The Majority Report is a research study undertaken by two retired IPS officers high-lighting the gross discrimination practiced by the UPA government against crores of poorest children of the majority community, namely the Hindus. Will it shock you, dear friends, if we were to inform you that in four out of the five globally recognized major human development indices the Hindus happen to be the most disadvantaged and the poorest religious group in India?
Not many people know that by using the flawed and fabricated findings of Sachar Committee, the former Minister for Minorities Affairs, Shri Salman Khurshid, acting in collusion with the former Prime Minister, robbed the un-washed and unlettered daughters and sons of nearly 34 crore Hindus living below the poverty line, mostly in rural areas. The High Level Committee chaired by Justice Sachar was born in sin of grave constitutional impropriety. The task assigned to Justice Sachar had been entrusted in 1992 by the Indian Parliament to the National Minorities Commission by enacting a special law called The Minorities Commission Act, 1992. All responsibilities for protection of the rights of minorities and ensuring their welfare had been assigned by the Parliament in terms of the aforesaid legislation to the Minorities Commission. Therefore the very act of the Prime Minister constituting a High Level Committee in March 2005, by an executive fiat for one single religious minority was patently unconstitutional and bad in law. The worst aspect of the sinister move, however, was that Justice Sachar did not inform the P.M. that what was being was a blatant violaton of the Constitution. In appointing Sachar Committee the former P.M. also violated the oath of his office.
For decades an unsubstantiated belief has been propagated across the country that economically and educationally the Muslims are the more disadvantaged than the Hindus. This falsehood is being unabashedly used by the powerful pro-Muslim vote bank lobby to bestow many unmerited benefits and concessions, including nearly twenty million scholarships and concessional educational loans exclusively on the Muslims, Christians and three other minorities. But it was revealed by Salman Khurshid’s Press Conference on May 29, 2012, that not one single scholarship was given to the daughter or son of the poorest Hindu. Nor were any cheaper educational or entrepreneurial loans advanced to any Hindu poor, while funds worth several lakh crores were advanced to the children of doubly blessed five minorities, namely the Muslims, the Christians, the Buddhits, the Parsis and the Sikhs.
This strategy of religion-based discrimination was implemented in pursuance of the communally divisive vote bank policy enunciated in the Prime Minister’s notoriously famous “Muslims First” policy statement made on December 9, 2006, by the Prime Minister. Inexplicably the aforesaid policy statement was made by Dr. Manmohan Singh on the birthday of Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance. Perhaps thereby hangs a tale of deceit.
The worst aspect of the ongoing discrimination is that crores of poor Hindus belonging to the perennially famished hoi polloi of rural India have been deliberately deprived of any share in the 20 million scholarships awarded to the five minorities, including four economically and educationally better placed communities than the Hindus. These four super-privileged minorities are the Christians, the Parsis, the Buddhists and the Sikhs all of whom happen to be show stealers in literacy average, economic prosperity and education.
The data pertaining to infant and child mortality, degree of urbanization and life expectancy at birth available in public domain proves that it is the Hindus, not the Muslims, who are the most disadvantaged religious group. Following are the five major globally recognized human development indicators:
i) Infant Mortality;
ii) Child Mortality;
iii) Life Expectancy at Birth;
iv) Degree of Urbanisation; and
v) Literacy
It was established by the National Family Health Survey -2 of 1998-99 that the Hindus are far behind the Muslims in the first four human development indices, excepting literacy in which Hindus with 65.1 percent literacy are marginally ahead of Muslims who have the literacy average of 59.1 percent. But Justice Sachar did not have the moral courage to identify and write that one single factor responsible for lower Muslim literacy average was the lower ratio of literacy among Muslim women at a meagre 50.1 percent. It was lower by 3.6 percent than the national average of female literacy at 53.7. Thus, this important cause of lower female literacy among Muslims ignored by Justice Sachar was the diktats of religious leaders restricting education of girls beyond a certain age and insistence on the customary veil.
Unfortunately most Hindus, including their spiritual gurus, tele-media analysts, self-anointed intellectuals and political leaders belong to the prosperous fraternity and well-to-do middle class. Their children do not need free scholarships. No wonder they have thus remained indifferent to the pathetic economic condition of the poorest Hindu masses, especially those trapped in the terminally ill rural areas? These busy-bodies strutting across the political and spiritual universe have never cared to know that in four, out of the five globally recognised human development indices, the majority community is lagging behind the Muslims, the Christians, the Buddhists, the Parsis and the Sikhs? That explains how the children of 34-35 crore poorest Hindus were led to slaughter on the alter of Sachar Report! The daughters and sons of nearly 340 million poorest Hindus were robbed in broad daylight of their rightful share in 20 million scholarships by the ruling politicians in an ugly bid to promote the ‘exclusive development’ of five minority communities. And lo and behold this deprivation of the poorest Hindu children was done in the garb of ‘inclusive development’!
The ongoing discriminatory policy against the majority religious group, mostly the rural Hindus, was launched by the Prime Minister with great fanfare in June, 2006, in the garb of Prime Minister’s New 15 Points Programme for Welfare of Minorities. Through a sleight of hand the poorest Hindu children were deprived of any share in twenty million scholarships showered on Muslim, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and the Sikhs.
The most shocking aspect of this biggest post-independence scam is that the Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and the Sikhs are the real show-stealers in literacy and education - way ahead of the Hindus.
A careful examination of Sachar Report reveals a series of ugly tricks devised to trample upon the Right to Equality of the eighty percent citizens of India on the ground of religion. Apparently the poorest students belonging to the majority community are being denied proportionate share in millions of scholarships and financial largesse worth thousands of crores because they happen to belong to the politically-pariahed religious group, the Hindus.
No Hindu or non-Hindu political leader showed the guts to question this implementation of ‘exclusive minority development’ programme tom-tomed as ‘inclusive growth’. Enumerated below are two prominent instances of fudging of facts by Justice Sachar in his report.
“Everything beyond the walls of the ghetto is seen as unsafe and hostile - markets, roads, lanes and public transport, schools and hospitals, Police Stations and government offices.”
Can any Indian honestly believe that the Muslim women are treated so shabbily in India? Many more instances of fudging of facts can be cited from the report of Justice Sachar. These are being left out because of shortage of space.
To sum up, a systematic and rational analysis of the comparative scores of the Hindus and the Muslims in various human development indices reveals that in the first four globally recognised economic development indicators the Hindus are lagging far behind the Muslims and four other religious minorities, namely the Christians, the Buddhists, the Parsis and the Sikhs. This truth was established four times by four different studies, though Justice Sachar ignored the documented truth for reasons best known to him.
The first well-documented rebuttal of the flawed findings of Justice Sachar came on September 2, 2006, when a paper was circulated by Prof. Sanjay Kumar of the Centre of Studies for Developing Studies, New Delhi, in a seminar organized at the prestigious Indian Institute of Public Administration. The research of Prof. Sanjay Ku-mar presented in a packed hall of distinguished scholars in the auditorium of the I.I.P.A. revealed that there was highly any difference in the economic and educational status of the Hindus and the Muslims.
The in-depth research based on a survey by the Centre for Developing Societies, New Delhi, further highlighted that the proportion of ‘the very poor’ Indians was higher among the Hindus than among the Muslims. The survey conducted in the year 2004 showed that the percentage of ‘very poor’ Hindus was 31 percent while the percentage of the ‘very poor’ among Muslims was only 24 percent. Thus, on the basis of the CDS survey the percentage of the ‘very poor’ people among the Hindus was nearly 25 percent higher than among the Muslims! It was a very significant finding of Prof. Sanjay Kumar, based on a survey comprising 27,000 random samples.
Mysteriously this important finding was ignored by Justice Sachar despite a clear directive in the Prime Minister’s Notification dated March 9, 2005. To Justice Sachar’s High-Level Committee to “obtain relevant information from Departments/ agencies of the Central & State Governments and also conduct an intensive literature survey to identify the published data, articles, and research on relative social, economic and educational status of Muslims in India at the State, regional and district levels” to address the problems faced by Muslims. More importantly, Prof. Sanjay Kumar’s research paper highlighting his important findings was duly sent to Justice Sachar by our Thinktank, Patriots’ Forum’. But the former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court chose to ignore the truth altogether for reasons best known to him and his teammates.
