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हेमंत सोरेन सरकार के एक साल: घोषणा के बाद भी पत्थलगड़ी मामले वापस नहीं हुए

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हेमंत सोरेन सरकार के एक साल: घोषणा के बाद भी पत्थलगड़ी मामले वापस नहीं हुए

रांची: झारखंड की हेमंत सोरेन सरकार अपना एक साल पूरा करने वाली है. और सत्ता में आते ही खुद मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन ने घोषणा की थी के पत्थलगड़ी आंदोलन से जुड़े सभी केस वापस होंगे. पर केस वापस नहीं हुआ और जिन आदिवासियों पे ये मामले लगे हुए हैं, वो अभी भी परेशान हैं.

झारखंड जनाधिकार महासभा ने पत्थलगड़ी मामलों के स्थिति की समीक्षा और झारखंड में हो रहे मानवाधिकार हनन के घटनाओं की विवेचना के लिए राँची में एक सेमिनार का आयोजन किया. इसमें अनेक जन संगठनों व सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं ने भाग लिया. पत्थलगड़ी मामलों के कई पीड़ित और पश्चिमी सिंहभूम ज़िले के चिरियाबेरा गाँव के पुलिस/ CRPF द्वारा प्रताड़ित ग्रामीणों ने भी सेमिनार में भाग लेकर अपनी आपबीती बताई.

सेमिनार के बाद महासभा ने एक प्रेस विज्ञप्ति जारी कर बताया, जिसे अपने पाठकों के लिए आगे हम हूबहू साझा कर रहे हैं.

मुख्यमंत्री पद की शपथ लेने के तुरंत बाद, 29 दिसम्बर 2019 को हेमंत सोरेन ने पत्थलगड़ी से सम्बंधित सभी पुलिस केस को वापस लेने की घोषणा की थी. इससे पहले की रघुबर दास की भाजपा सरकार ने पत्थलगड़ी आन्दोलन के विरुद्ध बड़े पैमाने पर पुलिसिया हिंसा और दमनात्मक कार्यवाई की थी. सरकार ने आन्दोलन से जुड़े आदिवासियों व अनेक पारंपरिक ग्राम प्रधानों के विरुद्ध कई मामले दर्ज किया था जो तथ्यों पर आधारित नहीं थे. पुलिस ने लगभग 200 नामज़द लोगों और 10000 से भी अधिक अज्ञात लोगों पर कई आरोप दर्ज किया, जैसे भीड़ को उकसाना, सरकारी अफसरों के काम में बाधा डालना, समाज में अशांति फैलाना, आपराधिक भय पैदा करना और देशद्रोह भी शामिल था.

मुख्य मंत्री द्वारा घोषणा करने के एक साल बाद भी ये पुलिस केस वापस नहीं लिए गए फलस्वरूप अभी भी कई आदिवासी और ग्राम प्रधान जेलों में ही हैं. सूचना के अधिकार के माध्यम से प्राप्त जानकारी के अनुसार पत्थलगड़ी सम्बंधित ज़िलेवार FIR हैं : खूँटी -23, सराइकेला-खरसाँवा – 5 और पश्चिमी सिंघभूम – 2 (कुल 30). ज़िला समिती, जिसके सदस्य होते हैं – DC, SP और सार्वजनिक अभियोक्ता, ने मात्र लगभग 60% मामलों के वापसी की अनुशंसा की है (कोचांग सामूहिक बलात्कार वाले दो केस भी वापसी की सूची में नहीं है). साथ ही खूँटी ज़िला समिती ने सात मामलों में सिर्फ़ धारा 124A/120A/B को हटाने की अनुशंसा की है. राज्य गृह विभाग ने ज़िला समितियों द्वारा भेजे गए अनुशंसा पर कार्यवाई के बारे में सिर्फ़ इतना कहा है कि ‘कार्यवाही हो रही है’.

पर हेमंत सोरेन सरकार द्वारा पत्थलगड़ी मामलों की वापसी की घोषणा ने यह इंगित किया था कि यह सरकार मानती है कि पिछली रघुवर दास सरकार ने पत्थलगड़ी आन्दोलन को सही से समझा नहीं था. साथ ही, वर्तमान सरकार पिछली सरकार द्वारा पत्थलगड़ी आन्दोलन के विरुद्ध की गयी गलत कार्यवाई को सुधारना भी चाहती है. लेकिन ज़िला समिति द्वारा केवल आधे मामलों की वापसी की अनुशंसा एवं मामलों की वापसी में हो रही विलम्ब यह दर्शाती है कि हेमंत सोरेन सरकार की राजनैतिक मंशा अभी तक ज़मीनी स्तर पर कार्यवाई में नहीं बदली है.

