rock of our civilisation represented by the BJP in politics that India needs fervently.
Tarun Vijay is Director, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation
Shopian tragedy: The tale gets murkier
Shopian tragedy: The tale gets murkier
Posted: 03 Oct 2009 05:30 AM PDT
J&K is a case study of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments.
By Sunita Vakil
Now that the sensational twist in the Shopian double murder case has nailed the lie of the earlier "truth", it is the responsibility of the administration to bring the culprits to book. What does it show if not that there have been bunglings at various levels of investigation into the tragic occurrence? Indeed, facts have been fudged and forensic samples tampered with in a bid to hide the truth and cover up real culprits. Each new investigation has brought its own set of twists and turns, obscuring the mystery further. Investigators are supposed to unravel the truth and bring the perpetrators of crime to justice. But instead we find our investigating authorities including policemen, medical professionals, administrative officers and others manipulating the truth to cover up the gruesome crime. It goes without saying that the state government's complacency leaves a lot to be desired. Infact, the Omar Abdullah government cannot escape responsibility as his mishandling of the case has had the valley in turmoil for over four months. This, despite the government's categorical assurance in the legislature that culprits will be arrested. "Government would not hide any information and punish the culprits severely. I stand firmly for my promise and reassure the people on this day that the persons behind this heinous crime would not be allowed to go scot-free," the Chief Minister had stated. A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief justice Bharin Gosh and Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir had left no doubt about their intentions of revealing truth at any cost. But clearly, with "new facts" coming to the surface, the tail is getting murkier by the day. Jeremy Collier has well said "We must not let go manifest truths because we cannot answer all questions about them." Definitely, adopting an analytical approach based on the available facts would be a good beginning. Viewed in this context, the handing over the case to the CBI is a step in the right direction.
For the past few months, the valley has been swept by a volent agitation following the alleged murder of the two young woman. But the political response has evoked doubt and suspicion at best. It was indeed the duty of the state government to go after the culprits and those shielding them. But that has not been the case. Although it is a fact that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, fearing a severe backlash ordered a judicial probe into the crime, it also cannot be denied that there were more attempts to prevent the truth from coming out than carrying out an unbiased, objective analysis of the known facts. With the revelation that the DNA samples sent for testing had been fiddled with, the credibility of the state investigation team comes into question. It is quite bewildering that the doctors who conducted autopsies on the victims were non-specialists. The autopsies were performed in an unprofessional manner and were not videotaped. Also, there was much delay in registering the FIR. The commission of enquiry appointed to unravel the truth only added to the conclusion. In short, the over zealousness of the authorities to protect the interests of their patrons as well as mounting public pressure led to manipulated quick fire results. That there was destruction of vital evidence like body-fluids, stains, fingerprints, etc has even been admitted by the special investigation team as well as the Jan Commotion. And the most important cardinal rule that the investigators gave a quite burial to is that in such cases, it is not advisable to proceed with preconceived judgement.
And undoubtedly, it is here that the government seems to have failed in Shopian case which led to widespread unrest in the valley. The issue has become a rallying point for the opposition in J&K to question the government on the fabrication of the victim's DNA samples as well as the case being handed over to the CBI.
It goes without saying that holding previously believed theories is equally untenable. Given the witch-hunt against the security forces in the valley, locals suspected the wrong- doing to be the handiwork of CRPF men. The results of the two previous autopsies conduc- ted by the state authorities were also juggled with to appear like compelling facts confirming the suspicion. Earlier in June, all parties Hurrriyat Confrence Chairman Sayed Alishah Geelani had brought life in Shopian to a standstill for 47 days by protesting over the deaths. But there has been found to be no conclusive evidence of rape of the victims. That much has been established by the CBI that conducted a postmortem on their exhumed bodies after a doctor connected with the case confirmed that she had not taken vaginal swabs from the bodies.
It seems to be a paradox of sorts that though the people of J&K record robust participation in elections, there is clearly a separatism streak simmering below the surface which invariably gives a lie to New Delhi’s boasting of having restored a democratic order in the state. These underlying tensions come to the fore whenever some incidents trigger mass protests, be it the Amarnath land deal issue or the current one. Such incidents take an anti-India hue and are used by separatists to mobilise opinion against India. Infact, J&K is a test case of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments. Following the CBI's confirmation that one of the victims died a virgin and the rape of the second one seems a remote possibility judging by the nature of injuries, the Hurrriyat has emerged with egg on its face. It was for this reason that the Kashmir High Court Bar Association, a body of seccessionist lawyers, hastily retreated from legal procedures. But at the same time, the state government and the Majlis-e-Mushawarat together with victim's relatives have expressed full faith in CBI investigator.
Though, it is not yet known who the real culprits are, honesty demands an unbiased approach to unravel a case where unfortunately not much forensic evidence is available. In the words of Stopford A brooke, "if a thousand old beliefs were ruined in our march to truth we must still march on", we have to explore all options in the search for truth. In this context, Mr. T.D. Dogra, Head of Department of Forensic medicine and toxicology at the AIIMS has already indicated that the case may soon see a "conclusive finding".
Posted: 03 Oct 2009 05:30 AM PDT
J&K is a case study of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments.
