Gandhi's Religious Thought by Margaret Chatterjee - Review (P-1)

I recently wrote an in-depth review of Margaret Chatterjee's book Gandhi's Religious Thought.

Here is the review in piecewise format.

Margaret Chatterjee has divided the book into broad theme-based chapters. These themes are ideas and concepts which Gandhi believed in. I have tried to divide the review into these themes and also separate them under different headings for convenience. These are Dharma, Inner Voice, Truth, Suffering and Secularism. Her research covers Gandhi’s correspondence with several peers, his written works and his dialogues with interviewers, his public speeches, Indian National Congress’ addresses so on and so forth. The tract written, by and large to understand Gandhi from a religious perspective is a multidimensional endeavour. It is rich with anecdotes from Gandhi’s life which stem out several sub-themes and often lead the discussion in unrequited directions. Chatterjee confesses herself that to put Gandhi into a religious perspective inside some limited calculated pages is not a very good idea. To give an example to this would be to mention chapter 4 where Chatterjee discusses Gandhi’s experimentation with truth. She starts with talking about the ontological presence of truth in the Indian school of thought, goes on to talk about truth from the perspective of dharma as present in Mahabharata. However, after that she talks about the way Gandhi looks at the relationship between man and nature which digresses the discussion on truth for some pages. She is indeed trying to drive home some points from these little offline discussions, but I find them confusing at times.

There is a lot of content that Chatterjee wants to talk about. She has also included commentaries and responses of Gandhi’s peers and critics to give a multi-sided view of several issues. This is not to say that she is neutral in her approach towards Gandhi. After reading the chapters, one realizes that Chatterjee has endeavoured to understand Gandhi from a religious perspective rather point out fallacies in his complex and often misunderstood scheme of things.

DHARMA

Chatterjee believes that Dharma is the central religious concept of Hinduism.  Its understanding is very important in order to understand various other concepts that stem out of it. However before moving in that direction, Chatterjee want us to understand the basis of Gandhi’s religion. Gandhi believed it was pity, daya. He also mentioned that is was necessary to revive Hinduism of its pity and compassion. Gandhi linked pity for his fellow beings in the same way as Hanuman held devotion for Lord Rama. For Gandhi finds the reflection of his God in people, he showed the same dedication to them as Hanuman showed it to his God. He said that Hanuman tore his heart to show that there was nothing inside but Ramnama and that although he did not have same power but if someone would feel the need to do so, he would only find love for Ram whom he saw in the faces of the starving millions of India.

She proceeds to explain the meaning of Dharma. It is an ethico-religious concept which is perhaps also closer to the Judaic idea of righteousness. Etymologically, it stood to hold an ideal society where each person would do his designated work and it in turn had to be held by the society. Another related term called Swadharma stems out from Dharma, which mean self-Dharma. This idea means doing what is one’s proper business to do and setting up limits to ambitions enabling a man to develop his potentialities. Gandhi believed in the notion of hereditary occupation for which he gave dual reasoning. One, an ideal one that if everyone did their designated jobs communities will become self-sufficient and second, that industrialisation would erode traditional hereditary occupations leading to unemployment. For these reasons, he supported the Varna-ashram dharmas or the caste duties. He however was completely against the abhorrent activity of untouchability or throwing people out of the system of four castes, the outcastes.

Gandhi’s understanding of Dharma lies on a categorical path. This is to say that there is a near-Kantian element in his belief that man must know how to differentiate between dharma and its anti-thesis.

Gandhi, Chatterjee says, was never guilty of academic verbiage. He was a man of people and not a professional philosopher of theologian. If he would speak in a formal language which the people would not understand, his motive would fail. His understanding of dharma was something like complete categorical dedication to the God with a humble heart. This has to be done with a sense of duty, nishkam-karma, with a certain sense of detachment and without the expectation of fruits. The humility stems from Anasakti – selfless action and bhakti of the God.

Chatterjee talks more about concepts of God in chapters to come.

Muzaffarnagar Riots

“My husband has been missing and I don’t know his whereabouts. Neither do I know about my two kids nor my mother. I escaped with my sister watching everybody else rushing out from the hamlet. Two kids are here but other two are missing and I have absolutely no idea about my grandmother, if she is even alive anymore. I will not at any cost return to the hamlet. Even if I had to beg on the roads or these people kick us out, we will not go! I no more care about my land neither my cattle. Get us something here itself if at all possible. Life is precious but dignity is more!”

-a lady riot victim in Muzaffarnagar clashes.

Such are the words erupted by tortured lips and ruined souls in the Muzaffarnagar clashes. While the rest of the India celebrates festivals of all names, there is another crude reality of the world’s largest democracy that begs for attention. The Muzaffarnagar clashes broke out in the late August of the previous year. There breathes many number of causes and plausible explanations as reasons for the outbreak of the conflict. But what has been described as “the worst violence in UP in recent memory” by Indian army, received the ignition fuel from an eve-teasing incident in Kawal village where a girl from the Hindu Jat community was allegedly harassed by one Muslim youth. The Hindu relatives of the girl concerned killed the Muslim boy and later a Muslim mob lynched them in reciprocation. The scene soon spiraled out of control and eventually took on religious overtones.