विधान सभा चुनाव प्रचार के दौरान महागठबँधन दलों ने हेमंत सोरेन के अगुवाई में ज़ोर-शोर से तत्कालीन राज्य सरकार के दमनकारी नीतियों और आदिवासियों पर हो रहे लगातार हमलों (पुलिसिया दमन, लिंचिंग आदि की घटनाओं आदि) के विरुद्ध आवाज़ उठाई थी. लेकिन यह देख कर निराशा होती है कि हेमंत सोरेन सरकार ने न तो पूर्व के मामलों पर निर्णायक कार्यवाई की न ही वर्तमान में ऐसे कृत्यों को रोकने की इच्छाशक्ति का प्रदर्शन किया है.

पिछले शासन के दौरान पत्थलगड़ी सम्बंधित राजकीय दमन से पीड़ित ग्रामीणों को अभी तक न्याय नहीं मिला. घाघरा गाँव की गर्भवती महिला असृता मुंडू को सुरक्षा बलों द्वारा पीटा गया, उसकी बच्ची विकलांग पैदा हुई, लेकिन अभी तक उसे कोई सहायता प्राप्त नहीं हुआ. हिंसा के दोषियों को (बिरसा मुंडा और अब्राहम सोय जैसे मारे गए आदिवासी के मामले भी) भी अभी तक चिन्हित कर क़ानून के हवाले नहीं किया गया है. पत्थलगड़ी आन्दोलन से जुड़े कई लोगों, पारंपरिक ग्राम प्रधान व सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं जैसे अमित टोपनो, सुखराम मुंडा व रामजी मुंडा की इस दौरान हत्या हो गयी थी लेकिन अभी तक स्थानीय पुलिस द्वारा दोषियों को नहीं पकड़ा गया है.

पिछले एक साल में भी मानवाधिकार हनन की घटनाएँ लगातार घटती रही. इनमें सबसे चर्चित घटना थी पश्चिम सिंहभूम ज़िले के चिरियाबेरा गाँव की है जहां 20 आदिवासियों को जून 2020 में CRPF के जवानों ने नक्सल सर्च अभियान के दौरान बेरहमी से पीटा था जिनमें तीन बुरी तरह घायल हुए. ग्रामीणों का दोष यही था की वे CRPF के जवानों को हिंदी में जबाब नहीं दे पा रहे थे. उन्हें माओवादी कहा गया और डंडों, जूतों, कुंदों से पीटा गया. हालाँकि पीड़ितों ने पुलिस को अपने बयान में स्पष्ट रूप से बताया था कि सीआरपीएफ ने उन्हें पीटा था, लेकिन पुलिस द्वारा दर्ज प्राथमिकी में कई तथ्यों को नज़रंदाज़ किया गया है और हिंसा में सीआरपीएफ की भूमिका का कोई उल्लेख नहीं है.. अभी तक इस FIR को सुधरा नहीं गया है, CRPF के लोगों पर कोई कारवाही नहीं की गई और पीड़ितों को मुआवज़ा नहीं दिया गया है. इस सम्बन्ध में कई बार उपायुक्त, पुलिस अधीक्षण व महानिदेशक से मिलकर कार्यवाई की अपील की गयी है. पिछले एक साल के दौरान राज्य के विभिन्न भागों में सुरक्षा कर्मियों द्वारा आम जनता पर हिंसा की वारदातें होती रही है.

साथ ही, राज्य में आदिवासियों, गरीबों व सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं पर माओवादी का फ़र्ज़ी आरोप लगाने का सिलसिला जारी है. पिछले कई सालों से UAPA के मामलों में लगातार वृद्धि हो रही है. यह दुखद है कि पुलिस द्वारा UAPA के बेबुनियाद इस्तेमाल कर लोगों को परेशान करने के विरुद्ध हेमंत सोरेन सरकार ने कोई कदम नहीं उठाया है. बोकारो के लालपनिया के कई मज़दूरों व किसानों, जो आदिवासी-मूलवासी अधिकारों के लिए संघर्षत रहे हैं, पर माओवादी के आरोप व UAPA के तहत मामला दर्ज किया गया है. वे पिछले कई सालों से बेल के लिए एवं अपनी बेगुनाही साबित करने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे हैं.