By Sunita Vakil
Now that the sensational twist in the Shopian double murder case has nailed the lie of the earlier "truth", it is the responsibility of the administration to bring the culprits to book. What does it show if not that there have been bunglings at various levels of investigation into the tragic occurrence? Indeed, facts have been fudged and forensic samples tampered with in a bid to hide the truth and cover up real culprits. Each new investigation has brought its own set of twists and turns, obscuring the mystery further. Investigators are supposed to unravel the truth and bring the perpetrators of crime to justice. But instead we find our investigating authorities including policemen, medical professionals, administrative officers and others manipulating the truth to cover up the gruesome crime. It goes without saying that the state government's complacency leaves a lot to be desired. Infact, the Omar Abdullah government cannot escape responsibility as his mishandling of the case has had the valley in turmoil for over four months. This, despite the government's categorical assurance in the legislature that culprits will be arrested. "Government would not hide any information and punish the culprits severely. I stand firmly for my promise and reassure the people on this day that the persons behind this heinous crime would not be allowed to go scot-free," the Chief Minister had stated. A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief justice Bharin Gosh and Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir had left no doubt about their intentions of revealing truth at any cost. But clearly, with "new facts" coming to the surface, the tail is getting murkier by the day. Jeremy Collier has well said "We must not let go manifest truths because we cannot answer all questions about them." Definitely, adopting an analytical approach based on the available facts would be a good beginning. Viewed in this context, the handing over the case to the CBI is a step in the right direction.
For the past few months, the valley has been swept by a volent agitation following the alleged murder of the two young woman. But the political response has evoked doubt and suspicion at best. It was indeed the duty of the state government to go after the culprits and those shielding them. But that has not been the case. Although it is a fact that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, fearing a severe backlash ordered a judicial probe into the crime, it also cannot be denied that there were more attempts to prevent the truth from coming out than carrying out an unbiased, objective analysis of the known facts. With the revelation that the DNA samples sent for testing had been fiddled with, the credibility of the state investigation team comes into question. It is quite bewildering that the doctors who conducted autopsies on the victims were non-specialists. The autopsies were performed in an unprofessional manner and were not videotaped. Also, there was much delay in registering the FIR. The commission of enquiry appointed to unravel the truth only added to the conclusion. In short, the over zealousness of the authorities to protect the interests of their patrons as well as mounting public pressure led to manipulated quick fire results. That there was destruction of vital evidence like body-fluids, stains, fingerprints, etc has even been admitted by the special investigation team as well as the Jan Commotion. And the most important cardinal rule that the investigators gave a quite burial to is that in such cases, it is not advisable to proceed with preconceived judgement.
And undoubtedly, it is here that the government seems to have failed in Shopian case which led to widespread unrest in the valley. The issue has become a rallying point for the opposition in J&K to question the government on the fabrication of the victim's DNA samples as well as the case being handed over to the CBI.
It goes without saying that holding previously believed theories is equally untenable. Given the witch-hunt against the security forces in the valley, locals suspected the wrong- doing to be the handiwork of CRPF men. The results of the two previous autopsies conduc- ted by the state authorities were also juggled with to appear like compelling facts confirming the suspicion. Earlier in June, all parties Hurrriyat Confrence Chairman Sayed Alishah Geelani had brought life in Shopian to a standstill for 47 days by protesting over the deaths. But there has been found to be no conclusive evidence of rape of the victims. That much has been established by the CBI that conducted a postmortem on their exhumed bodies after a doctor connected with the case confirmed that she had not taken vaginal swabs from the bodies.
It seems to be a paradox of sorts that though the people of J&K record robust participation in elections, there is clearly a separatism streak simmering below the surface which invariably gives a lie to New Delhi’s boasting of having restored a democratic order in the state. These underlying tensions come to the fore whenever some incidents trigger mass protests, be it the Amarnath land deal issue or the current one. Such incidents take an anti-India hue and are used by separatists to mobilise opinion against India. Infact, J&K is a test case of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments. Following the CBI's confirmation that one of the victims died a virgin and the rape of the second one seems a remote possibility judging by the nature of injuries, the Hurrriyat has emerged with egg on its face. It was for this reason that the Kashmir High Court Bar Association, a body of seccessionist lawyers, hastily retreated from legal procedures. But at the same time, the state government and the Majlis-e-Mushawarat together with victim's relatives have expressed full faith in CBI investigator.
Though, it is not yet known who the real culprits are, honesty demands an unbiased approach to unravel a case where unfortunately not much forensic evidence is available. In the words of Stopford A brooke, "if a thousand old beliefs were ruined in our march to truth we must still march on", we have to explore all options in the search for truth. In this context, Mr. T.D. Dogra, Head of Department of Forensic medicine and toxicology at the AIIMS has already indicated that the case may soon see a "conclusive finding".
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Flood Relief by RSS
Flood Relief by RSS
Posted: 08 Oct 2009 03:25 AM PDT
Some Snaps Of Flood relief work carried out by sangh parivar organisation in karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Help Seva Bharathi To Help Flood Victims
Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:39 AM PDT
Go through this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6r78g-NDyI
Seva Bharathi A/c No: 630501065297, ICICI Bank, Himayat Nagar Branch, Hyderabad.