In the upcoming weeks the tension grew severely. Political interferences from parties like BSP and INC instigated radical elements on communal grounds from the concerned and nearby villages. Jats were attacked by Muslim ambushes which led to mass scale casualties and several hundred injured and missing. The tensions continued to soar when each attack was reciprocated with more reproach. More depressing news arrived when amidst the communal clashes emerged incidents of sexual violence and gang rapes. Around 15 rape cases had been registered by November with the defaulters still roaming free.

Curfews were imposed and around 14,000 armed personnel of Army, Provincial Armed Constabulary, CRPF and Rapid Action Force were deployed all over the riot hit villages and surrounding areas. People were provided shelter in relief camps that were organized in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts. Around 50,000 people flocked to the camps to take shelter. However the camps have remained ever since a central motif in the news related to the riots. But even though 14 camps in Shamli and 3 in Muzaffarnagar were organized with foodgrains, milk and water facilities, the number of increasing death tolls could not be controlled. People in camps shivered in the cold nights of Northern Uttar Pradesh where the ‘average mercury’ drops to as low as 11 degree Celsius in the months of Nov-Dec. There indeed occurred nights when the mercury would drop much below the gentle average and to spend these cold nights in tents made of cloth was a torturous ordeal in itself which will spark shivers in anybody’s spine who dare imagine it. Deaths occurred everywhere and consumed the lives of adult and children.

“Many have since then died due to harsh cold with around 30 being children.

-Al Jazeera

The melancholic state of events was further kindled by disturbing comments and statements from Media coverage. One such statement was made by senior bureaucrat and Principal Secretary [home] A.K.Gupta in a press conference when he said, “children [in the camps] have died of pneumonia, not of cold. Nobody can die of cold. If people died of cold, nobody would have been alive in Siberia”. The statement has raised widespread critics from public expressing huge discontent over social and print media.

The statement is wrong at so many levels and explicitly displays the amount of damage words can do if not chosen consciously. Experts have confirmed that pneumonia is a bacterial infection that is more common a disease in winters and can spread easily in the unclean environment of the shelter camps. However as said earlier, it thrives in cold. The number of babies, children and adults dead would have been much higher had the shelter camps been in Siberia.

“For the principal secretary to make such outlandish statement is adding salt to the wounds of the people. It was an extremely insensitive and factually incorrect statement. Of course there are deaths due to cold,"

– Bindra Karat (CPI-Marxist)

However the issue is much deeper than the incorrect analogy. While the standard governmental departments have roped in to claim their responsibilities like sending out notices to the Chief Secretary and District Magistrates of Shamli and Muzaffarnagar, the concern lies behind the blurred state of current bureaucracy. Every year Union Public Service Commission rolls out a fresh batch of soon to be seasoned bureaucrats with promises of an uncompromised honesty and dedication for the people and the nation.

But very often we observe glimpses of such irrational behaviour by senior bureaucrats like A.K.Gupta. Current Bureaucrats more often than not advise their children not to attempt the IAS examination, which is the gateway into Indian Civil Services. Extremely honest but naïve officers often end up being dismissed or transferred by the state government or abducted by Maoists. Many honest officers express (anonymously on web) the morbid state of current bureaucracy exploited by the beetle-nut chewing MLAs and political brutes. Some are even found guilty in tax evasions and others in scams.

Has our bureaucracy which so brashly boasts of its constitutional immunity from legislature been rendered hopeless and useless?

While settlement appears to be an easy way out, the corner stone of a robust Civil Service Officer’s character is his moral, ethical and rational conduct. It is of prime importance for them to realize and drink the nectar of moral absolutism, where my definition of moral absolutism simply says that there cannot be any compromise with the moral judgments. If the society is filled with goons and hooligans under the euphemism of politicians then it is the urgent most requirement of time for our bureaucrats to possess sharp acumen, perspicacity and astuteness. Evils like bribes, threats and accusations are immanent in the nature of any society and form the basis of requirement of a state order of which a bureaucrat is an indispensable entity. Thus the evils will always breathe until we form a utopian state. However for a bureaucrat it is not and must never become a fight against the evil, but a struggle for the good.

Contrary to the wide spread views about the royal job of an IAS officer, the reality is composed of such filth and dirt that they have to clean and sustain themselves and their families on the meagre salaries equivalent to peanuts. But this was never meant to be an easy job, and those who vouched for it must accept the responsibility with pride and solemnness. They run the country and the title of an Indian Administrative Officer supersedes all odds involved in the service.

-Yognik Baghel

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.hindustantimes.com/

http://www.ndtv.com/

http://www.newstrackindia.com/

THE POET'S ANXIETY

Gandhi was often greeted by critics many of whom happened to be fanatics and cranks. However some were thinkers and actors of moral substance. He always proceeded to answer these substantive players in depth and clarity maintaining his composure and liberal temper. Tagore was one such critic who was at the height of his poetic career and reputation. But as said by Gandhi himself, great prestige had brought him great responsibility, a very important one of which had been the Indian message to the world which his poems and their interpretations would carry with them. Owing to this responsibility he became increasingly cautious of the Non-Cooperation Movement, which he felt was anachronously expedited. He feared that the NCM would foster an unreasoning hostility against the foreigner and the foreign rule. That is was a narrow doctrine of negation, despair, separation and exclusiveness.