मानवाधिकार उल्लंघनों के विरुद्ध सरकार द्वारा कार्यवाई की कमी का एक और उदहारण है – आदिवासियों और मुसलमानों पर गोमांस बेचने/ खाने के आरोप लगा कर हिन्दुत्ववादी गुंडों द्वारा पीटे जाने की लगातार हो रही घटनाएँ. लेकिन सरकार और पुलिस इन पर चुप है. पिछले शासन के दौरान 24 से भी ज़्यादा लोगों की लिंचिंग गोमांस खाने/ बेचने के नाम पर हुई. यही सिलसिला अब् भी जारी है. जुलाई 2020 में दुमका व जमशेदपुर में गौ मांस खाने / बेचने के आरोप में आदिवासियों की भीड़ द्वारा पिटाई हुई थी. सितम्बर 2020 में सिमडेगा के सात आदिवासियों को बेरहमी से पीटा गया, उनका मुंडन किया गया और उनसे ‘जय श्री राम’ का नारा लगवाया गया. ज़्यादातर मामलों में पीड़ितों को सहायता नहीं मिली और पुलिस दोषियों को बचाने में जुटी है. सरकार द्वारा अभी तक लिंचिंग के विरुद्ध सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के आदेशों को पूर्ण रूप से लागू नहीं किया गया – जैसे स्पीडी ट्रायल, 30 दिनों में अंतरिम मुआवज़ा, SP द्वारा केस का अनुश्रवण आदि.

महासभा हेमंत सोरेन सरकार को याद दिलाना चाहती है की विधान सभा चुनाव में उनके गठबंधन की निर्णायक जीत पिछले सरकार के दमनकारी और जन विरोधी नीतियों के विरुद्ध एक जनमत था. इसलिए सरकार से उम्मीद की जाती है कि शोषण और मानवाधिकारों के उल्लंघन के प्रति कठोर रवैय्या अपनाया जाएगा. हम आशा करते हैं की सरकार सुरक्षा बलों पर लगाम लगाएगी और उन्हें आम जनता और आदिवासियों के प्रति ज़िम्मेवार बनाया जाएगा.

महासभा ने झारखंड सरकार से माँग कि:

  • पत्थलगड़ी से सम्बंधित मामलों को अविलम्ब वापस लिया जाय, खूँटी के मानवाधिकार हनन के मामलों में कार्यवाई की जाय और पीड़ितों को मुआवज़ा मिले.
  • चिरियाबेरा घटना की न्यायिक जाँच हो, दोषी CRPF पुलिस और प्रशासनिक कर्मियों पर हिंसा करने के लिए कार्यवाई हो और पीड़ितों को उचित मुआवज़ा दिया जाय.
  • स्थानीय प्रशासन और सुरक्षा बलों को स्पष्ट निर्देश दें कि वे किसी भी तरह से लोगों, विशेष रूप से आदिवासियों, का शोषण न करें. मानव अधिकारों के उल्लंघन की सभी घटनाओं से सख्ती से निपटा जाए. नक्सल विरोधी अभियानों की आड़ में सुरक्षा बलों द्वारा लोगों को परेशान न किया जाए. मानवाधिकार हनन के मामलों को सख़्ती से निपटाया जाय. आम जनता को नक्सल-विरोधी अभियान के नाम पर बेमतलब परेशान न किया जाय.
  • स्थानीय प्रशासन और सुरक्षा बलों को आदिवासी भाषा, रीति-रिवाज, संस्कृति और उनके जीवन-मूल्यों के बारे में प्रशिक्षित किया जाय और समवेदनशील बनाया जाय.
  • लिंचिंग से सम्बंधित सुप्रीम कोर्ट के अनुदेशों को सही olxslot मायनो में लागू किया जाय, दोषियों को बचाने वाले पुलिस और अधिकारियों पर कार्यवाही हो, पीड़ितों को मुआवज़ा मिले और लिंचिंग के विरुद्ध कठोर क़ानून बनाया जाय.