The second rebuttal of Justice Sachar’s fabricated findings came in October, 2010, when the National Health Survey- 3 (2005-2006) revealed a high quantum jump of 5.4 years from 62.6 years in the life expectancy of Muslims within a short span of 7 years, i.e., between 1998 and 2005. The advantage which Muslims had over their Hindu counterparts in life expectancy at birth was barely 1.2 years in 1998-1999, but it grew to 3 years in 2005-2006, as revealed by the National Family Health Survey -3.
And the master mystery of all mysteries was that the results of the National Family Health Survey of 2005-2006 were released in October, 2010 – i.e. after a long delay of 4 years! It needs to be investigated why in this age of super technology the findings of NFHS Survey-3 conducted in 2005-2006 were not made public. This inordinate delay was responsible for facilitating implementation of Sachar Committee’s recommendations favouring the Muslim community. The discriminatory largesse of 20 million scholarships and cheaper educational and entrepreneurial loans of several lakh crore rupees was showered on Muslims, along with 4 minorities in gross violation of the Right to Equality enshrined in the Constitution.
The third rebuttal of Justice Sachar’s fudged facts was made public in the findings of Rajesh Shukla, a Senior Fellow of the National Council of Applied Economic Research published in the Economic Times, New Delhi, on April 5, 2007, reconfirming that there was hardly any difference in the economic status of the Hindus and Muslims. Among other things Rajesh Shukla’s survey disclosed that the Sikh community were ‘the Sardars in Prosperity’, with Christians closely following behind them.
The fourth rebuttal of Justice Sachar’s findings came on February 24, 2011, in the reply to a Parliament Question answered by Vincent H. Pala, the Minister of State for Minorities in Lok Sabha admitting that the central government had no data pertaining to the number of persons living below the poverty line according to religious denominations. If as late as the year 2011 the government had no data about the number of Muslims and Hindus living below the poverty line, why were the fudged findings of Justice Sachar accepted and implemented several years ago?
The fifth demolition of the lies propagated by Sachar Committee came on October 24-25, 2011, when in a Seminar jointly organized by the United Nations Development Programme and India’s Planning Commission at Claridge’s Hotel, two scholars of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (Sukhdeo Thorat and Amaresh Pandey) presented a research paper re-confirming that there had been far greater poverty reduction among the Muslims than among the Hindus between 2004-2005 to 2009-2010.
Despite these five research-based rebuttals of Sachar Report the multi-dimensional discrimination against the unwashed daughters and sons of the poorest Hindus, living below the poverty line has continued at fast pace - perhaps in deference to the policy announcement made by the Prime Minister in December, 2006, on Sonia Gandhi’s birthday.
It is, however, for the self-anointed Hindu secularists to analyse and explain why no poorest of the poor Hindu child was considered eligible for even one single scholarship out of twenty million freeships showered by Salman Khurshid on the privileged children of Muslim and Christian parents. According to a half-page advertisement published in The Pioneer, New Delhi, on February 15, 2014, “over Rs. 1,95,000 crore of bank credit was showered on 5 minorities”. In sharp contrast, not one rupee worth bank credit was made available to anyone of the 35 crores Hindus living below the poverty line.
Most importantly, Prof. Suresh Tendulkar’s research had revealed that in 2009 approximately 37.2 percent Indians were living below the poverty line. It meant that roughly the unwashed children of 34-35 crore Hindu les miserables were debarred from applying for scholarships and educational loans in an unethical bid to consolidate a vote bank of five minorities. Such a policy of robbing the poorest on the ground of religion by recourse to a sleight of hand has no parallel in the history of any democratic country. Only a legal eagle like Salman Khurshid, aided by Justice Sachar, could do it with remarkable dexterity and finesse!
Now time has come for Shri Salman Khurshid and the former Prime minister to explain to 34 crore poor Hindus living below the poverty line, mostly in rural areas, why their hungry, emaciated and unlettered children were robbed of the rightful share in 20 million scholarships and educational loans totaling several lakh crore rupees?
Time has also come for the unlettered masses to seek identification of those public figures and government functionarie for deliberately cheating the poorest citizens of their right to equality.
The Sindhu and Sarasvati rivers were at the centre of Rig Vedic consciousness, closely followed by the Iravati (Ravi), Sutudri (Sutlej), Vipasa (Beas), Chandrabhaga (Chenab), Vitasta (Jhelum). Hence the reference to the land as Sapta Sindhu (seven rivers). The Sarasvati, mentioned some seventy times in the Rig Veda, dried up in post-Vedic times and was rediscovered in the last four decades through satellite imagery which spotted its paleochannels. This was a landmark breakthrough and provided Indic scholars the basis for challenging much of the traditional history of India as written by Western scholars and their followers in India.
As the Vedic peoples moved eastwards from the Punjab/Haryana region(where the Rig Veda was composed), they discovered new territories and rivers. Hence, the stotram for the water purification ceremony from the Puranas:
Gange cha yamune chaiva Godavari Sarasvati Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jalasmin sammidham Kuru O ye Rivers Gange, Yamune, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri! Reside together here in this water
There is a close bond between Sindhu and Sarasvati in Rig Vedic consciousness and the phrase ‘Akhand Bharat’ (undivided Bharat). Eminent historian and archaeologist Shivaji Singh has spelled this out in his definition of the word ‘aryam’ as characterising Akhand Bharat. Quoting the famous line from the Rig Veda, Krinvanto visvam aryam (Make the world aryam), he explains that aryam is that mindset, world view, attitude, which works for the spiritual and material welfare of humankind (Vedic Culture and its Continuity, 2010).
Elaborating, he points out that the word ‘aryam’ has nothing to do with the racist use of the word ‘aryan’ by Western scholarship, nor is it a linguistic construct.
The battle for akhand bharat is thus a battle for the definition of sacred geography (the land from the Himalaya and the northwest to Kanyakumari in the south and from Dwaraka in the west to un-divided Bengal in the east) but also the more universal meaning of aryam.
The question arises as to whether the sacred geography of akhand bharat is closely linked to the sanctity of the Sindhu and the Sarasvati and the meaning of aryam, and if so, why and how.
The Meaning of Aryam or Aryattva
One of the clearest explanations of this ideal of Aryam is provided by Shivaji Singh: “The essence of Vedic culture lies in its perception of Aryattva, a virtue the achievement of which is considered to be necessary for civilised living. The slogan Krinvanto viswam aryam (Rig Veda 9.63.5) is an appeal to the divine almighty power to help achieve this ideal.
Unfortunately, however, many historians have misunderstood this Aryattva”.
Scholars have often confused the Vedic Aryans with Indo Aryans, forgetting that the two concepts are different. ‘Arya’ being the self-designation of the Vedic people, ‘Vedic Aryan’ represents a historical reality. As against this, the term ‘Indo-Aryan’ is a linguistic construct denoting speaker of a sub-group of languages within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family, and being a construct, its validity is subject to verification.
Although language and culture are intimately connected, Arya does not denote a speaker of a particular language. In the Vedic view, a person speaking a Dravidian language is Arya if he possesses the virtue called Aryattva… (p10). Arya is defined one who is noble and refined in ideas and action, and these depend on a “world view characterised by a belief in certain concepts like Rta, Satya, Tapas, Yajna, Brahma etc.” (p10)
Aryattva is a blending of virtues that lead to the highest material and spiritual achievement. Rta simply means the order and harmony of the universe which the Rig Vedic Rishis saw in their physical environment, Nature. Yajna, the ritual of the fire, homa, is not only a tribute to the fire Deva, Agni, but embodies the orderly working of the universe reflected in Vedic astronomy. The intricate celestial relationships that the Rishis actually observed with the naked eye are clearly explained by BN Narahari Achar in ‘Sarasvati River and Chronology: Simulations using Planetarium Software’ (cited in Vedic River Sarasvati and Hindu Civilisation, 2008, ed. S Kalyanaraman).
Satya (usually translated as Truth) represents the mirroring of the cosmic order in society and the individual’s alignment with this cosmic order. Likewise, Tapas or self-discipline (austerity) was practiced by the Rishis for the welfare of society and therefore the universal application of this to individuals who embody Aryam/Aryattva.