A/c No: 2010036679 syndicate bank, Kachiguda Railway station branch, Hyderabad. Branch code
3017
Cheque /draft can be drawn in the name of Seva Bharathi and post/courier it to below
address
SEVA BHARATHI
H No:3-2-106,
Nimboliadda, Hyderabad 500027
Ph: +91-040-24610056, Mob: + 91 9701226830, +91 9849262868
www.sevabharathi. org
http://sevabharathi .blogspot. com
http://twitter. com/sewabharati
http://sevabharathi .blogspot. com/
Posted: 08 Oct 2009 03:25 AM PDT
Some Snaps Of Flood relief work carried out by sangh parivar organisation in karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Help Seva Bharathi To Help Flood Victims
Posted: 07 Oct 2009 05:39 AM PDT
Go through this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6r78g-NDyI
Seva Bharathi A/c No: 630501065297, ICICI Bank, Himayat Nagar Branch, Hyderabad.
A/c No: 2010036679 syndicate bank, Kachiguda Railway station branch, Hyderabad. Branch code
3017
Cheque /draft can be drawn in the name of Seva Bharathi and post/courier it to below
address
SEVA BHARATHI
H No:3-2-106,
Nimboliadda, Hyderabad 500027
Ph: +91-040-24610056, Mob: + 91 9701226830, +91 9849262868
www.sevabharathi. org
http://sevabharathi .blogspot. com
http://twitter. com/sewabharati
http://sevabharathi .blogspot. com/
Releif work carried out by RSS. Join it!
Releif work carried out by RSS. Join it!
Posted: 06 Oct 2009 08:22 PM PDT
Releif work carried out by
RSS SANCHALIT SANTRASTA PARIHARA SAMITHI.
Raichur District:
Raichur and Manvi Taluks where the worst affected in the recent floods because of the overflowing of Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. Sangh swayamsevaks of both the taluks started the relief work since 3rd October 2009.
On 3rd Oct. 6000 food packets were prepared and handed over to Govt. machinery to be supplied through the helicopter to the people stranded in the floods. On 4th Oct. another 6000 food packets were distributed to the people of 3 villages who were camping at Ganadal Village.
On 5th Oct onwards Releif Camps were started at Chickmanchali, Nadugaddemalakapur, Tungabhadra Villages which are on the Banks of River Tungabhadra. This iniative gathered support from all the communities and organizations of Raichur. Around 50 swayamsevaks are involved in this work.
Bagalkot District:
40 Villages of Hungund and Badami taluks were worst effected due to the flooding of Malaprabha River. Houses collapsed due to heavy rains all over the District.
Releif works like Food Distribution, Medical facilities were started in several villages by swayamsevaks. On 3rd Oct.about 30000 Rotis were collected in Bagalkot and distributed in 6 affected villages. On 5th and 6th Oct. swayamsevaks and collage students guided by Senior Sangh swayamsevaks started relief work in 28 villages. Food distribution & survey work of Damage caused have been taken up.
Belgaum District:
The heavy rain pouring from last 2 weeks in the Belgaum district has caused immense loss of not only property but also of lives. On the same day following things were collected by our karyakartas and sent to the affected areas in Ramdurg and Savdatti talukas.
1) Rs.60,000 cash,
2) 2 tons of Rice,
3) 1quintal Daal,
4) Plastic sheets worth 60,000 was purchased and distributed to 500 houses in Savdatti taluka,
5) 19 karyakartas from Belgaum city went to Ramdurg, Savdatti and Bailhongal taluka for 2days to monitor the relief work.
Total 76 swayamsevaks worked for all 3 days and arranged Ganji Kendra (langar) in 7 villages in Ramdurg Taluka and 2 places in Ramdurg city for 3 days where more than 12,000 people were served food and also distributed plastic covers for 250 houses and 170 houses in Sureban village of Ramdurg taluka. In Savdatti taluka Ganji Kendra ran for 3 days at 6 places wherein 3000 people were served food. Also our 20 swayamsevaks worked in the Ganji Kendra run by other social organizations. Total 230 karyakartas worked for 3 days in Ramdurg taluka and more than 100 swayamsevaks in Savdatti taluka. Around 5 doctors are working in the affected areas of both the taluka. A cash amount of Rs.1.5 lakhs was collected in 2 days by the swayamsevaks in Belgaum city.
A doctor’s meeting is called for in the evening to collect medicines which will be distributed into the affected areas through the doctors working there. Apart from this 1 ton of rice, 1 quintal of daal and other food materials along with plastic sheets for 500 houses was sent to Bijapur District.
Gadag District:
Releif work was started on 4th Oct.in Holealur, Nargund, Mundargi,Magadi,and Vaasan. Food was prepared and distributed to 2600 people daily for 3days.15 Swayamsevaks of Magadi village repaired the damaged road between Gojanur & Akkigonda village.
District
Releif Centres
Villages
No. of Swayamsevaks Working
Work Undertaken
Benefecieries
Belgaum
04
13
400
Food, Medicine, Plastic sheet
15000 people
Bagalkot
03
57
150
Food distribution, Medical facilities
4500 people
Gadag
05
10
80
Food & Rescue
2600 people
Raichur
04
04
40
Food distribution, Medical facilities
1800 people
_,_.
The contribution can be made to
RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI
Keshavakrupa, 74, Rangarao Road
Shankarapuram, Chamarajapet
Bangalore - 560004
Ph. 080 26610081, 2660760
Right now the contribution will be taken only in the form of cash (DD, Cheques etc. also ) and not in the form of kind, at this centre. The money may also the paid in the form of Cheques/ DDs/ Money Orders in favor of RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI, Bangalore.