However legit may the claims made by Dr. Tagore sound to be, they fail to hold the same staunchness after the declaration of Gandhi’s response. At first Gandhi address Tagore’s state of mind as “No Indian can feel anything but pride in the Poet’s exquisite jealousy of India’s honor.” He further explains that NCM is no cause to be ashamed and if it so happens to fail in the end then it would not be the fault of the doctrine but the truth itself. NCM have been anachronously expedited to save India from violence. He says that Non Cooperation is planned to pave the path for real, honorable and voluntary co-operation based on mutual trust and respect. That it is being waged against compulsory cooperation, one-sided combination and armed imposition of modern methods of exploitation masquerading under the name of civilization.

He even goes a step further to says that if the poet’s concern is about students who are being called to volunteer by leaving schools and colleges, then his response is that he had never been able to make a fetish out of literary training. He says that literary training adds not an inch to one’s moral height and character building. In fact that government schools have rendered us helpless and Godless. They have filled us with discontent and despondency. They have made us, what we were supposed to become, clerks and interpreters! He said that the moment it was realized that the system of government was wholly or mainly evil, it had become sinful to associate our children with it. The youth is the last hope. 

He said that 

“If India is ever to attain the swaraj of Poet’s dream, then it would certainly be delivered by the Non-Cooperation and Non-Violence”

-Yognik

from Makers of Modern India~Ramchandra Guha

UP CLOSE AND PDA

Public is anything that is open to all, in its nature, availability and presence. Display is the act of non-proscribing un-/intentional presentation. Affection is mental propensity to get emotionally and mentally attracted to a person (our domain of interest) which might conclude in natural instigations to get hold of that person.

Here the domain of the discussion is relevant only up till the college boundaries.

As per the above given definition, acts such as faux hugging may/may not motivated by misguided thoughts of making a slight physical contact with another person, kissing in isolated and disjunct campus areas and holding hands with perfervid facial expressions lie in the ambits of Public Display of Affection. The few aforementioned acts are not an act of imagination envisaged by me but are regular revelations exposed by batch mates.

Love may but have a thousand definitions, but it can simply be stated as a special inexplicable and hard to comprehend feel good emotion instigated by attraction in a person for someone. I preserves high respect and appreciate couples engaged with this feeling in a healthy relationship. But Love through ages has been misconstrued by a lot of psychological conditions and have led to further bifurcation of the above mentioned definition of affection as follows.

As per remaining under my ambits of college boundaries, affection in college can essentially take two forms:

    1)      When the couple is strongly involved with each other through mental and emotional relationship.

    2)      When the couple is merely hit by infatuation for each other.

Let’s consider both the cases and oversee the dynamics involved when their practice goes public. By public, I am not merely talking about the display in front of a group of people, but also at a disjunct and isolated public place which in fact may not have any observers around at all. What is more important to realize are the seedy factors that instigates the two persons involved for a carefree public performance. The gist lies in the fact that it is important to understand both the aforementioned cases from the perspective of the couple i.e. the subjects involved. Had the concern been from the point of view of observers, I would have stated a lot of lame arguments against PDA like “it is disturbing for the society”, “I don’t have a partner, it depresses me” or “they’ll be chased by couple hunters!” etc.

Let’s first start with the second case. Infatuation is but the state of being carried away by unreasoned passion or love, usually inspired with an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone[i]. Infatuation can very well happen from both the sides and should not to be confused with one sided unrequited love. Such subjects will be motivated by intense feelings of limerence, which essentially means to await a reciprocation of their feelings from the other side as well. They will lack the requisite confidence to comprehend each other’s cognitive behavior and maturity to understand each other’s feelings involved in a healthy relationship. This will compel them to reassert their relationship again and again. Physical contact will prove to be a cheap and affordable tool while doing it openly in public domain will misguide them as being more natural and raw in their relationship. While this behavior is mere innocence and fails to standby as the structure of love it ends up being a short lived relationship and useless diversions of mental energies.

The first case is rather more serious. In this case the subjects are attached with strong mental and emotional links and as a premise, also understand each other well. This is the exemplified structure capable of growing into unconditioned mature love, but however blatant it may sound, with a very thin margin separating it from becoming into an obsession; and the carefree public reciprocation validates it of being transformed into an obsession. A mature couple will appreciate their own special secret moments of surrender to each other rather than fulfilling the urge to possess each other in open. They will wait for the right time with a broad minded vision of the future. While carefree public reciprocation may sound perfectly natural notwithstanding stereotypical societal bigots, the catch lies in the fact that such subjects usually legitimate themselves by saying that “they care about each other, not the world”. Well in fact this rosy statement is essentially the first cycle of obsessive love wheel as described by Dr. John D. Moore in his book, Confusing Love with Obsession. The Obsessive love wheel has four phases:

    1)  Attraction phase: Which may include instant attraction to romantic interest, focusing on physical characteristics while ignoring personality differences, etc.