These ideals of virtuous living came to the consciousness of Vedic Rishis as they saw the heavens, the earth around them, the rivers, forests and lakes and all living creatures. Aryam was a holistic ideal which passed into Hindu consciousness and society as Dharma. A recent contemporary explanation of Dharma and Rta is provided by Shrinivas Tilak, A Reawakening to a secular Hindu nation (p13-16, 2008).
Dharma in Tilak’s interpretation (though not explicitly stated by him) is related to Aryam/ aryattva which is the social derivative of Rta as the Vedic seers envisioned it. Tilak provides a very lucid explanation of other aspects of Dharma.
The Vedic peoples engaged in international trade and were familiar with maritime travel and also engaged in the intellectual fields of mathematics and astronomy. The ideal of Aryam came to them on the banks of the Sindhu and Sarasvati. This was the basis of their spiritual bond with the two rivers.
Sacred Geography
Sindhu and Sarasvati were not only rivers that provided the livelihood of the Vedic peoples. In a previous article, the writer spoke of the role of the Sarasvati as the giver of ‘light’ (‘Sarasvati and the Resurgence of Hinduism’, Haindava Keralam, 08/05/2013). In the Rig Veda, Sarasvati is not only a river but the giver of ‘light’. Western scholars have traditionally dismissed the presence of the Goddesses (hereafter referred to as Devatas and Devis) in the Rig Veda and downplayed their importance.
Nevertheless, for a correct reading we have to see Sarasvati not only as a river Devi giving abundance and plenty to the Rig Vedic peoples, but also as the giver of ‘light.’ The very first book of the Rig Veda says: ‘…Sarasvati, the mighty flood, she with light illumines, She brightens every pious thought’ (Book 1, Hymn 3, Line 12, Griffith translation). The ‘light’ here refers to intel-lection and devotion and explains the origin of Sarasvati as patron of learning, knowledge, music, arts, etc. Book 1 is the work of Sage Agastya, also known for his famous Sarasvati Sthrotram (Ya kundendu tushaara, haara dhavala…) where he hails the Devi as the source of knowledge.
The ten books of the Rig Veda contain seventy references to Sarasvati. Of these, two are directly addressed to her, as one who gives prosperity and plenty. She is the mighty river that flows from the mountains to the sea. She is life giving water. There are some references to her as the origin of holy thoughts, but none as clear cut as the reference to the giver of ‘light’ by Agastya.
Hence, one can infer that the Rig Veda signalled the importance of knowledge. This fits in with NS Raja-ram’s thesis that Vedic Mathematics was central to the civilisation and that the geometric/algebraic notions of the period influenced Old Babylonia and Egypt and thence the Greek philosopher Pythagoras whose theorem is well known to most readers (See ‘The Ori-gins of Indo-Europeans’ and ‘The Third Wave’, Folks Magazine, Dec. 2012, Feb, March 2013).
Pythagoras (570 BC-495 BC) always wanted to visit India. There is a missing period of ten years in his life and scholars have speculated that he may have come to India during that time. He had, of course, visited Egypt and Babylonia.
If he did come to India, it is reasonable to assume that he learned his Mathematics directly from India and not through Old Babylonia and Egypt. It is not accidental that Sarasvati is deified as the source of ‘light.’ Rajaram points out that the mathematical formulae used for the bricks for the Vedic fire altar were borrowed by the Harappan civilisation (via the Sulba Sutras) whose peoples lived on the banks of the Sarasvati and Sindhu.
The Sindhu has been mentioned in the Rig Veda more than a dozen times, the most arresting being in Book X, where the power and might of the river are invoked. It would seem that this aspect overawed the Vedic peoples. Verses from the Rig Veda make this abundantly clear:
1)The singer, O ye Waters in Vivasvan’s place, shall tell your grandeur forth that is beyond compare. The Rivers have come forward triply, seven and seven. Sindhu in might surpasses all the streams that flow.
2) Varuna cut the channels for thy forward course, O Sindhu, when thou rannest on to win the race. Thou speedest over precipitious ridges of the earth, when thou art Lord and Leader of these moving floods.
3) His roar is lifted up to heaven above the earth: he puts forth endless vigour with a flash of light. Like floods of rain that fall in thunder from the cloud, so Sindhu rushes on bellowing like a bull.
4) Like mothers to their calves, like milch kine with their milk, so, Sindhu, unto thee the roaring rivers run. Thou leadest as a warrior king thine army’s wings what time thou comest in the van of these swift streams.
(Rig Veda, Griffiths translation, Book 10.75.1-4)
Shivaji Singh says the Sindhu’s contribution to the Indian ethos is tremendous. The Rig Veda highly adores Sindhu for its benefactions, and the reverence for the river has continued down the ages. The water purifying mantra (ganga cha yamune chaiva…) still repeated at the very beginning of Hindu religious perfomances, stands witness to the fact that Sindhu has traditionally been considered as one of the seven most important rivers of the subcontinent. Changes and modifications in political boundaries cannot alter this fact. Culture is far more durable than Politics (email communication). Sacred Space and Akhand Bharat Akhand Bharat, then, in which Sindhu and Sarasvati are integral parts, is a sacred space unique to the subcontinent. Here live the Devas and Devatas that the Rig Vedic Rishis sighted and were commemorated by them in the Rig Veda. As time went by, some of the names changed and more names were added to the Hindu pantheon. They still continue to inhabit the land mass from the Himalaya to Cape Comorin and from west to east.
In a discussion of rashtra as a culturally nuanced space, Shrinivas Tilak observes: “As a culturally integrated unity, the idea of rashtra inevitably developed a nuanced network of ideology, outlook and traditions inspired and informed by the particular geo-morphological features of the Indian landmass.” (Rewakening to a secular Hindu nation, p.20)
This culturally integrated unity which Hindus call the motherland was given several thousand years ago by the Rishis of the Rig Veda who first lived on the banks of the Sindhu and the Sarasvati.
The writer is a political philosopher who taught at a Canadian university
Taiwan, Isreal, Afganistan, Iran, North Korea are huge foreign policy nightmare to Narendra Modi led right wing NDA government in India. Indian foreign policy between 1947-1991 was guided by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru socialist legacy and it look dramatic rightist shift from 1991 under PV Narsimha Rao legacy wherein closure US ties, south south cooperation, LEP was focused rather than puristic socialist approach. India undertook the path of economic liberalisation and the foreign policy started being guided by economic diplomacy. Off course, the bitter lessons from 1962, 1971 wars forced India to spend huge money on defence establishment to counter PRC & Pakistan aggression. Today, India is emerging super power so it must have an independent foreign policy to serve its long term strategic interests.
Taiwan is a part of the geographical area of operation of India’s Look East Policy (LEP). Although India does not recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state, its functional and people-to-people contacts with Taiwan are explainable under the LEP. Besides, India’s economic activities are on the rise in the vicinity of Taiwan. Though commercial in nature, India’s presence in the South China Sea, along with improvement in its bilateral relations with Asia-Pacific countries — especially in the realm of politics and defence cooperation — is of strategic significance. In the overall strategic context of the region, increasing functional ties with Taiwan without undermining the support to the one China Policy would be a stiff challenge requiring clarity of vision and skilled diplomacy. Thus, it is imperative for India to have a much better understanding of Taiwan, and the Asia-Pacific region.
In experts view, functional ties/cooperation and people-to-people relations could make a separate category without attaching any diplomatic, political or strategic meanings. The main attributes of this category can be listed as below:
A comprehensive package that includes cooperation in education, culture, science and technology, trade and investment and other similar issue-areas.
The package could also be characterised as people-to-people relations.
Cooperation without manifest strategic underpinning and implications.
Engagement with Taiwan would lead India to have a more informed Taiwan policy. Its unique geographical location and political situation would also contribute to India’s understanding of the Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan is situated in the middle of the disputed waters of the South and the East China Seas. Considering the continued threat from the People Republic of China (PRC) to its national security, Taiwan not only has a natural interest in the affairs of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China-Japan tensions, and the dynamic of Sino-US relations, but also a natural expertise on them. Taiwan and China have historical and cultural affinity, but political and strategic distance.