All contributions made here are tax exempted under 80G rule. The receipts will be posted from the above address or available with me.
Blankets, Bed-sheets etc. can be deposited at KESHAVASHILPA, Rashtrotthana Parishat, 1st main, Kempegowdnagar, Bangalore 560019.
Those who wish to join hands with relief work operation, may contact
for BAGALKOT, Sri Nagaraj Hadli 9343110149
for RAICHUR, Sri Sudhir Deshpande 9845948069
Kindly give wide publicity so that large number of people can avail this opportunity and be part of this great relief activity.
Posted: 06 Oct 2009 08:22 PM PDT
Releif work carried out by
RSS SANCHALIT SANTRASTA PARIHARA SAMITHI.
Raichur District:
Raichur and Manvi Taluks where the worst affected in the recent floods because of the overflowing of Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. Sangh swayamsevaks of both the taluks started the relief work since 3rd October 2009.
On 3rd Oct. 6000 food packets were prepared and handed over to Govt. machinery to be supplied through the helicopter to the people stranded in the floods. On 4th Oct. another 6000 food packets were distributed to the people of 3 villages who were camping at Ganadal Village.
On 5th Oct onwards Releif Camps were started at Chickmanchali, Nadugaddemalakapur, Tungabhadra Villages which are on the Banks of River Tungabhadra. This iniative gathered support from all the communities and organizations of Raichur. Around 50 swayamsevaks are involved in this work.
Bagalkot District:
40 Villages of Hungund and Badami taluks were worst effected due to the flooding of Malaprabha River. Houses collapsed due to heavy rains all over the District.
Releif works like Food Distribution, Medical facilities were started in several villages by swayamsevaks. On 3rd Oct.about 30000 Rotis were collected in Bagalkot and distributed in 6 affected villages. On 5th and 6th Oct. swayamsevaks and collage students guided by Senior Sangh swayamsevaks started relief work in 28 villages. Food distribution & survey work of Damage caused have been taken up.
Belgaum District:
The heavy rain pouring from last 2 weeks in the Belgaum district has caused immense loss of not only property but also of lives. On the same day following things were collected by our karyakartas and sent to the affected areas in Ramdurg and Savdatti talukas.
1) Rs.60,000 cash,
2) 2 tons of Rice,
3) 1quintal Daal,
4) Plastic sheets worth 60,000 was purchased and distributed to 500 houses in Savdatti taluka,
5) 19 karyakartas from Belgaum city went to Ramdurg, Savdatti and Bailhongal taluka for 2days to monitor the relief work.
Total 76 swayamsevaks worked for all 3 days and arranged Ganji Kendra (langar) in 7 villages in Ramdurg Taluka and 2 places in Ramdurg city for 3 days where more than 12,000 people were served food and also distributed plastic covers for 250 houses and 170 houses in Sureban village of Ramdurg taluka. In Savdatti taluka Ganji Kendra ran for 3 days at 6 places wherein 3000 people were served food. Also our 20 swayamsevaks worked in the Ganji Kendra run by other social organizations. Total 230 karyakartas worked for 3 days in Ramdurg taluka and more than 100 swayamsevaks in Savdatti taluka. Around 5 doctors are working in the affected areas of both the taluka. A cash amount of Rs.1.5 lakhs was collected in 2 days by the swayamsevaks in Belgaum city.
A doctor’s meeting is called for in the evening to collect medicines which will be distributed into the affected areas through the doctors working there. Apart from this 1 ton of rice, 1 quintal of daal and other food materials along with plastic sheets for 500 houses was sent to Bijapur District.
Gadag District:
Releif work was started on 4th Oct.in Holealur, Nargund, Mundargi,Magadi,and Vaasan. Food was prepared and distributed to 2600 people daily for 3days.15 Swayamsevaks of Magadi village repaired the damaged road between Gojanur & Akkigonda village.
District
Releif Centres
Villages
No. of Swayamsevaks Working
Work Undertaken
Benefecieries
Belgaum
04
13
400
Food, Medicine, Plastic sheet
15000 people
Bagalkot
03
57
150
Food distribution, Medical facilities
4500 people
Gadag
05
10
80
Food & Rescue
2600 people
Raichur
04
04
40
Food distribution, Medical facilities
1800 people
_,_.
The contribution can be made to
RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI
Keshavakrupa, 74, Rangarao Road
Shankarapuram, Chamarajapet
Bangalore - 560004
Ph. 080 26610081, 2660760
Right now the contribution will be taken only in the form of cash (DD, Cheques etc. also ) and not in the form of kind, at this centre. The money may also the paid in the form of Cheques/ DDs/ Money Orders in favor of RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI, Bangalore.
All contributions made here are tax exempted under 80G rule. The receipts will be posted from the above address or available with me.
Blankets, Bed-sheets etc. can be deposited at KESHAVASHILPA, Rashtrotthana Parishat, 1st main, Kempegowdnagar, Bangalore 560019.
Those who wish to join hands with relief work operation, may contact
for BAGALKOT, Sri Nagaraj Hadli 9343110149
for RAICHUR, Sri Sudhir Deshpande 9845948069
Kindly give wide publicity so that large number of people can avail this opportunity and be part of this great relief activity.
Shopian tragedy: The tale gets murkier
Shopian tragedy: The tale gets murkier
Posted: 03 Oct 2009 05:30 AM PDT
J&K is a case study of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments.