     2)      Anxious Phase: Needs of constant contact with the loved one, feeling like the other partner shouldn’t meet or speak with others, etc.

    3)   Obsessive Phase: Tunnel vision and constant attention of the loved, Neurotic behaviors like rapid phone calls to the loved one, accusations of infidelity due to over-anxiety, etc. 

   4)      Destructive Phase: Overwhelming feelings of depression, loss of self-esteem, self–blame, self-hatred due to collapse of relationship,  anger to seek revenge against the loved one who broke the relationship, use of drugs, alcohol for healing of emotional pain etc.

I am not stating that the above phases are a product of PDA. I merely state that PDA defines a false definition of sustainable love; or whatever it defines, fails mostly and fundamentally to get the warrant of a deep and sensible affection. I personally know many couples who one’s were laughing, enjoying and riding the life with unwarranted carefree attitude and have ended up being through these phases. Now they admit their thence innocence of acknowledging the carefree mislead courage as unparalleled love and are much matured today. Having witnessed many friends who have somehow successfully passed all the four phases, I but pray to witness no more. While love is a beautiful feeling it is equally beautiful to find your soul mate albeit not always within the same batch.

---

[i] Wikipedia

The Dying INC.

56.64 and still growing perhaps falling. The value of Rupee is currently at its second highest position and is quickly making its ways to break the record of its all-time sacrosanct low figure of 57.15 against the US dollar, dated 22^nd of June 2012. Amongst many possible factors aimed at curbing the rising inflation, one appearing in recent debates is to increase the upper cap on FDI in the defense sector. 

Mr. Thomas Mathew, Joint Secretary to President argues for “steadily expanding deficiencies in the defense modernization”. Around 70% of India’s defense equipment is imported. Moreover if the value of foreign components in the equipments manufactured in India are added as well, the dependency would be even higher. “A nation that would have to face several challenges as it strives to become a greater economic power cannot afford to be so dependent on imported weapons”, argues Thomas. We must learn from nations like Brazil which had specially amended their federal constitution in 1995, to allow up to 100% investment by foreign companies in their Defense sector. They converted their image from a major importer to a major exporter with Helibras today being a prominent name in the helicopter manufacturing industry. While the idea is to stabilize the Indian Defense sector (currently allowing mere 26% FDI) and controlling the rising inflation, this educated step would also aid in matters of increased employment for Indian engineers, better technology in indigenous hands, increased outsourcing to other nations, and circuitously a much widely accepted government at the New-Delhi.

If one would gaze at the Government at the Center 2 years back from now, then he/she would have faced a severe dilemma at the hands of helplessness. While the INC led UPA II was stamping its worth for the ruling coalition, the main opposition party BJP seemed to be involved in an equal internal struggle as well. However the scenario is changed now and while INC in battling regular inflicts, BJP is looking forward for an organized hike to Mount Delhi. Although the time demands INC to be addressing more pressing issues of rising inflation and Naxal settlement, it is struggling to move past the endorsement of food security bill, 

already labeled as extremely costly and ineffective by several experts. “The fundamental problem about the system is “leakages” and one soon realized that FCI (Food Corp. of India) is one of the most inefficient and corrupt organizations in the government”, says Arvind Virmani, former chief economic advisor. “Today the total number of people living below poverty line is more than our entire population in 1947”, reveals NSSO. 

Our reverend Prime Minister complains about growing hostility in the main opposition party that has halted many important bills and to-be-made decisions in void. The opposition is reacting by continuously repeating that their antagonism is deeply owed to a most corrupt government of all time. Such mutual attacks however do not consolidate INC’s acceptability in the upcoming 2014 general elections.

It is time to take an educated step for the Naxal issue, especially when their regional presence in Chhattisgarh state has been brutally inflicted upon by Maoists. The recent massacre of 30 INC rally members (Parivarthan Yatra) near Dorbha forest in Jagdalpur, by ambushed Maoists has send a shock wave in the entire nation.

Ever since its inception in 2005- Salwa Judum or “Purification Hunt” (in Gondi Language) has been under continuous scrutiny and radars of the Maoists. Salwa Judum is an alleged civilian militia mobilized and deployed as a part of anti-insurgent operations in Chhattisgarh and aimed at countering Naxal violence in the region. Its foundation has thickened the flux between Naxals and the tribals in these regions ever since, and its founder- Mahendra Karma was sought after by Naxals for a long time. According to various leading dailies and his post-mortem report, Karma,

who was killed in the rally, was stabbed 78 times, 3 times on face, 8 times after he died and some 50 bullets were recovered from his mutilated body. The attack was a coward’s play owing to the ambush Naxals had plotted and considering the few security officers in the rally who managed to push the AK cladded Naxals for two hours before surrendering due to exhausted ammunition of their service revolvers. While the Naxals stand Karma guilty of

harassing the tribals and claiming their lands, some indications can indeed be taken out. It is true that the no-man lands of the red corridor that stretches from south Nepal to Andhra Pradesh is extremely rich in valuable minerals, which possess a golden opportunity for the government and leading national-international business empires. However in their expedition to claim the tribal lands, they fail to realize the sensitive tribal sentiments attached with their lands. When the governments, Local as well as Union has continuously failed to provide basic amenities  of health clinics, rations, water, electricity and security to these tribals, land remains the only resource which these tribal claim for themselves. In the due course these tribals have also lend their trust into the Naxal hands, which despite the use of violence do provide however small aid and

assistance possible at root level. Under such hostile conditions, to help the tribals in escaping from the violent hands of Naxals and wiping away the Naxal presence as well is possible in only one way. It is “Security followed by Development”, that is, the gap between security measures and the developments to take place should effectively be zero- explains K.Vijay Kumar IPS, former head of SVPNPA,