Strategically, Taiwan is close to the US and figures in Japan’s security considerations. It is obliquely mentioned in the US-Japan Defence Guidelines, 1997. But the US and Japan’s support for PRC’s One- China Policy has set a limit on their relations with Taiwan. Thus, Taiwan is not fully open to either of the major regional players. This situation leaves it marginalised and dissatisfied with every major power in the region and makes it a neutral interpreter of the region’s politics. India could tap into this consultative potential of Taiwan.
Functional cooperation with Taiwan is even more valuable. Taiwan is a thriving and industrialised economy that is closely integrated with the international economy. It is amongst the world’s leading exporting and importing countries. It is the leading producer and manufacturer in the world in foundries, IC packages, blank optical discs, mask ROMs, mobility scooters/powered wheelchairs and chlorella. If the products made by Taiwanese companies outside Taiwan are also taken into account, the list of products commanding a high share in the world is even longer. Notebooks, Tablets, LCD monitors, IC packages, motherboards (System & Pure MB), WLAN CPEs, cable modems, and digital bloodpressure monitors are a few examples. Apart from electronics, Taiwan’s agro-industries, particularly food-processing, maintain international standards. It also holds high rank in the international rating by agencies like the Institute for Management Development (IMD), Business Environment Risk Intelligence (BERI), the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the Heritage Foundation. Its business environment, research and development, and innovation are recognised worldwide. Further, Taiwan’s education system ranks quite high. For instance, fourteen Taiwanese universities in 30 disciplines are on the list—compiled by the QS World University of the UK—of the top 200 universities in the world.
India could become an important destination for Taiwan’s new GO South policy for diversifying Taiwan’s trade and investment basket. India could also become an alternative to China for many Taiwanese companies in view of rising wages and costs in that country. In fact, a regulated flow of skilled labour from India can help overcome the problem of high costs in Taiwan itself. Taiwanese FDI can contribute to India’s manufacturing, infrastructure and other sectors. India and Taiwan make a case for mutual benefit by being substantial complementary economies, as India’s computer software industry complements Taiwan’s computer hardware capability. India’s demography, with a more than 300 million strong middle class, offers an economic opportunity for Taiwanese entrepreneurs. India is also one of the leading suppliers of natural resources. It can be a gateway to South Asia, and even West Asia, for Taiwanese companies. Further, like Taiwan, India too has a reasonably impressive record of achievements in science and technology. For instance, India has gained international recognition in the automobile, electronics and space science sectors.
In education, India has internationally recognised institutes— like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Besides, there is sufficient space for cooperation between the two countries in the spheres of culture and tourism. This monograph deals with Taiwan as it exists in the world today. It does not deal with the legal question, whether Taiwan is an independent state or a Chinese province. Despite its ambiguous diplomatic status, Taiwan remains an important factor in the East Asian security scenario. In spite of the Cross-Strait relations in their best phase, the solution to the Cross-Strait conundrum remains elusive. Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have signed 19 agreements related to functional areas since 2008. However, a formal political dialogue or a peace agreement that the PRC is pushing hard for, is not in sight. Taiwan does not appear inclined to yield on the question of sovereignty. Any formula that would down-grade Taiwan’s international standing is unacceptable to both Taiwan’s political class and the common Taiwanese. Contrary to Chinese expectations, the prospects of economic cooperation and integration have not made the Taiwanese amenable to Chinese claims over Taiwan. Similarly, on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s unification with China continues to be a powerful reference point for Chinese nationalism. China still has its missiles deployed against Taiwan. Moreover, it is yet to renounce the use offorce as an option to resolve the Cross-Strait problem. This reinforces Taiwan’s perception of China as a threat to its security. Finally, the US, the security guarantor of Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) 1979, continues to maintain diplomatic ambiguity over the Cross-Strait issue. Therefore, any conflagration in the volatile waters of Taiwan Strait could result in a US-China face off.
Taiwan is also a part of problematic territorial claims in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Its claims overlap with those of China and are ignored by the other concerned parties. Taiwanese claims mostly address domestic constituency. It appears content with the practical arrangements for resource-sharing. A good example is its fishery pact with Japan in 2013. However, since these claims stoke popular sentiment in Taiwan, it is difficult for the Taiwanese government to ignore the public opinion on these issues. Therefore, overlooking Taiwan in the regional security map would bring pressure on the US alliance in the region, of which Taiwan is a part. Taiwan successfully drove this point during the standoffs between Japan and China in the East China Sea over the Senkaku/ Diao Yu islands in 2012-13 by its diplomatic manoeuvrings. In fact, the Japan-Taiwan fishery pact has effectively made the dispute tripartite, and implies that Taiwan is a player in the dispute. In May 2013, the government of Taiwan conveyed that diplomatic recognition or not, it is capable of taking care of its citizens when it flexed its economic muscle against the Philippines over the killing of a Taiwanese farmer-fisherman by the Philippines coastguard. Finally, accelerated interaction and cooperation in functional areas between India and Taiwan would, in the long-term, also contribute to increased mutual awareness. The Cross-Strait unification would not be the only eventuality in the dialectics of Cross-Strait relations. Whether Taiwan would eventually unify with China, or the status quo would persist, or some other form of Cross-Strait relations would emerge, is difficult to predict. To study and engage Taiwan is important irrespective of the scenarios, because each scenario will shape the regional security dynamics in its own way.
This monograph begins by establishing a narrative of India-Taiwan relations. Though not very long, the historical relationship between India and the Republic of China (ROC) during the 1930s and 40s was fascinating. It encompassed British colonial rule in India, the Japanese aggression on China, India’s freedom struggle, the Second World War, the camaraderie between India and the ROC, the charming personalities of Jawaharlal Nehru and Chiang Kaishek and Madame Chiang Kaishek, and the civil war in China. In the late 1940s, the ROC versus the People’s Republic of China (PRC) conflict became a test case for Indian policy of state recognition. Later, in the 1950s, Cold War determined the Indian position on Formosa (the ROC). This monograph illustrates a lesser known fact that has now faded from public memory: that apart from Tibet, the issue of Formosa was also raised by Indian opposition parties to criticise Nehru’s China Policy. The monograph briefly discusses the Cold War to understand the history of no-contact between India and Taiwan. It proceeds to discuss and analyse the state of India-Taiwan relations after 1995 within the framework of India’s Look East Policy and Taiwan’s Pragmatic Diplomacy. Finally, it concludes by making an attempt at reinterpreting Nehru’s policy on Taiwan.
In fact, the LEP initiated by Narsimha Rao government in 1992 offered a huge space for Taiwan because of the strategic shift from conventional foreign policy to economics driven foreign policy. The entire ASEAN block was suspect of India due to its proximity with USSR during cold war era but post 1991 when Indian government liberated itself from socialist pattern of governance, LEP attracted every ASEAN country towards India because of the simple reason that India offered huge market to any country offering world class product & services. There is a strong desire in the public mind and the Taiwanese and Indian establishments to strengthen their relationship. However, the two sides are still hampered by mutual ignorance. This is the result of the four decades long rupture in the relationship between the two countries. A fresh start is confined to people-to-people contact. Because India is adhering to One-China policy, it is prudent to begin building the relationship between the two countries through people-to-people contact. People-to-people contact requires far more coordinated, institutionalised, and sustained initiatives by the governments of India and Taiwan.
This monograph, thus, endorses people-to-people relations as a comprehensive package for functional ties in education, culture, science and technology, trade and investment, as well as in other such areas where cooperation has no manifest and direct political or diplomatic constraints. The new NDA government have a strong mandate with a decisive leadership to bring about drastic changes in governance and foreign policy. Narendra Modi government have shown a keen interest in LEP foreign policy initiated by Congress government of late PV Narsimha Rao and followed by BJP led NDA government of AB Vajpayee. Early avatar of BJP, the Jan Sangh had a clear Taiwan policy that stated a soverign country status to ROC but the times have changed and PRC is a global power today. The present government must articulate innovative diplomactic tools to balance Taiwan interest viz mainland China to bring macro level foreign policy change.