निर्जीव पड़े हुए राज्य मानवाधिकार आयोग को पुनर्जीवित किया जाय और यह जनता के लिए सुलभ हो. मानवाधिकार उल्लंघन मामलों के लिए स्वतंत्र शिकायत निवारण तंत्र बनाया जाय.

On the first anniversary of CAA, anti-protest resumes in Kolkata, supports farmers movement

Biswajit Roy and Shahnawaz Akhtar
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On the first anniversary of CAA, anti-protest resumes in Kolkata, supports farmers movement

Kolkata: Kolkata resumes anti-CAA protest on the first anniversary of the divisive and anti-Muslim citizenship law by the Narendra Modi government. Surviving the prolonged lockdown that barred public assembly after the Covid pandemic, the protesters’ morale has visibly recieved a boost in the wake of the ongoing farmers’ agitation at Delhi border against pro-corporate farm laws passed by the far right regime.

December 11’s afternoon, the first anniversary of passing of amendments of Indian citizenship act witness the high spirited anti- Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest in the streets of Kolkata, as it was seen before the lockdown in West Bengal capital.

Thousands of protestors of every age group—from 6 to 60, across West Bengal—from Kolkata to Murshidabad and Nadia districts, farmers, students, activists among others hit the roads of the state capital to register their anger against the controversial citizenship law and support to ongoing farmers’ protest.

Around 20 organizations from across Bengal hit the streets– Ramlila Maida to New Market to protest against the amendments in India’s citizenship law and the announcements by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to implement it in Bengal from January.

anti-caa protest kolkata farmers west bengal bjp citizenship
Children, whose parents are from outside Kolkata, also led anti-CAA protest from Ramlila Maidan to New Market

The protest march was attended by Delhi based activist Banojyotsna Lahiri. When asked why anti-CAA protests have resumed again in Bengal and in other parts of country even after such a big humanitarian crisis by Covid-19 in entire world including India, why the Modi government is hell bent on implementing CAA, which had also created humanitarian crisis in India? “Because Narendra Modi led BJP govt is the most inhuman government India has ever had since independence, it does not believe in any kind of dialogue, it is extremely authoritarian.

She continued, “In fact, after coming to power in second term, this government has become totally fascist. In this weather, farmers are protesting for more than 15 days but the government is abuzz.”

“Anti-CAA is the core of Hindutva ideology. It is anti-constitution. They do not want the constitution to actually be functioning. So actually when Covid-19 crisis and lockdown was going on, they (anti-CAA protesters) were consistently harassed, interrogated and even arrested hundreds of people. Instead of learning anything from humanitarian crisis, they actually took advantages of the situation used further oppressed people,” she pointed out.

But by all these, is the government doing anything good to country and common people?

“Who are the common men of India, the peasants, farmers, but they are suffering, so this government is not for the common men of India but for Adani and Ambani,” Banojyotsna added.

While Dwaipayan Banerjee, another activist claimed that the rally has participants from 20 organizations and that it is not just against the CAA-NRC but farm and labour laws, and that the protest will continue until Modi government repeal the laws.

“All these laws are anti-poor, ancient and barbaric. While in this rally, everybody is involved, it is not only by the Hindu and Muslims. It is cutting religious barriers. The protest has started again and it will continue,” said Dwaipayan.

Swapna Bhattacharya, a 60-year old human rights activist told eNewsroom, “BJP brought laws to kill people but common man of India will not let this happen.” Many other social-political organisations have also announced rallies in support of the farmer’s movement in the coming days in the city. Mainstream anti-BJP parties including ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the CPM-Congress combine will also hit the streets opposing those laws as Bengal is gearing up for assembly polls.

Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha demands amenities and dignity for undertrial activist Stan Swamy

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Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha demands amenities and dignity for undertrial activist Stan Swamy

Ranchi: Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, an umbrella body of civil society has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in connection with 83-year-old undertrial prisoner and human rights activist Stan Swamy. The Mahasabha not only expressed concerned on the inhuman treatment being meted out to the senior citizen cum veteran activist by National Investigative Agency (NIA) but also demanded intervention from Maharashtra CM as well as Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on the issue.

Stan Swamy, a human and tribal rights activist is probably the oldest prisoner who has been accused of terrorism by NIA. Through the letter, Mahasabha argued from CM Uddhav Thackeray to start trial against the real culprits of Bhima-Koregaon incident– Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide.