Hyderabad, former Director General CRPF and current Senior Security Advisor Home Ministry. Kumar was the Chief of STF that encountered the notorious Sandalwood bandit Veerapaan. In its entire course of 9 years UPA has been unable to resolve this internal source of threat that becomes more dangerous and pressing than any external threat, with each flying dusk.

While in such problematic times for INC, a much more intense and long awaited problem finally roots out. The emergence of Narendra Modi, who completes 10

years of prosperity in Gujarat and despite various blame games and blotches of violent bloodshed in his state, offers a Modern and Developed model of Garvi Gujarat while pacing quickly towards 7, Race Course Road. People address him as the Mandate Of Developing India! Despite a few reservations expressed by BJP veteran Mr. L.K.Advani and his loyalists namingly Jaswant Singh, and Shatrughan Sinha, BJP president Rajnath Singh is all set to announce Modi as the head of Lok Sabha campaign committee on 9^th of June ’13. The party’s National Executive meet held in Goa awaits the moment; Of Modi being recognized as the official prime ministerial candidate for upcoming 2014 general Lok Sabha polls. While Advani and

his loyalists have refused to attend the meet owing to illness and “sudden health concerns”, Modi is all set to start his new Yatra from Gujarat to New-Delhi via GOA.

What awaits more importantly is the showdown which Modi is expected to perform if he ends up landing in 7 Race Course Road. Whether he will be able to address more pressing National concerns of Inflation, Defense, Food security, Lokpal and Naxals as he has in Gujarat in the past 10 years? One can only wish for the best, and so can INC and Mr. Rahul Gandhi as he charmingly awaits to become the bait against the growing BJP popularity!

References-

The views mentioned are completely personal. The quotations have been taken from the leading Indian Daily- “Times of India”. Some more information has been borrowed from the following sources-

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/‎

en.wikipedia.org/

www.bhaskar.com/‎

The images have been borrowed form Google Image Search

Dabangg of Pratapgarh

         Being selected as an MLA, continuously for 5 times in a row, he stands as an undefeated persona in the political arena of Uttar Pradesh. Born in the royal family of His Highness Bajrang Bahadur Singh  from his son, His Highness Uday Pratap Singh, he relishes the honor of being acknowledged as the Raja of his birthplace, currently also his election constituency, Kunda Pratapgarh Uttar Pradesh. Use of man and muscle power has been his well-known signature style and alike many previous cases he yet finds himself into the tangled web of allegations and accusations.

Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a Raja bhaiya, is the man who yet succeeds in registering his name and identity in headlines and shutterbugs. This time the latest controversy, increasing the count to a total of 9, lands him into cobwebs of allegations of murder of Deputy Superintendent of Police Ziya ul Haque. The allegations are put by the deceased DSP’s wife, Parveed Azaad, who demands rigorous CBI probe into the case and justice be granted to her husband’s death.  

The entire story started with a land dispute between two communities, namely Pal and Yadavs in the Balipur village (Ballia district, UP). Nanhe Lal Yadav, Pradhan of Balipur went to a tea stall on March 2 2013 where a small gang of the Pal community attacked him. He was dragged to main road and shot in broad day light causing him on the spot death. This produced a heavy commotion in the area, and in retaliation from Yadavs, Nanhe’s brother Suresh Yadav got shot and killed as well. These events created a very tensed atmosphere in the village. DSP Ziya ul Haque accompanied by Hathigawa area’s SHO manoj Shukla approached the crime scene to monitor the situation. The agitated crowd however moved out of control and surrounded the officers, snatching them from their service revolvers and shot the DSP.

Although such is the known story behind the DSP’s murder but many accuse Raja Bhaiya’s appointed men of committing the act, considering his disturbed concord with the DSP. Parveen has named the involvement of Gulashan Yadav (Chairman Kunda contituency), Rohit Singh, Hariom Srivastava and Sanjay Pratap Singh alias Guddu Singh (Raja Bhaiya’s driver) in her husband’s assassination. Guddu Singh, the main accused is currently being questioned by the CBI.

Being accused 8 times earlier for intense accusations such as attempt to murder and loot Raja Bhaiya faces IPC 120B for planning criminal conspiracy. He has resigned from his post of Food and Supplies minister after the allegations. Ironic is the fact that previously to being the Food and Supplies ministry he served as the Prison minister in 2007. It is sad that a man accused of allegedly kidnapping the opposition candidate in a mere Panchayati Raj Election and one who is a regular recipient of prisons is given the charge of prison ministry. It however provides the scope to ordinary public to state that the man is well acquainted with prisons and thus would perform effective in handling its ministry as well.