Writer is Editor-in-Chief, Courtesy content from - PK Singh book for IDSA
Name: Sanskrit Non- Translatables
Authors: Rajiv Malhotra and Satyanarayana Dasa
Publisher: Amaryllis Publishing, an imprint of Manjul Publishing House
Sanskrit is a divine language; therefore, it is called deva bhasha, or the language of gods. The letters of Sanskrit are called akshara, which means imperishable. They are neither created nor destroyed. When we speak them with our tongue, we do not create them but make them manifest. According to Bhagavat Purana (12.6.43), the letters of Sanskrit manifested from the mouth of Brahma with their various divisions such as svaras (vowels) and vyanjanas (consonants), according to the place of pronunciation.
It is from the sound of these letters that the world was created. There are 33 vyanjanas and they represent the 33 devas namely, 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus and two Ashvini Kumaras. The first 25 vyanjanas beginning with k are grouped in five groups, each group having five vyanjanas. They represent the five sets of Mahabhutas (material elements), five karmendriya (working senses), five jnanendriya (cognitive senses), five tanmatras (subtle elements), and five vishayas (sense objects). The sixteen svaras represent the sixteen types of creatives energies, also referred to as sixteen kala. Therefore, every Sanskrit word has a specific energy, or vibration attached to it.
Modern science has proven that matter is nothing but energy, or a vibration. Therefore, it makes sense that the world was created from the sound vibration of Sanskrit letters. This is also the reason that the great sages who had perfected the science of mantra could bless or curse someone. Their words could create the corresponding objects. According to the philosophy of Sanskrit vyakaranam, there is an eternal relationship between a Sanskrit word and its meaning. For example, by chanting the mantra related to a specific deity, one can have an experience of that deity because the deity of the mantra and the mantra have an inseparable relationship. In Bhagavad Gita (8.13), Krishna says that if one leaves one’s body while reciting the divine sound of Om, then one will become free from material conditioning. This is so because although Om appears to be an ordinary sound, it is actually the name of the absolute reality and carries all the powers in it of the supreme person.
Traditionally, before one studied the Sanskrit Vyakaranam, one has to study Shiksha, which is the science of pronunciation. In Sanskrit a great stress is given on proper pronunciation of the words. It is specifically true of Vedic words which have an intonation. The meaning of a word can changes with a change in intonation. One of the very important parts of Hinduism is recitation of stotras (prayers) and chanting of mantras. Recitation of these Sanskrit verses and mantras brings spiritual benefit. Even those people who do not understand the meaning can derive benefit just by reciting them. However, if one translates these stotras and mantras into English then one cannot get the benefit of reciting the translation. Sanskrit words have an inherent potency in them, which is not available if it is translated into English. There is an interesting story in the sixty books of Bhagavat Purana to depict this point. There was a man called Ajamila, who was born in a pious family. However, due to bad association, he became attached to a prostitute and thus became deviated from his religious life. In the association of the prostitute, he began drinking alcohol and to please her, he would steal from others. He was so enamored by the prostitute that he married her and had a few children from her. The name of his youngest son was Narayana. When the time for Ajamila’s death came, he became frightened. Out of fear, he shouted out the name of his youngest son who was very dear to him, “Narayana!” Because Narayan happens to be the name of God Vishnu, incidentally, he got the benefit of reciting Vishnu’s name. This protected him from going to hell. This story depicts the inherent potency in Sanskrit words, especially the names of God. Such a benefit is not possible if the word Narayana is translated into English as, “One who resides in every living being.”
It is not only that by translating Sanskrit words, one loses the spiritual benefit, but there is also a loss of the original sense of the word. For example, the word Rishi, in Sanskrit means, “One who sees the mantra,” (rishayah mantra-drishtarah) or, “One who has the direct experience of the truth.” But if we translate Rishi as, “A sage,” then the original sense of the word Rishi is lost. According to the dictionary meaning, the word Sage means, “A profoundly wise man, especially one who features in ancient or legend.” Therefore, it is not wise to translate some of the important words into English.
The Govt wants to make the Statue of Unity and the surrounding area a major tourism hub. Can it work?
For the last three years, on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has headed down to Kevadia, the site of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and now the Statue of Unity or a dedication to India’s first Home Minister, also famous as the tallest statue in the world. It overlooks the massive reservoir that irrigates thousands of hectares of land in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and has been envisaged as a major tourist hub. With the inauguration of a “wildlife safari” nearby and a direct flight between the site and the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad onboard a small seaplane, the idea is to get footfalls to what is largely seen as a political statement. As gimmicky as a seaplane ride sounds, one must know that the statue is over a two-hour drive away from Baroda, the closest major city and airport. And while local authorities claim success with visitors, Kevadia’s appeal can only increase with better connectivity. As such, the seaplane route is not too viable. With a carrying capacity of just 12-15 passengers, even multiple journeys in a day by a single aircraft will transport fewer passengers than a single Airbus. Having completed trials of the seaplane in Nagpur, Guwahati and at Mumbai’s Girgaum Chowpatty, SpiceJet will initially operate two daily flights on the Ahmedabad-Kevadia route. And the tickets reportedly cost a minimum of Rs 1,400 under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik-Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN-RCS). The airline is also set to deploy a 15-seater Twin Otter 300 aircraft, built by Canadian plane manufacturer de Havilland Canada, for these flights. It might increase the location’s appeal to high-end tourists temporarily but Gujarat might be better served by promoting its existing iconic World Heritage Sites such as the spectacular Rani Ki Vav, a rare extant example of pre-Islamic Hindu architecture, and the former capital of the Gujarat Sultanate, Champaner. At the same time, if the statue is to become a major tourist destination, the road network to and from Baroda should be improved post-haste.
There is no doubt that India has a lot to offer when it comes to tourism but in the search for gimmicks, we miss the wood for the trees. Seaplanes work as island-hoppers in the Maldives but none of the prior attempts at seaplane connectivity has worked in India before with good reason. That is simply because gimmicks can only last so long.
(Courtesy: The Pioneer)
False and misleading claims in blogs, websites and portals are detrimental to consumers and their right to information
In December 2008, the release of the Quarter Pounder burger by McDonald’s was quite sensational. There was a crowd of about 1,000 people queued outside the US fast food major’s outlet in Kansai area of Japan from midnight onwards, hours before the opening of the branch that morning. In another part of the world, in the US, a blog by the name of Working Families for Walmart, praised the efforts made by the retail corporation for the welfare of its employees. On the face of it, both these examples show the popularity of these companies, but the truth is that McDonald’s paid 1,000 part-time employees $11 an hour each to queue up in front of the store and even reimbursed their burger purchase. On the other hand, Walmart owned the blog in question and was praising itself for all the good work. In both cases, it was not the employees or the customers but the organisations themselves patting themselves on the back for positive publicity. This misleading attempt of displaying pre-planned, stage-managed publicity in the disguise of spontaneous comments from society is known as astroturfing, a term first used in the US by former Senator Lloyd Bentsen.
Astroturf groups are prevalent in all walks of life where an opinion has to be created — be it the sports arena, public health or politics — who have used this perception management techniques for years. This practice of creating an illusion of extensive support of the masses is not new in the non-digital world but it gained renewed strength with the advent of the internet and technology.
Several virtual identities and phony pressure groups are created to sway public opinion in favour of the astroturfer as the internet, that has changed the rules of social communication worldwide, offers appropriate occasions for users to publicise their opinions without being identified. The net provides a sense of security, by pretending to be someone else, thereby making it a perfect platform for astroturfing. Since it is challenging to check the authenticity of a person online, it is easy to develop false identities and impersonate as spontaneous individuals and promote a belief or opinion. Additionally, internet, digital technology and social networks allow an individual to create several identities to give a notion to the general public, that there are many people sharing the same opinion.
The blend of obscurity and communication supported by digital technology has provided a perfect technical platform and opportunity for astroturfing. There are several ways in which preferred outcomes can be achieved: A solo professional blogger can work on several blogs simultaneously; an individual can form varied profiles on social networks; hired people can evaluate and post reviews and comments on many websites. That is why the extent and severity of unreliable actions on the internet is making online astroturfing more popular than traditional astroturfing.