For our readers, we are carrying the letter, as it is:

To

Shri Uddhav Thackeray

Chief Minister cum Home Minister

Maharashtra

Dear Shri Thackeray

Appeal to ensure amenities and dignity to undertrial activist Stan Swamy

This is to bring to your attention the current health condition of 83-year old Father Stan Swamy, currently lodged as an undertrial in the Taloja jail. He is a Parkinsons patient with severe tremors in both his hands. As a result, he has trouble drinking water from a glass, taking bath and washing clothes on his own. He also has serious hearing problem and needs hearing aid for both ears. He was operated twice for hernia in the recent past.

He was arrested on 8th October 2020 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from his residence in Ranchi in the Bhima-Koregaon case. He carried along with him some medicines for the chronic Parkinsons illness. He also carried a steel-straw sipper, which was a necessary item for him to drink any liquid food item. He was not allowed to take his sipper with him inside the jail. When Stan Swamy placed his request before the NIA court to allow him to get his sipper back, the court did not hear his plea immediately. After 20 days, the NIA bluntly denied in the court that the sipper had been taken during the arrest. It is also disappointing that the court simply rejected Stan Swamy’s plea without addressing the basic issue. We would also like to bring to your notice that jail authorities refused to allow Stan Swamy access to warm clothes sent by his family.

This is a serious violation of basic rights of an elderly person with disability. While the NIA and central government continue to harass activists through the Bhima-Koregaon case, it is also the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to ensure amenities and dignity to the undertrial activists.

The jail authorities finally gave a sipper to Stan Swamy on 29 November after widespread condemnation from all quarters. We appeal to the Maharashtra government to ensure all amenities including warm clothes, health support and dignity to Stan Swamy, considering his age and illness. Stan Swamy is a valued and public-spiritedness citizen who has worked for Adivasi rights since decades in Jharkhand. We have the highest regard for him and his work.

We would also take this opportunity to appeal to the Maharashtra government to arrest the actual perpetrators of the violence in Bhima-Koregaon in January 2018 – primarily Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide (leaders of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan and Hindu Ekta Aghadi) – and ensure speedy trial of their case. It would expose the blatant attempts by the NIA to target activists, lawyers and intellectuals by building a false narrative of maoist conspiracy in this case.

Thank you

On behalf of Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha

Copy to – Shri Hemant Soren, Chief Minister, Jharkhand with a request for intervention in ensuring justice to Stan Swamy

Kalidas Samaroh, once a pride of India, reduced to a minor government function by Shivraj Singh Chouhan

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Kalidas Samaroh, once a pride of India, reduced to a minor government function by Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Annual Kalidas Samaroh (reduced from usual seven days to three days ‘because of coronavirus’) was jointly inaugurated by Usha Thakur and Mohan Yadav in Ujjain on Devotthayini Ekadashi (November 25). Usha Thakur is Madhya Pradesh Minister of Tourism, Culture and Spirituality (Adhyatma) and Mohan Yadav is Minister of Higher Education. Both have post-graduate degrees but their biodata does not show that they have ever had any interest in literature or culture of ancient India. An occasion of immense literary/cultural importance (not only for people of Madhya Pradesh or India) has now been downgraded to a minor government function. That is when the BJP, swearing day in and day out by Sanskrit and Sanskriti, is the ruling party both in the State and at the Centre.

There was a time when the Samaroh attracted eminent scholars not only from India but abroad also; they presented papers and held discussions on different aspects of ancient Indian literature and culture. Sanskrit plays, penned by Kalidas as well as others also, were enacted by troupes from India and other countries. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru took special interest in the activities of Samaroh till he lived. Apart from Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr Radhakrishnan and Dr Shanker Dayal Sharma had graced the Kalidas Samaroh in the past. The Chief ministers and Governors of the State had always been associated with the Kalidas Samaroh which was considered a major event of the State.

The idea of holding the Kalidas Samaroh was conceptualised by Pandit Surya Narayan Vyas (later awarded the Padma Bhushana) in the late twenties. He had formed Kalidas Parishad (later converted into Kalidas Akademy) to enlist the support of the distinguished scholars and leaders across the nation. Kalidas has not hinted in his works at the date or place of his birth nor has he written anything that could throw light on his worldly activities. However, tradition has it, and it is supported by several eminent Indologists, that Kalidas was one of the nine gems (Navaratnas) in the court of King Vikramaditya of Ujjayini (that later became Ujjain). Vikramaditya, after whom the Vikrama Samvat was started in 56 BC, was believed to have ruled in the first century BC. The Devotthayini Ekadashi (the eleventh lunar day of the bright half of Kartika) was chosen as the day for celebrating Kalidas Jayanti. In Hindu mythology, the day is considered auspicious as the Devatas (or gods) wake up on that day from their six-month slumber.