Although CBI is probing the case but Raja Bhaiya stands against the odds and there are chances that he walk free with respect yet again. In a press conference he denies the charges as he speaks that he would have easily got the DSP transferred, had he been facing such immediate issues with his presence rather than getting him murdered. His statement clearly signifies how proudly he uses/misuse his power to select or remove officers as per his flexibility and requirement.

Raja Bhaiya has always been in headlines during Samajwadi Party’s reign in UP. Stories of his love towards animals and his pet alligators, who he feeds on his offenders have been famous. However Mayawati, UP’s ex-CM, takes the credit for controlling Raja Bhaiya’s activities and placing him in jail. She even put POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) on him and declared him a terrorist when she dragged him to jail from his home at the late hours of 3:00 am, back in November 2002.

However beyond all allegations and accusations he yet stands staunch as the Dabangg Raja of Kunda. Let’s wait for the probe to finish and anticipate for justice to all.

Yognik Baghel

5^th April 2013

References:

http://www.bhaskar.com/

en.wikipedia.org

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

http://www.thehindu.com/

indiatoday.intoday.in/

Islam and Terrorism

#IandT

New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad~ big names in the high profile and the city which never sleeps list. However these are also the recipients of some of the most deadly bombing our nation has ever witnessed. The illusionary possibility of a Moriarty like mastermind as depicted in the Benedict Cumberbatch’s TV series, Sherlock fades in real life, where mostly the post blast claims are proudly accepted by radical groups specially Terror Outfits…more specifically Islamic Terror Outfits.

The Dilsukhnagar shopping area in the city of Hyderabad witnessed serial bomb blasts on February 21^st 2013. The first bomb exploded outside the ‘Konark Movie’ hall on a roadside eatery called ‘A1 Mirchi’. The second serial blast took place two minutes later near the bus stand for ‘Route 107’. Moreover a third unexploded bomb was also recovered and defused from a vegetable market in Vanasthalipuram area (8kms from Dilsukhnagar). Sources say that the original target for the bombs was the Sai Baba temple (which had already witnessed bomb attacks in Nov. 2002). However due to the unexpected visit of the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, IPS Anurag Sharma, the temple was swarmed by police officers which induced the bombers to displace the cycle bombs. According to latest updates (25^th February) 16 people lost their lives and 119 injured.

Moving ahead with the reporting job, let’s now contemplate on the graver matter about the responsibility claims of the bombs. The initial suspect was the IM (Indian Mujahedeen), based on the interrogations done on IM operatives (caught in 2012 Pune blast investigations) picked by the Delhi police. However a recent letter to G Kishan Reddy, the unit president of BJP, AP draftet by Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let) proudly claims the blast responsibility. Besides the claim, police is interrogating Tahsin Akhtar alias Monu, alias Hasan, and his associates Asadullah Akhtar alias Tabrez and Wakas alias Ahmed, who, according to the NIA, are key to unraveling the Hyderabad terror attack and are related to IM not LeT.

Lashkar, Mujahedeen, Tabrez, Akhtar, Hasan no matter how many suspects and key subjects we may focus on, the vision always displays the image of a subject associated with ISLAM. I am an educated, informed and a conscious citizen however this contemporary relationship of ISLAM and TERRORISM disturbs me because of an unrequired state of inability which is the conclusion of an all-inclusive world scenario. By “state of inability” I mean to critic the prejudices build for an Islamic, which are constructed by the dynamics of radical terror organizations, mostly Islamic in religion; And by “world scenario” I refer to the all-inclusive socio-economic and cultural mechanics followed by different Governments, Groups, Organizations, Associations and Individuals.

I wish to explain this relationship between Islam and terrorism with 3 bifurcations:

1. Misinterpretations
2. Political mechanics
3. Social dynamics

Let’s put some light on Misinterpretations.

Disturbed people (viz. survived victims to terror attacks) often claim that ISLAM propagates TERROR; “Muhammad was a terrorist.  Based upon Muhammad's actions and teachings, Islam justifies terrorism.  Today, Muslims use that justification to attack and murder those who differ from them.  Muslim terrorists follow in Muhammad's footsteps.”(Article- “MUHHAMAD ISLAM and TERRORISM” by Silas).

Removing the fear factor to loose someone dear, in a possible terror attack, such derogatory remarks are a shame to the entire human culture for two reasons. First, MUHAMMAD, CHRIST, NANAK or RAMA for that matter are Holy figures propagated in human cultures and societies for centuries to act as a dais for common public to connect themselves with their inner selves and proceed on the path of mental enlightenment and since it depends on how we perceive their teaching, considering any of them as a propagator of TERROR simply reflects our cowardliness to use them as a refugee to our own castle of firm misinterpretations.