Most of the consumers are going online either for buying or to do research on the products available, which makes it easier for astroturfers to spread information throughout the digital world via online forums, comments, blogs, and social networks. It can also be corroborated that some large organisations have used public relation firms as astroturfers to create posts and shame their critics, while other institutions have utilised paid individuals to propagate favourable images online. Many businesses are continuing to use this method for creating public opinion.
The problem here is that astroturfing creates false impressions and passes them on as the opinion of the general public, through various communication channels, which influence the decision-making ability of consumers. In fact, these lobbyists or hired people convey these insincere beliefs. However, the extent and impact of astroturfing is restrained by the funding behind this process, as engaging a public relations firm or lobbyists to create and spread incorrect and untrue information can be very costly.
There are several examples of online astroturfing by large firms worldwide. For instance, IBM openly encourages its employees to blog in its favour and criticise the company’s competitors.
In 2010, evidence of online astroturfing emerged during the Massachusetts Senate war between Martha Coakley and Scott Brown, in the forms of several hundreds of tweets generated by several fake Twitter accounts. This had a wide reach and may have had an influence on the final outcome. Fake positive reviews have also been identified on Amazon and Barnes & Nobles, aimed at influencing the buying behaviour of consumers, benefitting multiple stakeholders like vendors, publishers, and authors.
There are two ways to initiate an online astroturfing activity: Automated systems and human operators, although automation can be more effective and reach a larger scale. Once word from an online astroturfer is spread, it becomes more organic as many genuine people believe in the propaganda and start sharing the misleading information, in turn magnifying the online astroturfing mission. Even though human astroturfers may not be as capable as automated systems, they are more effective, quickly adapt to changing conditions as they carefully mould their messages to suit the environment. The ability of human astroturfers to communicate with actual people on the internet makes them more believable.
However, astroturfing poses a considerable threat wherever it is used, be it in the business world, public health or politics. There can be horrible consequences when a fake support to a controversial product, service or a system, finds its way into people’s conscience and is a major disservice to a genuine product, service or political candidate.
These false and misleading claims in different online locations like blogs, portals and websites are detrimental to consumers and their right to information. Proper checks and mechanisms have to be developed using different techniques like content and language analysis; and Artificial Intelligence to detect astroturfing and protect consumers from false and misleading opinions. Till then, consumers have to use their wisdom to not get swayed by blindly accepting the views and reviews on the internet.
(The writer is Associate Professor, Amity University, Noida)
It was all about heartfelt conversations, thought-provoking poetry and some hearty laughs when spiritual leader Sadhguru met up with Will Smith at the Hollywood star's home. On a 10,000-mile motorcycle journey through the United States, the founder of Isha Foundation stopped by to visit the "Men in Black" star as part of the trip.
"Sadhguru is in town. I have been following him for a while. He wrote a wonderful book called "Inner Engineering". I want my family to meet spiritual people, to start interacting with people who are not hooked on the material world," Will Smith said in a behind-the-scenes video shared by Sadhguru on Instagram. The video, also shared by Will Smith, has since then been viral on social media and has views over 7 million and counting.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CGgcs9QHHig/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sadhguru posted a few pictures on social media between himself and Will Smith. "Will, it was a pleasure to spend some time with you and your wonderful family. May your Sangha be strong and Dharma be your guide."
"Do not surrender your wonderfulness no matter who does what. Let others do whatever they want," was Sadhguru's advice for the actor and his family.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGaezbhgiZV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Will Smith's daughter Willow Smith, a talented performer herself, shared an intense picture with Sadhguru, with her hands folded in reverence. "Helping me through my existential crisis, INFINITE GRATITUDE for this moment with this spectacular human being," she wrote in the caption.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGfeBEKnlxu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sadhguru is on a bike journey across the United States to discover the cultures and contributions of Indigenous Peoples in the country. In this edition of the 'Of Motorcycles and a Mystic', which kicked off on September 20, he rode through Illinois, Missouri, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah and further.
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, celebrated on October 12, Sadhguru spent the occasion talking with Taboo, a rapper from the Grammy-winning musical group Black Eyed Peas, about the history and contributions of Native Americans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBBXa-ZcJhM&feature=emb_logo
Hollywood actor Will Smith also took part in the Ganga aarti at Haridwar last year. The actor shared clicks of his journey on social media. "My Grandmother used to say, ‘God Teaches through Experience’. Travelling to India and experiencing the colours, people and natural beauty has awakened a new understanding of myself, my Art & the Truths of the world."
The Govt must now consider indicators that are laggards, especially those that can help contribute to greater levels of well-being
Organisations and individuals are inherently goal-driven and are consciously or unconsciously optimising towards these targets. At an institutional level, companies work towards particular targets such as revenue, customer acquisition or other metrics that they may deem fit, based on each firm’s need at the time. To come to these conclusions, the decision-makers within the organisation generally rely on data, such as the stage of institutional growth, market factors such as size, competition, available financing options and an array of other considerations.
At an individual level, people tend to focus on enhancing productivity, contentment, or professional success based on the stage of life, state of mind and personal proclivities and preferences inter alia.
The idea of pushing for specific outcomes is one that permeates every aspect of our lives, whether we realise it or not. As students, we focus on grades (often at the expense of knowledge); as investors, we push for wealth maximisation; as employees we optimise based on the expectations of our reporting managers; and in our personal lives, we make strides to satisfy the needs of those who depend on us, while aligning our happiness with the same.
Though the concept of optimising oneself towards realising a goal has been around for a while, social media has broadened the discourse and ideas around it manifold. One would not have to look beyond Twitter and LinkedIn, where high performing business leaders, investors, life coaches, spiritual gurus, constantly add to the discourse of optimising for success.
While founders and venture capitalists focus on advancement at an organisational level, life coaches and self-help gurus fill the Twitter-verse and LinkedIn space with tips and tricks to be adopted at the individual level.
As we progress in our personal lives and at an organisational level, the question is, what should we be optimising for at a societal level? The answer lies within the Preamble to the Constitution of India — justice, liberty, equality and promotion of fraternity. All are essential components of maintaining the social fabric of the nation. But just as institutions and individuals understand the need to progress for different outcomes based on their stage of growth, Governments too, need to be mindful of the realities and prevailing narratives surrounding them, and advance accordingly.
From an economic perspective, one would not be remiss to say that the last three decades have seen governments in India pushing for development and the average growth rate since liberalisation has been about 6.5 per cent. And while the economic success of India in the past few decades must be celebrated, indicators of well-being in the country show that making strides for macroeconomic success is not synonymous with personal well-being. The National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 revealed that nearly 15 per cent Indian adults need active intervention for one or more mental health issue and one in 20 of our citizens suffer from depression. It is estimated that in 2012, India had over 2,58,000 suicides, with the age group of 15-49 years being the worst affected.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India is the most depressed country in the world with approximately 6.5 per cent of the population suffering from some form of a serious mental disorder, with no discernible rural-urban differences. Though figures may vary, based on the surveying method, one thing is clear: Indians are clearly unhappy. As such, it should be clear that while the economic growth machine is running, it is now necessary for the Government to start considering indicators that are laggards, especially those that can help contribute to greater levels of well-being.
In the past, learnings from religions such as Buddhism on well-being may have been shunned because of their sectarian nature, but thankfully, modern psychology, atheistic mindfulness and the field of humanistic positive psychology are now validating what was previously considered merely religious dogma through empirical research. This, and other developments in the field of emotional intelligence, can be leveraged to create a scientific pathway for the Government to re-prioritise and optimise for happiness and the well-being of its constituents.
The introduction of positive psychology practices, such as savouring, gratitude and so on, and socio-emotional learning into educational curricula are seeds that are likely to give exponential returns over a generation. By focussing on and prioritising emotional understanding and regulation early on, schools can equip children with the tools needed to create a comfort zone with thoughts and emotions, rather than view them antagonistically.
In the short to medium-run, linking administrative outcomes to improvements in India’s ranking in the World Happiness Report, which currently stands at 144 out of 156, can yield fast results. Such expedited successes are not unheard of. Soon after coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made improving India’s ranking on the Ease of Doing Business Index a priority, and this led to administrative optimisation to this end. The result, India’s ranking on the index jumped from 139 in 2010 to 63 in 2019.