After Independence, Vyas’s efforts caught the attention of Kailash Nath Katju, then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. With cooperation and support from Katju, the first Kalidas Samaroh was held on a grand scale in 1958. It was inaugurated by then President Dr Rajendra Prasad. A large number of eminent scholars and dignitaries, not only from India but also from other countries like the Soviet Union, China, Iran and Germany, participated in the Samaroh. The following year, the Samaroh was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Several countries were represented in the Samaroh in those days by their ambassadors or high commissioners or their cultural attaches.

Most of the Indian States made generous contributions for the Samaroh and participated in the functions through their representatives. The Natya Samaroh and an All India exhibition of paintings and sculptures, organised by the Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad at the Samaroh, attracted participation of the noted artists from all over the country. Well-known authorities on Kalidas like Dr V Raghavan of Madras University and Dr Gauri Nath Shastri of Calcutta produced the plays of Kalidas and also acted in them. Wu Shuch, who had staged “Abhigyan Shakuntalam” (of Kalidas) in Peking in 1957, also participated in the Drama Festival held on the occasion. The other notable foreign scholars, who had been associated with the Kalidas Samaroh, included Prof. Hideo Kimura of the Buddhist University, Kyoto (Japan),  Walter Leifer of Germany and Dr A L Basham, a renowned British authority on Indology and author of “The Wonder that was India”, who had later settled in Australia.

The Samaroh started losing its importance when the BJP became the ruling party in the State. Its neglect became complete when the BJP captured Centre also under Narendra Modi.

अहमद पटेल: गांधी परिवार के बाद कांग्रेस का सबसे ताक़तवर शख़्स

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अहमद पटेल: गांधी परिवार के बाद कांग्रेस का सबसे ताक़तवर शख़्स

अहमद पटेल कांग्रेस में हमेशा संगठन के आदमी माने गए. वे पहली बार चर्चा में तब आए थे जब 1985 में राजीव गांधी ने उन्हें ऑस्कर फ़र्नांडीस और अरुण सिंह के साथ अपना संसदीय सचिव बनाया था, तब इन तीनों को अनौपचारिक चर्चाओं में ‘अमर-अकबर-एंथनी’ गैंग कहा जाता था.

अहमद पटेल के दोस्त, विरोधी और सहकर्मी उन्हें अहमद भाई कह कर पुकारते रहे, लेकिन वे हमेशा सत्ता और प्रचार से ख़ुद को दूर रखना ही पसंद करते थे.

सोनिया गांधी, मनमोहन सिंह और संभवतः प्रणब मुखर्जी के बाद यूपीए के 2004 से 2014 के शासनकाल में अहमद पटेल सबसे ताक़तवर नेता थे.

इसके बावजूद वे उस दौर में केंद्र सरकार में मंत्री के तौर पर शामिल नहीं हुए.

2014 के बाद से, जब कांग्रेस ताश के महल की तरह बिखरने लगी है तब भी अहमद पटेल मज़बूती से खड़े रहे और महाराष्ट्र में महा विकास अघाड़ी सरकार के निर्माण में अहम भूमिका निभाई और धुर विरोधी शिवसेना को भी साथ लाने में कामयाब रहे.

इसके बाद जब सचिन पायलट ने राजस्थान के मुख्यमंत्री अशोक गहलोत के ख़िलाफ़ बग़ावत की तब भी अहमद पटेल सक्रिय हुए.

सारे राजनीतिक विश्लेषक ये कह रहे थे कि पायलट ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया की तरह बीजेपी में चले जाएंगे तब अहमद पटेल पर्दे के पीछे काम कर रहे थे, उन्होंने मध्यस्थों के ज़रिए यह सुनिश्चित किया कि सचिन पायलट पार्टी में बने रहें.