By Sunita Vakil
Now that the sensational twist in the Shopian double murder case has nailed the lie of the earlier "truth", it is the responsibility of the administration to bring the culprits to book. What does it show if not that there have been bunglings at various levels of investigation into the tragic occurrence? Indeed, facts have been fudged and forensic samples tampered with in a bid to hide the truth and cover up real culprits. Each new investigation has brought its own set of twists and turns, obscuring the mystery further. Investigators are supposed to unravel the truth and bring the perpetrators of crime to justice. But instead we find our investigating authorities including policemen, medical professionals, administrative officers and others manipulating the truth to cover up the gruesome crime. It goes without saying that the state government's complacency leaves a lot to be desired. Infact, the Omar Abdullah government cannot escape responsibility as his mishandling of the case has had the valley in turmoil for over four months. This, despite the government's categorical assurance in the legislature that culprits will be arrested. "Government would not hide any information and punish the culprits severely. I stand firmly for my promise and reassure the people on this day that the persons behind this heinous crime would not be allowed to go scot-free," the Chief Minister had stated. A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief justice Bharin Gosh and Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir had left no doubt about their intentions of revealing truth at any cost. But clearly, with "new facts" coming to the surface, the tail is getting murkier by the day. Jeremy Collier has well said "We must not let go manifest truths because we cannot answer all questions about them." Definitely, adopting an analytical approach based on the available facts would be a good beginning. Viewed in this context, the handing over the case to the CBI is a step in the right direction.
For the past few months, the valley has been swept by a volent agitation following the alleged murder of the two young woman. But the political response has evoked doubt and suspicion at best. It was indeed the duty of the state government to go after the culprits and those shielding them. But that has not been the case. Although it is a fact that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, fearing a severe backlash ordered a judicial probe into the crime, it also cannot be denied that there were more attempts to prevent the truth from coming out than carrying out an unbiased, objective analysis of the known facts. With the revelation that the DNA samples sent for testing had been fiddled with, the credibility of the state investigation team comes into question. It is quite bewildering that the doctors who conducted autopsies on the victims were non-specialists. The autopsies were performed in an unprofessional manner and were not videotaped. Also, there was much delay in registering the FIR. The commission of enquiry appointed to unravel the truth only added to the conclusion. In short, the over zealousness of the authorities to protect the interests of their patrons as well as mounting public pressure led to manipulated quick fire results. That there was destruction of vital evidence like body-fluids, stains, fingerprints, etc has even been admitted by the special investigation team as well as the Jan Commotion. And the most important cardinal rule that the investigators gave a quite burial to is that in such cases, it is not advisable to proceed with preconceived judgement.
And undoubtedly, it is here that the government seems to have failed in Shopian case which led to widespread unrest in the valley. The issue has become a rallying point for the opposition in J&K to question the government on the fabrication of the victim's DNA samples as well as the case being handed over to the CBI.
It goes without saying that holding previously believed theories is equally untenable. Given the witch-hunt against the security forces in the valley, locals suspected the wrong- doing to be the handiwork of CRPF men. The results of the two previous autopsies conduc- ted by the state authorities were also juggled with to appear like compelling facts confirming the suspicion. Earlier in June, all parties Hurrriyat Confrence Chairman Sayed Alishah Geelani had brought life in Shopian to a standstill for 47 days by protesting over the deaths. But there has been found to be no conclusive evidence of rape of the victims. That much has been established by the CBI that conducted a postmortem on their exhumed bodies after a doctor connected with the case confirmed that she had not taken vaginal swabs from the bodies.
It seems to be a paradox of sorts that though the people of J&K record robust participation in elections, there is clearly a separatism streak simmering below the surface which invariably gives a lie to New Delhi’s boasting of having restored a democratic order in the state. These underlying tensions come to the fore whenever some incidents trigger mass protests, be it the Amarnath land deal issue or the current one. Such incidents take an anti-India hue and are used by separatists to mobilise opinion against India. Infact, J&K is a test case of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments. Following the CBI's confirmation that one of the victims died a virgin and the rape of the second one seems a remote possibility judging by the nature of injuries, the Hurrriyat has emerged with egg on its face. It was for this reason that the Kashmir High Court Bar Association, a body of seccessionist lawyers, hastily retreated from legal procedures. But at the same time, the state government and the Majlis-e-Mushawarat together with victim's relatives have expressed full faith in CBI investigator.
Though, it is not yet known who the real culprits are, honesty demands an unbiased approach to unravel a case where unfortunately not much forensic evidence is available. In the words of Stopford A brooke, "if a thousand old beliefs were ruined in our march to truth we must still march on", we have to explore all options in the search for truth. In this context, Mr. T.D. Dogra, Head of Department of Forensic medicine and toxicology at the AIIMS has already indicated that the case may soon see a "conclusive finding".
Posted: 03 Oct 2009 05:30 AM PDT
J&K is a case study of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments.