Happiness has likely never been a priority because along with being low on the voting agenda, there has been no defined method to optimise for it. While the first may not change, the route to enhancement is now clearer and backed by science. For the ruling dispensation, the shift to this would not be seismic, but a logical expansion of our own philosophy, which too, it uniquely indigenous.
While Buddhism spoke of enlightenment in the abstract, psychology has been able to track and break down the causes of success of these methods. By pushing for the science based on an Indian philosophy, the Government can show its commitment to empirical methods while boasting of its cultural past.
(The writer is a public policy consultant with Chase India)
Women have been fighting many battles for long and this time is no exception. Let us take care of the elderly, the children and be kind yet strong
You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have,” goes a famous saying. It resonates with the situation that the world is going through now and echoes the emotions that all of us have been experiencing over the past few months due to the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. The new work from home routine, along with managing home schooling, parenting and household responsibilities are forcing us all, particularly women, to stretch our time and strength to the limit. The numerous tasks are lined up like dominoes every day and each role commands meticulous precision and cautious treading, lest one incorrect step creates a devastating cascading effect.
As the pandemic confined us to our homes, the constant feeling of being overwhelmed kept coming back. And as I looked around and connected with other mothers and working women, the same sentiments were echoed by all. However, women are not frail creatures mentally. Right from Jijabai, the exemplary mother of the Maratha warrior king Shivaji, to Jacinda Arden, the youngest Prime Minister in the world who was lauded for her effective leadership in pandemic management in New Zealand, the examples of strong women are far too many. In fact, Arden saved her country from the serious repercussions of Covid while also fulfilling her responsibilities as a nursing mother of twins. Young mothers can relate to her as they juggle between working for or leading organisations, nurturing children and managing homes and careers. We all can really try and do the perfect “balancing act.”
Women across the globe experienced a profound shift in their lives as the unprecedented circumstances led to a loss of normal routines and managing tasks with an intensity that never existed before. Tasks that had previously been distributed among various stakeholders, including grandparents, house helps and even schools, have fallen squarely on parents and even more disproportionally on women. But women have risen to so many challenges before as well. It is the unique ability that women have of empathy, trust and effective communication that has led them in managing this uncharted territory. Women have a whole mix of life’s experiences with them, which makes them the right candidate to take charge of this pandemic. They become fiercely protective of their families and specially of their children and it is this attitude in the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak that has stopped many women from venturing out of their homes without a solid reason for it.
The resilient core of women and their empathetic outlook towards society make them strong individuals and it is precisely because of this reason that seven out of every 10 health workers are women, says a World Health Organisation (WHO) study. But in all this chaos lies an opportunity to learn. Seeking help from the family and their cooperation in managing everyday jobs is something women will have to do. Even a “supermom” cannot do everything alone. One cannot expect the work of a parent, teacher, homemaker and a working woman to be accomplished in the same 24 hours with outstanding results. This time away from school has also given parents, particularly mothers, an opportunity to train and guide their children and make them step up and take on more responsibilities. Dividing household chores, setting up rewards for completion of dedicated tasks or even applauding their efforts would go a long way in inculcating a sense of responsibility in young minds.
We must thank the world for allowing technology to be an integral part of our lives today as it has played a key role in helping us to adjust to this new normal. It made life bearable during the lockdown by keeping us occupied with entertainment, enabled communication and made accessibility to education and the necessities of daily lives easy, at the click of a button. Not only that, technology has aided millions in keeping their jobs and meeting their professional commitments by allowing online access to work and managing responsibilities without having to venture out.
The outbreak has not only changed the course of lives of people all over the world but has also created a humanitarian revolution that will lead to the emergence of better human beings globally. We have great opportunities to be humane today, be it towards our loved ones, families, co-workers or even a stranger on the street struggling with life’s problems. By serving, helping, giving to others and by taking time out for ourselves, going back to the basics and respecting nature, Covid has made us evolve as humans. It is important for women to support other women in these trying times. Women have been fighting many difficult battles for long and this time is no exception. Let us together take care of the elderly in our families and around us, nurture children, take care of the men and be compassionate yet strong.
(The writer is Chairperson, Amity Humanity Foundation and Amity School of Film and Drama)
Mumbai Police on the forefront in battle against pandemic
“3820 infections, 55 dead,” read the headline in a popular online newspaper. These figures didn’t refer to the scale of the spread of COVID-19 in a major metropolis or a small country but merely of that within the Mumbai Police. The city’s police force which is perhaps India’s most feted has borne the brunt of the disease due to their roles as frontline actors in the fight against the raging pandemic. The Mumbai Police force is not alone in its misery, police personnel across the country have fallen to the disease, often unsung and almost always unappreciated for the arterial role they’ve performed in meeting the challenge that has brought even the mightiest powers in the world to their knees.
The discourse in popular culture surrounding the police has always oscillated between two extremes, policemen have either been portrayed as either larger than life ‘Singhams’, in pursuit of justice with scant regard for their own safety or indeed, the law, or as potbellied thugs working on behalf of the evil antagonist. The media on the other hand often depicts an image of the police as state backed tormentors suffering from a colonial hangover and at the root of much of the evil that has befallen the republic. Where then does the truth lie? Who is today’s policeman and where does he fit in the gargantuan apparatus of the state? In order to answer these questions it is imperative that we locate the roles that a policeman is expected to perform in today’s day and age. The role of a cop begins at India’s outermost extremities. Every single land border that India shares with another country (with the exception of Myanmar) is secured by a police force designated for the purpose.
Whereas the Indio-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders fall within the area of responsibility of the Border Security Force, the Indo-Nepal border is secured by the Sashastra Seema Bal, and the Indo-China border falls within the AoR of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Each of these borders presents unique challenges to the forces that man them. The BSF, raised in 1965 by the legendary IPS officer KF Rustamji, finds itself engaged regularly by the Pakistan Army in cross-LoC fire and on quieter days by the famously savage Border Action Teams populated variously with army regulars as well as terrorists. It is also our first line of defence against smugglers of an assorted variety and strives to keep the country safe from the, often lethal objects of their trade such as drugs, arms, and the like.
On the China front, the ITBP is often subject to the hostile and uniquely disharmonious shenanigans of the Chinese PLA when its not battling the vagaries of nature in one of the worlds’ most inhospitable parts. Even a peaceful border brings to the police its own challenges. The SSB is on constant vigil against criminal gangs trafficking people, to the designs of the Pakistani ISI which leaves no route unexplored in seeking to infiltrate their malevolent spawn into India in pursuit of what passes for ‘strategic objectives’ in Aabpara. All this merely covers their role in times of peace, each of these organisations have also fought shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in times of war.
The role of the BSF in training the Mukti Bahini and generating invaluable intelligence about the goings on with East Pakistan cannot be overstated. On the 9th of April 1965, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) achieved a feat unheard of in global military history when a small contingent of the 2nd battalion of the force repulsed a brigade strength Pakistani attack on Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch, killing 34 and capturing 4 Pakistan Army soldiers. On a different day and a different border a few years earlier on the 21st of October, 1959, affairs took a tragic turn when a combined patrol of the Intelligence Bureau and the CRPF was ambushed and killed by the Chinese PLA in Hot Springs, Ladakh. October 21st has since been observed as Police Commemoration Day, in remembrance of the policemen who gave up their lives in the frigid climes of Ladakh then and those who we’ve lost in the line of duty since.
Coming closer home it is important for us to understand the arterial role essayed by state and central police forces in keeping the Union secure from enemies within. Every single insurgency that has ever been crushed in India has been done through the intervention and under the leadership of its police forces.The CRPF, a central police force has been deployed in virtually every theatre of conflict in India. From the verdant valley of Kashmir to the jungles of Central India as well as the North East, the CRPF has ably assisted state police units in eliminating insurgencies that have, in some cases, lasted for the better part of the Republic’s existence.