Above mentioned misinterpretations of ISLAM is just one contributor to the faulty world scenario. Another is political, which I wish to explain using the 9/11 incident. I am not a supporter of al-Qaeda and going by humanitarian grounds, equally opposed to their very existence. However that does not hides the mystery and controversy behind the 9/11 attacks. A report was released by the American Media which claimed some ‘75’ high profile professors and scientists believed and kept the potential to prove that 9/11 was an inside job. By ‘Inside Job’ I mean planned and executed by the U.S. Govt. for the motive of blaming the OSAMA run al-Qaeda and declaring an official war against them. Why would George Bush Jr. wish that ~ to attack Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and the Palestine region, limitlessly rich in ‘oil’. The documentary series, “LOOSE CHANGE” (A mind blowing research work) produced by Dylan Avery gives enough proofs to convince any individual under the sun, that 9/11 was an insider job (It is freely available on YouTube). In the above scenario a political hunt for resources leads a world power to play a terror theatre on a global dais. Sacrificing a mere portion of their massive public assets and a few thousand lives would just open the doors for immense future possibilities (in form of oil) and settle some over population issues for the top shots in Bureaucracy, Politics and Military.

However the incident puts the distorted image of Muslims in billions of minds, besides the mystery behind whether OSAMA ever claimed the responsibility of attacks. Moreover the US Government exploited the very situation to harass the vulnerable Muslims in USA for “intentional charges of probable terrorism”. May it be on airports or common public area, the US security forces played to their full and enjoyed every vulnerable Muslim as their bait. Such incident have been clearly expressed in movies like “New York” and “My Name is Khan” and watching them one might wonder who propagates real terror.

After Misinterpretation and Political the third bifurcation under a faulty world scenario is the social context; which drives me towards the less developed nations where politicians feasts on the common mass under the pretext of democracy. The most vulnerable audience to politicians is the minority. While in an atmosphere where even the common man is fed up of ill governmental tactics such as inflation, taxes, ineffective governance and security issues the minorities find themselves easily cheated and exploited. Especially if I talk about Muslims in a nation like India then despite our holistic ideas of religious indifference accompanied with an educated youth, we realize the fact that the financially backward Muslims still find themselves difficult to adjust with the rest of the society. Reason is the “unstable state of that depressed mind which is already under the pressure of being a member of an alienated clan in a religion sensitive society”. Call it the difference in culture but the fact is that such demotivated people become easy baits for any religious ventures aimed at justice. And most of the time, such ventures arrive in the form of recruitment in a special army, to become a Mujahedeen, a struggling Muslim, a JIHAADI, on the path of Allah. Sad is the fact that social pressure steams the mind in such manner that a fine Muslim ~ Tabrez or Akhtar gets brain washed and join the force to become a Muslim Mujahedeen a.k.a. a deemed MUSLIM TERRORIST.

Do the above mentioned paragraphs untangle the controversial relationship of ISLAM and TERRORISM?

Yes it does up to some limit. To summarize the relationship of ISLAM AND TERRORISM has one corner stone called as “The Faulty World Scenario”, clearly explained above, in form of three bifurcations:

1. Misinterpretations
2. Political issues
3. Social issues

I preserve my own views as a conscious citizen and could contemplate the above mentioned points to untangle the complex relationship of ISLAM and TERRORISM. However I believe one can pounder into history and bring out several points to explain this controversial label of “IaT”. One can justify this on the basis of the entire establishing concept of Taliban (the Afghan war and Russia). One might even go back in history to mark the dominance of Islam in India and its further filtering to current form. There are innumerable explanations to the issue, out of which I chose the above explained to be those who fit best in the current world scenario.

The following link may come useful:

#Loose Charge

References::

www.ndtv.com

www.dawn.com

www.economictimes.indiatimes.com

www.indiatoday.intoday.in

www.wikipedia.org/

This is a sincere effort by the author to write on a very sensitive issue. All the views are individual. The author request apologies for any unintentional hurting remark.

Yognik Baghel

Woh Raaste (time reprised)

“…Somewhere in 40’s PokarRam ji’s eyes displayed fissures of struggle and heat…”

“…I realized that my 10 rupees cannot battle a man’s self-esteem that he has earned by travelling 1500kms, for last 10 years…”

“…I decided to watch a Romantic heart-break movie that would depress me even further. This helps me to get a sound sleep...”

While we were studying about how efficiently the Self Help Groups were working in the area, all set by our NGO, a desire to meet these independent women aroused in us. Thus we were granted the permission to meet the SHG women, people benefited by the Micro Insurance scheme, and the Potters. These groups and people were provided assistance by our NGO. To brief you about the above mentioned terms, SHGs or the Self Help Groups are as the name suggests, a group consisting only of women. Comprising of around 10 members these women save money, which could be used to grant loan to any other member in future when in need. This protects the women from high interest charging moneylenders. They are also protected from the burden of keeping collaterals. This entire scheme of Self Help Groups helps in empowering the women and making them self-dependent.

The micro insurance scheme is an insurance scheme formulated by the life insurance corporation (LIC of India), for providing life insurance to rural villagers. Under the scheme a person has to pay a monthly installment of Rs. 200/-. They are then provided with a claim of Rs. 50,000/- for a natural death and Rs. 1,00,000/- for an accidental death.