By Sunita Vakil
Now that the sensational twist in the Shopian double murder case has nailed the lie of the earlier "truth", it is the responsibility of the administration to bring the culprits to book. What does it show if not that there have been bunglings at various levels of investigation into the tragic occurrence? Indeed, facts have been fudged and forensic samples tampered with in a bid to hide the truth and cover up real culprits. Each new investigation has brought its own set of twists and turns, obscuring the mystery further. Investigators are supposed to unravel the truth and bring the perpetrators of crime to justice. But instead we find our investigating authorities including policemen, medical professionals, administrative officers and others manipulating the truth to cover up the gruesome crime. It goes without saying that the state government's complacency leaves a lot to be desired. Infact, the Omar Abdullah government cannot escape responsibility as his mishandling of the case has had the valley in turmoil for over four months. This, despite the government's categorical assurance in the legislature that culprits will be arrested. "Government would not hide any information and punish the culprits severely. I stand firmly for my promise and reassure the people on this day that the persons behind this heinous crime would not be allowed to go scot-free," the Chief Minister had stated. A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief justice Bharin Gosh and Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir had left no doubt about their intentions of revealing truth at any cost. But clearly, with "new facts" coming to the surface, the tail is getting murkier by the day. Jeremy Collier has well said "We must not let go manifest truths because we cannot answer all questions about them." Definitely, adopting an analytical approach based on the available facts would be a good beginning. Viewed in this context, the handing over the case to the CBI is a step in the right direction.
For the past few months, the valley has been swept by a volent agitation following the alleged murder of the two young woman. But the political response has evoked doubt and suspicion at best. It was indeed the duty of the state government to go after the culprits and those shielding them. But that has not been the case. Although it is a fact that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, fearing a severe backlash ordered a judicial probe into the crime, it also cannot be denied that there were more attempts to prevent the truth from coming out than carrying out an unbiased, objective analysis of the known facts. With the revelation that the DNA samples sent for testing had been fiddled with, the credibility of the state investigation team comes into question. It is quite bewildering that the doctors who conducted autopsies on the victims were non-specialists. The autopsies were performed in an unprofessional manner and were not videotaped. Also, there was much delay in registering the FIR. The commission of enquiry appointed to unravel the truth only added to the conclusion. In short, the over zealousness of the authorities to protect the interests of their patrons as well as mounting public pressure led to manipulated quick fire results. That there was destruction of vital evidence like body-fluids, stains, fingerprints, etc has even been admitted by the special investigation team as well as the Jan Commotion. And the most important cardinal rule that the investigators gave a quite burial to is that in such cases, it is not advisable to proceed with preconceived judgement.
And undoubtedly, it is here that the government seems to have failed in Shopian case which led to widespread unrest in the valley. The issue has become a rallying point for the opposition in J&K to question the government on the fabrication of the victim's DNA samples as well as the case being handed over to the CBI.
It goes without saying that holding previously believed theories is equally untenable. Given the witch-hunt against the security forces in the valley, locals suspected the wrong- doing to be the handiwork of CRPF men. The results of the two previous autopsies conduc- ted by the state authorities were also juggled with to appear like compelling facts confirming the suspicion. Earlier in June, all parties Hurrriyat Confrence Chairman Sayed Alishah Geelani had brought life in Shopian to a standstill for 47 days by protesting over the deaths. But there has been found to be no conclusive evidence of rape of the victims. That much has been established by the CBI that conducted a postmortem on their exhumed bodies after a doctor connected with the case confirmed that she had not taken vaginal swabs from the bodies.
It seems to be a paradox of sorts that though the people of J&K record robust participation in elections, there is clearly a separatism streak simmering below the surface which invariably gives a lie to New Delhi’s boasting of having restored a democratic order in the state. These underlying tensions come to the fore whenever some incidents trigger mass protests, be it the Amarnath land deal issue or the current one. Such incidents take an anti-India hue and are used by separatists to mobilise opinion against India. Infact, J&K is a test case of how partisan and sectarian conclusions are drawn to fuel anti-India sentiments. Following the CBI's confirmation that one of the victims died a virgin and the rape of the second one seems a remote possibility judging by the nature of injuries, the Hurrriyat has emerged with egg on its face. It was for this reason that the Kashmir High Court Bar Association, a body of seccessionist lawyers, hastily retreated from legal procedures. But at the same time, the state government and the Majlis-e-Mushawarat together with victim's relatives have expressed full faith in CBI investigator.
Though, it is not yet known who the real culprits are, honesty demands an unbiased approach to unravel a case where unfortunately not much forensic evidence is available. In the words of Stopford A brooke, "if a thousand old beliefs were ruined in our march to truth we must still march on", we have to explore all options in the search for truth. In this context, Mr. T.D. Dogra, Head of Department of Forensic medicine and toxicology at the AIIMS has already indicated that the case may soon see a "conclusive finding".
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Parampoojya Sarasanghachalak Mananiya Mohanji Bhagwat Speeches.Sangh Parivar - Vasudhaiva Kutumbhkam
Sangh Parivar - Vasudhaiva Kutumbhkam
Parampoojya Sarasanghachalak Mananiya Mohanji Bhagwat Speeches.
Posted: 05 Oct 2009 01:37 PM PDT
Complete Coverage of Programs of Parampoojya Sarasanghachalak Mananiya Mohanji Bhagwat. Including programs of Delhi, Mumbai, Jammu etc...