In fact, so extensive is the deployment of the CRPF across the country that it is jocularly referred to by its personnel as the Chalte Raho Pyare Force! When it comes to insurgencies the role of the state police forces in ending them cannot be overstated. Any insurgency requires not just the establishment of physical control over territory but also the winning over of the hearts and minds of the people who form its political and material support base. No force that is largely drawn from outside of the conflict zone can hope to comprehensively do both. As the American diplomat Henry Kissinger once observed, the conventional army loses if it doesn’t win, the guerrilla wins if he doesn’t lose. It is important hence, that no element of the insurgency, political or military, is left to thrive. This is where state police forces have excelled. Their roots in their communities have not only helped them build intelligence networks amongst strife torn communities but also helped the counter-insurgency effort remain humane and measured. Ensuring that the process of defeating the insurgency doesn’t create more insurgents. Examples of Police successes in this regard abound across states in India. The state of Tripura for instance, was the worst hit by insurgencies in the 1990s. Far more so than Manipur, Nagaland, or Assam.
This was when the Tripura Police raised the Tripura State Rifles, a specialized counter-insurgent force consisting of locals from social backgrounds similar to that of the insurgents themselves. The result was that Tripura became the first state in the North East to remove AFSPA from the entire state in 2015, due to the comprehensive destruction of militancy there. The role of the Punjab Police led by the formidable KPS Gill in eliminating the pro-Khalistan terror groups has become the stuff of legend. Even the ‘Red Corridor,’ once reputed to have extended from the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal to the Krishna-Godavari basin in Andhra has shrunk to miniscule proportions thanks to the efforts of police forces across states from Bihar to Andhra Pradesh.
The J&K Police meanwhile, has acquitted itself admirably in the manner by which they’ve managed to clamp down on an insurgency whose success or failure has ramifications far beyond the valley. The Special Operations Group of the force has become a byword for operational success and virtually every CI operation conducted there is made possible due to the intelligence gathering as well as operational capabilities of this unit. So deep is its intelligence network that it is rumored to have active intelligence sources within militant groups based in Pakistan! Its clear as day then that the geographical and political boundaries of our country have been kept in pristine order thanks to the consistent and relentless efforts of our police forces. Wars, insurgencies, intelligence gathering etc., are roles that the police performs in addition to their core function of enforcing the law which comes with its own set of challenges. As a developing country we face challenges that are typical of countries such as ours.
Unlike in wealthier nations where every contingency is dealt with a specific agency, where police-public ratios are manageable, where the police are equipped adequately, and training processes are lavishly funded, Indian police forces make do with what they get. Police in India have been historically and remain today, the most potent arm of the state.They are the first responders in every crisis whether it is a personal crisis faced by a citizen or a disaster, man-made or natural. Nowhere has this been experienced as clearly as in the states’ response to the COVID19 crisis. The police have not only enforced what has been dubbed the worlds’ most stringent lockdown, but also found the time to essay their regular functions.
What’s more, they have also gone out of their way to ensure that those who’re alone and vulnerable during the lockdown are made to feel less so by celebrating their birthdays and anniversaries with them. From ensuring that returning migrant workers are fed to celebrating birthdays and anniversaries with senior citizens complete, in some cases, with cakes and party hats.The latter has especially shown the humane side of the police force with netizens across the country lauding them for their kind overtures. The truth however, is this it is not a new phenomenon. Many states have institutionalized mechanisms by which the local police keeps a tab on the wellbeing of senior citizens who live alone and thus, regularly celebrate their life’s milestones with them. What of police apathy then? Or what about their brutal side?
In any democracy the police have to abide by the rule of law and remain professional at all times. But lets remember they are, before anything else, human. 12-16 hour shifts where they have to grapple with crisis after crisis, enforcing the law in a country where even issuing a simple traffic chalan to an errant driver is met with protests and threats, can take a toll. It would make even the most equanimous person irritable. India has made giant strides in the direction of speaking about mental health but this conversation seems to have excluded those who most desperately need to find a place within it. India’s police force is not perfect, far from it, but what it requires more than anything else is to be looked upon with empathy not disdain. A demonized police force is a demoralized police force. And India cannot afford for the members of one of its most critical institutions to be demoralized or feel beaten down. the police response to COVID19 has won them plaudits and many admirers, let’s not allow this moment to pass in vain.
Lets acknowledge the sacrifices that the force makes everyday to keep us safe, lets ensure that the conversation around reform is informed by kindness and understanding rather than by anger and ignorance. Prime Minister Modi in his Mann Ki Baat address on the 26th if April stated, “Our policemen today are feeding the poor, the needy, and providing medicines. The way the police are coming forward to help, the human and sensitive side of policing has emerged in front of us, has touched our hearts.” Lets hope for the sake of our republic that we don’t forget in a hurry the immense work that the police have indeed put in. Now and always.
Gandhiji tested his ideas practically on the ground. Today, the world sees the path shown by the Mahatma as the best and most enduring
The thoughts and messages of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, are timeless and are proving their mettle all over the globe today. The people of the world are opening the knots of their problems in the sea of the Mahatma’s thoughts. The trust of the world that was getting entangled in an arms race for decades, is now becoming more deep-rooted in Gandhism. People are now forced to understand that wars are not a solution to any problem and violent revolutions around the world have not led anywhere. Time has revealed that “satyagraha (holding onto the truth)” and non-violence are the best paths to take. Be it people, institutions or countries, it is now believed that there is a better, alternative, peaceful and humane way to express dissent and to register protest.
The relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas is increasing with time. The issue of environmental protection is fast becoming a major priority for global society these days. Intellectuals and environmental activists have taken to the streets in many parts of the world due to the worsening environmental situation. Mahatma Gandhi, too, had made several discourses on the environment. Although the term “environment” or “biodiversity” was not in vogue during Bapu’s lifetime, the visionary that Gandhi ji was, he began to worry and ponder over the future of the planet Earth and consequently all the species that called it home much ahead of his time.
The far-sighted Mahatma that he was, Bapu foresaw the situation that we face today. He knew that in our greed, we were hurtling towards self-destruction. Gandhi ji believed that “there is enough on Earth for everybody’s needs but not enough for everybody’s greed.” In his article Swasthya ki Kunji, he expressed his views on the importance of clean air. He said that for the survival of mankind and all other species on the planet, three natural resources were needed, namely air, water and food, but clean air was the most important of them all.
Gandhi ji inspired Indians to spin and make yarn with the charkha (wooden spinning wheel) and wear hand-woven clothes. The objective behind this was not only to arouse the swadeshi spirit in the country but also to reduce general wastage of resources and also the waste coming out of textile mills.
Bapu was a great champion of rural development. Advocating the uplift of villages, he wrote in Harijan Sevak in 1946, “There should be development of such art and workmanship in the countryside, (so) that their products are valued outside of villages too.” On one hand, Gandhi ji was fighting a non-violent battle for freedom, on the other hand, he was trying to save the fragmented fabric of Indian society through his creative programmes.
The Mahatma considered education to be a major contributor for building a better society. It was due to this belief that he established the first basic school at Barharwa Lakhansen during the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917. In the context of the importance of education, on May 8, 1937, he wrote in Harijan Sevak that “man is neither entirely intellect, nor a gross body, neither only a heart or a soul. A proper and consistent combination of all these is needed to create a complete human being. This is the true purpose of education.”
Bapu knew that only through swadeshi could India become a self-sufficient and strong country. Today, there is an increasing move towards swadeshi in the nation. This gives an opportunity to small industries to flourish. Rural people from far-flung and backward areas get a chance to become financially self-reliant through this renewed thrust. Gandhi ji wanted the country to become self-sufficient. We have moved in that direction after a long time and this has started yielding positive results. Today there is an awakening among the people for swadeshi and it is a heartening trend.
Gandhiji always wanted that the villages, where the soul of India lives, should be healthy and clean. The Government has started a mass movement to carry out this task and villages and cities are getting transformed with programmes that promote cleanliness. He often said that if cleanliness does not figure in village reforms, then our villages will remain like garbage. Cleanliness of villages is an inseparable part of the lives of the people. It may be difficult to achieve but it is necessary. We need hard work and courage to get over our life-long unhygienic habits.
Gandhiji was equally concerned about the dirt in the cities. In this context he said that “one thing we can learn from the West and we must learn is the sacredness attached to cleanliness in the cities.” We are yet to imbibe this thought of the Mahatma.
His thoughts are eternal. His relevance transcends time. The biggest reason for this is that he tested his ideas practically on the ground. Today, the world sees the path shown by Gandhiji as the best and most enduring.
(The writer is Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism)
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