As part of our third assignment we went to the nearby market to buy mugs and spoons. Yes we were provided with tiffins but not with spoons. The tiffin was actually a disguised surprise. You see we were scared to open them, and dared never to open them without chanting mantras…in mind off course.  Rajasthani denizens love to feast on Kair Sangari and Baajare ki Roti. However we were frightened, what if they experimented this feat on us, specifically on our tiffins?

Our first field visit was scheduled deeper inside the rural ambits of Mokalsar. The soil in this part is the customary dry porous yellow sand unable to hold much water. Thus farming is very tough and challenging in this area. Traversing some 15kms on deformed roads, loose sands and barren farms on our Hero Splendor we reached a cluster of small hut houses made of mud clay and dung. We were acknowledged by a group of women working in the porch area of the house. Their dialectal was complex Rajasthani which destroyed my deciphering logic. However Suresh bhai helped us in communicating. He helped in translating and normalizing their comments on us! Let me introduce him, as son of our NGO’s CEO Mr. DungarRam ji. He’s a charming boy eager to learn and make a bright future. He recently received a call from Bangalore to work with a sister NGO there, while he continues to assists AGYVS here in Mokalsar. Not more than 22 years in age this enthusiastic young charismatic guy guides our way into the huts. These huts are surrounded by a periphery of thorny bushes meant for abstaining any wildling to enter the house premise. As we enter the house we observed two women sitting and tangling a mixture of dung and mud into a fine assortment which was used by a bunch of women standing in the porch to plaster the floor area, by their feets. This was a SHG, we were introduced to. The main lady inquired and went for water, while Mr. PokarRam ji brought a cot. While we sat on the cot, he comforted himself on his legs. There was sand, hot sun some women, Mr. PokarRam and a few half-clothed kids sitting with goats, with flies floating their faces beside our cot.

With my conversation with PokarRam ji, I realized their inability to do farming and thus settle with animal rearing, specifically goats and sheeps. Somewhere in 40’s PokarRam ji’s eyes displayed fissures of struggle and heat. He earned barely Rs. 1000/- by selling one of his goats. In a year he manages to earn around Rs. 9000/-. He travels day and night with his brothers for some 1500kms on foot straight from southern Rajasthan to North Punjab with his goats for their grazing and feeding because of scarcity in Rajasthan. He has been travelling like this for past 10 years, when he returns home after 6 months each time. Living is hard, he says. He is oppressed from two sides, on one he fears the corrupt governmental officers and on other hand he fears the local Rajput stronghold, who even denies them to draw water from their wells. I realized that such a critical situation is dwelling here because of a very flawed assumption buried deep within every mind; “Everyone in government is corrupt”. This assumption prevents the locals to visit govt. official for help, and invite Local strongholds like Rajputs to do as they wish. This worsens the situation. “Rajput saara chaara le gaye”, PokarRam ji says.

While I drank water and thought to give 10-10 rupees to all kids present, I realized that my 10 rupees cannot battle a man’s self-esteem that he has earned by travelling 1500kms, for last 10 years. My gesture of care might hurt his self. Thus we retreated with minds full of thoughts. I learned that it would be far more beneficial to provide even tiniest but practical real life assistance to these people than to inquire them about their pot of grievances and pay condolence.

Solemn, as I said…

On our way back to our NGO cum home, William said “eye opener bhai…!”, while I saw “Nakoda MidWay!”, our food refuge. The guy serves excellent Aloo Chole, Aloo Gobi and worse Raita. That night we were in deep thoughts… So I decided to watch a Romantic heart-break movie that would depress me even further. This helps me to get a sound sleep. So I watched The Notebook. Sad, it had a happy ending.

My mornings would usually start with action-packed stunts and super flexible gymnastics in Latrine, a caution bath with an eye patrolling above for I might not break my head open with the tap fitted above, a dry fruits breakfast accompanied with reading “What Young India Wants by Chetan Bhagat” (his first book, I tag credible for reading), sitting outside at the gate of NGO, while passerby’s would stare me. I had been immune to starring by now.

While William worked on the Website designing in the noon time, I would work on the matter and content part. We both would take an hour of break for Friends and Game of Thrones respectively. We had our flexibility as I mentioned earlier.

And exploiting the very flexibility, we would step our feets on the local hills in the evenings. We were at our leisure, Photography, Trekking and watching movies, as if we were washing the 3rd semester off our skins. A spring was blooming in the desert. O.K. off with my sentiments! We captured the first level of heights on our first visit on hills.

These were rounded rocks- dry, slippery and yet inviting. We would ensure to take out time in evening every day, and defeat these local heights. However I remember myself committing a deep mistake one day when I was standing on one of the hill top. The following ill words erupted from my lips: “Huh! I am quite a trekker! Indeed by birth it is!”…

Catch the following in the final part:

“…my eyes were wide, body numb and the entire atmosphere silent as void. I could feel the cool breeze gliding through my hair. Mokal mamaji was no more, he was dead…”

“…The virgin court ballerina (300 years old) still roamed in the nearby village and we could have had a chat, William looked excited…”

“…the baba cried to dig a 10 meter pit in the graveyard, in which he jumped and then yelled to pour and fill it with mud to the top…”