VISIT:-http://www.sanghparivar.org/blog/praful-nikam/parampoojya-sarasanghachalak-mananiya-mohanji-bhagwat-speeches
Monday, October 5, 2009
Flood relief : Appeal Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:04 AM PDT ANDHRA PRADESH Rivers overflowing: Tungabhadra, bhima, krishna Mahaboobnagar Dist Tanks /
Flood relief : Appeal
Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:04 AM PDT
ANDHRA PRADESH
Rivers overflowing: Tungabhadra, bhima, krishna
Mahaboobnagar Dist
Tanks / Ponds that have bunds cut off: 222
Villages Affected : 41
Effected Mandals: 8
Aiza, Vaddepalli, Manavapadu, Alampur, Pebberu, Gadwal (Rural), Gattu, Kollapur
Affected Agricultura land: 8,184 acres
No Of Volunteers involved: 170
Food Distribution: 3 Quintals (2000 Packets)
Water packets: 1500
Kurnool District:
Affected Data
Affected mandals: 15
No of Volunteers: 400
Relief material: 6 truck loads
Food Packets: 70,000
Bread packets: 15,000
Water packets: 40,000
Affected people: 300,000
Medicines for: 10,000 people
Flooded villages: 20
Towns flooded: Kurnool, Nandyal
Camp off Seva Bharathi: Pullareddy Engg College, Kurnool
Agricultural land: 100,00 acre crop
Mantralaya - famous temple of Raghavendra Swamy completely immersed in water.
Palamoor District (Mahabubnagar District):
Affected Data
Tanks / Ponds that have bunds cut off: 222
People affected: 200,000
Villages Affected : 41
Effected Mandals: 8
Aiza, Vaddepalli, Manavapadu, Alampur, Pebberu, Gadwal (Rural), Gattu, Kollapur
Affected Agricultura land: 8,184 acres
Villages completely Submerged : 130-150 villages completely sub-merging in water.
KARNATAKA Affected areas: Bijapur, Bagalkote, Gulbarga, Davanagere, Bellary, Belgaum, Raichur, Koppal, Gadag, Bidar and Chikballapura
Damage to Property: 59,000 houses
ORISSA
People affected: 60,000
Villages Affected: 105
Rivers Overflowing: Budhabalang, Gangahar, Sono, Kansabas and Jalaka rivers
Online transfer of funds can be done to Seva Bharathi A/c No: 630501065297, ICICI Bank, Himayat Nagar Branch, Hyderabad. You can also draw a cheque/draft in the name of Seva Bharathi and post/courier it to below address
SEVA BHARATHI
H No:3-2-106,
Nimboliadda, Hyderabad 50007
Ph: +91-040-24610056
Mob: + 91 9701226830, +91 9849262868
Donations can be made towards
RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI
Keshavakrupa, 74, Rangarao Road
Shankarapuram, Chamarajapet
Bangalore - 560004
Ph. 080 26610081, 2660760
Seva Bharathi Chenchu Residential School Opens up for Flood Victims
Posted: 04 Oct 2009 05:47 AM PDT
The Bhakta Kannappa Gurukulam, Gokavaram has now become a relief camp for 320 Flood victims of the surrounding villages and the numbers are growing. The Back waters of Krishna are inundating the surrounding villages. The Villagers are looking for any help and It is Seva Bharathi as usual that is catering to their Hunger and helplessness. Voluinteers of Seva bHarathi working for Chenchu Tribals have been serving the local villagers with food, blankets and medicines.
The School Bhakta Kannppa gurukulam has 62 children all Chenchu boys and has been working in the surrounding villages as well as Chenchu pentas (hamlets) in Medical aid through a Mobile dispensary ansd Hospital as well as the Residential school. For the past decade the school has been the focal point and nucleus for awareness in the chenchus as well as local villagers.
for latest updates on Sewa bharati Flood relief activities please visit
http://www.scribd.com/doc/20561545/Seva-Bharathi-Appeal-Oct-2009
www.sevabharathi.org
www.sevabharathi.blogspot.com
Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:04 AM PDT
ANDHRA PRADESH
Rivers overflowing: Tungabhadra, bhima, krishna
Mahaboobnagar Dist
Tanks / Ponds that have bunds cut off: 222
Villages Affected : 41
Effected Mandals: 8
Aiza, Vaddepalli, Manavapadu, Alampur, Pebberu, Gadwal (Rural), Gattu, Kollapur
Affected Agricultura land: 8,184 acres
No Of Volunteers involved: 170
Food Distribution: 3 Quintals (2000 Packets)
Water packets: 1500
Kurnool District:
Affected Data
Affected mandals: 15
No of Volunteers: 400
Relief material: 6 truck loads
Food Packets: 70,000
Bread packets: 15,000
Water packets: 40,000
Affected people: 300,000
Medicines for: 10,000 people
Flooded villages: 20
Towns flooded: Kurnool, Nandyal
Camp off Seva Bharathi: Pullareddy Engg College, Kurnool
Agricultural land: 100,00 acre crop
Mantralaya - famous temple of Raghavendra Swamy completely immersed in water.
Palamoor District (Mahabubnagar District):
Affected Data
Tanks / Ponds that have bunds cut off: 222
People affected: 200,000
Villages Affected : 41
Effected Mandals: 8
Aiza, Vaddepalli, Manavapadu, Alampur, Pebberu, Gadwal (Rural), Gattu, Kollapur
Affected Agricultura land: 8,184 acres
Villages completely Submerged : 130-150 villages completely sub-merging in water.
KARNATAKA Affected areas: Bijapur, Bagalkote, Gulbarga, Davanagere, Bellary, Belgaum, Raichur, Koppal, Gadag, Bidar and Chikballapura
Damage to Property: 59,000 houses
ORISSA
People affected: 60,000
Villages Affected: 105
Rivers Overflowing: Budhabalang, Gangahar, Sono, Kansabas and Jalaka rivers
Online transfer of funds can be done to Seva Bharathi A/c No: 630501065297, ICICI Bank, Himayat Nagar Branch, Hyderabad. You can also draw a cheque/draft in the name of Seva Bharathi and post/courier it to below address
SEVA BHARATHI
H No:3-2-106,
Nimboliadda, Hyderabad 50007
Ph: +91-040-24610056
Mob: + 91 9701226830, +91 9849262868
Donations can be made towards
RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI
Keshavakrupa, 74, Rangarao Road
Shankarapuram, Chamarajapet
Bangalore - 560004
Ph. 080 26610081, 2660760
Seva Bharathi Chenchu Residential School Opens up for Flood Victims
Posted: 04 Oct 2009 05:47 AM PDT
The Bhakta Kannappa Gurukulam, Gokavaram has now become a relief camp for 320 Flood victims of the surrounding villages and the numbers are growing. The Back waters of Krishna are inundating the surrounding villages. The Villagers are looking for any help and It is Seva Bharathi as usual that is catering to their Hunger and helplessness. Voluinteers of Seva bHarathi working for Chenchu Tribals have been serving the local villagers with food, blankets and medicines.
The School Bhakta Kannppa gurukulam has 62 children all Chenchu boys and has been working in the surrounding villages as well as Chenchu pentas (hamlets) in Medical aid through a Mobile dispensary ansd Hospital as well as the Residential school. For the past decade the school has been the focal point and nucleus for awareness in the chenchus as well as local villagers.
for latest updates on Sewa bharati Flood relief activities please visit
http://www.scribd.com/doc/20561545/Seva-Bharathi-Appeal-Oct-2009
www.sevabharathi.org
www.sevabharathi.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Balagokulam makes an impact
Sangh Parivar - Vasudhaiva Kutumbhkam
Balagokulam makes an impact
Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:51 PM PDT
'Balagokulam’, a Sangh affiliated organisation of children, celebrated
Krishna Jayanti on Ashtami Rohini, September 11, 2009. Named
‘Gitamritham 5011’, the highlights of the celebrations this year were
‘Goupuja’, ‘Vrikshapuja’, ‘Nadhi-puja’ in 5,000 different corners of
the State in which lakhs participated.
On 12th evening cultural pageantry comprising of a large
number of children dressed as Krishna, gopa, gopis, kuchelas, Pandavas
and elephants along with traditional Kerala musical instruments, were
organised in almost 500 centres in the State. A large number of
parents, well-wishers and devotees participated in the cultural rally
singing Hare Rama Hare Krishna and both sides of the road were packed
with viewers. A welcome change from the usual political slogan
shouting.
Balagokulam, Kerala’s largest children’s organisation has
crossed all boundaries of caste, religion, political, social and
economic barriers. Even parents with communist background send their
children to Gita and Purana classes of ‘Balagokulam’ and to the annual
procession. Even comrades have no hesitation in participating in the
procession singing bhajans. Christians and Muslims also crowd in large
number to view the procession and encourage the children dressed in
Puranic costumes.
Malayala Manorama, largest Malayalam daily, gave maximum
publicity to the event giving scores of colour photos both in front
page and in special pull-outs. Other media (print and electronic) gave
wide coverage to the event.
Padma Shri P Parameswaran flagged off the procession in
Thiruvananthapuram, which started at Ganesh temple and ended at
Padmanabha temple. In many centres leading cultural icons, film
personalities, top government and police officials, professionals,
retired army officials etc. inaugurated the rally and participated in
various pujas.
Balagokulam makes an impact
Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:51 PM PDT
'Balagokulam’, a Sangh affiliated organisation of children, celebrated
Krishna Jayanti on Ashtami Rohini, September 11, 2009. Named
‘Gitamritham 5011’, the highlights of the celebrations this year were
‘Goupuja’, ‘Vrikshapuja’, ‘Nadhi-puja’ in 5,000 different corners of
the State in which lakhs participated.
On 12th evening cultural pageantry comprising of a large
number of children dressed as Krishna, gopa, gopis, kuchelas, Pandavas
and elephants along with traditional Kerala musical instruments, were
organised in almost 500 centres in the State. A large number of
parents, well-wishers and devotees participated in the cultural rally
singing Hare Rama Hare Krishna and both sides of the road were packed
with viewers. A welcome change from the usual political slogan
shouting.
Balagokulam, Kerala’s largest children’s organisation has
crossed all boundaries of caste, religion, political, social and
economic barriers. Even parents with communist background send their
children to Gita and Purana classes of ‘Balagokulam’ and to the annual
procession. Even comrades have no hesitation in participating in the
procession singing bhajans. Christians and Muslims also crowd in large
number to view the procession and encourage the children dressed in
Puranic costumes.
Malayala Manorama, largest Malayalam daily, gave maximum
publicity to the event giving scores of colour photos both in front
page and in special pull-outs. Other media (print and electronic) gave
wide coverage to the event.
Padma Shri P Parameswaran flagged off the procession in
Thiruvananthapuram, which started at Ganesh temple and ended at
Padmanabha temple. In many centres leading cultural icons, film
personalities, top government and police officials, professionals,
retired army officials etc. inaugurated the rally and participated in
various pujas.
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