पर्दे के पीछे की सक्रियता

अहमद पटेल से जुड़ी ऐसी कई कहानियां हैं. और ये कहना अतिशयोक्ति नहीं होगी, अगर कहा जाए कि 2014 के बाद गांधी परिवार की तुलना में पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं के बीच सद्भाव क़ायम रखने में अहमद पटेल का प्रभाव ज़्यादा दिखा.

लेकिन हर आदमी की अपनी ख़ामियां या कहें सीमाएं होती हैं. अहमद पटेल हमेशा सतर्क रहे और किसी भी मुद्दे पर निर्णायक रुख़ लेने से बचते रहे.

जब 2004 में यूपीए की सरकार बनी तब कपिल सिब्बल और पी चिदंबरम जैसे कांग्रेसी नेताओं का समूह गुजरात के तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी और मौजूदा केंद्रीय गृहमंत्री अमित शाह की 2002 के गुजरात दंगों में कथित भूमिका पर कड़ी कानूनी कार्रवाई चाहता था.

लेकिन अहमद पटेल इसको लेकर दुविधा में थे, उनकी इस दुविधा और हिचक को सोनिया गांधी और डॉक्टर मनमोहन सिंह ने भांप लिया था और ये दोनों अहमद पटेल की राजनीतिक सूझबूझ पर भरोसा करते थे.

यही वजह है कि अहमद पटेल की सलाह पर दोनों ने अपने राजनीतिक विरोधियों के प्रति धीमी और सहज प्रक्रिया का सहारा लिया.

वहीं, बाहरी दुनिया के लिए अहमद पटेल हमेशा एक पहेली बने रहे. लेकिन जो लोग कांग्रेसी संस्कृति को समझते हैं उनकी नज़र में वो हमेशा एक पूँजी रहे.

वे हमेशा सतर्क दिखते, लेकिन थे मिलनसार और व्यवहारिक. उनकी छवि भी अपेक्षाकृत स्वच्छ थी.

पार्टी के कोषाध्यक्ष के तौर पर…

संभवतः राहुल गांधी, अहमद पटेल को ऐसे शख़्स के तौर पर देखते रहे जो कम से कम नरेंद्र मोदी और अमित शाह की रणनीति को ठीक-ठीक भांपने में सक्षम हों.

अब यह कोई रहस्य की बात भी नहीं रही कि अगस्त 2017 में अहमद पटेल कांग्रेस की ओर से पाँचवीं बार राज्यसभा भेजे जाने (यह अपने आप में अनोखा था, क्योंकि कांग्रेस ने इससे पहले किसी भी नेता को पाँच बार राज्य सभा नहीं भेजा था) को लेकर बहुत उत्सुक नहीं थे.

लेकिन कहा जाता है कि तत्कालीन पार्टी सर्वेसर्वा सोनिया गांधी ने उन्हें इसके लिए मनाया था और कहा था कि अकेले वही हैं जो अमित शाह और पूरी बीजेपी की बराबरी करने में सक्षम हैं.

पार्टी के कोषाध्यक्ष के तौर पर, उनकी ज़िम्मेदारी पार्टी के लिए ना केवल फ़ंड जुटाने की थी बल्कि विभिन्न विधानसभा चुनावों और 2019 के आम चुनाव के दौरान जब राहुल गांधी की क़िस्मत उनका साथ नहीं दे रही थी, ऐसे समय में पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं को एकजुट रखना और उन्हें सहायता पहुँचाने की ज़िम्मेदारी भी उनकी थी.

भारत के सभी राज्यों में ज़िला स्तरीय कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं और जनप्रतिनिधियों में अधिकांश को अहमद पटेल व्यक्तिगत तौर पर जानते थे, ऐसा कहना भी अतिशयोक्ति नहीं होगी.

वे समझदारी और गोपनीय ढंग से संसाधनों (एक घंटे के अंदर पैसा, भीड़, प्राइवेट जेट और दूसरे तमाम लॉजिस्टिक शामिल हैं) की व्यवस्था करने में माहिर थे.

कारोबारी घरानों में अहमद पटेल की पहुँच

इतना ही नहीं, अहमद पटेल राहुल गांधी और संभावित साझीदार होने वाले नेताओं ममता बनर्जी, मायावती, और चंद्रबाबू नायडू के बीच में महत्वपूर्ण कड़ी भी थे.

इनके अलावा ग़ैर-एनडीए और ग़ैर-यूपीए क्षेत्रीय दलों में भी उनकी पैठ थी. नौकरशाही, मीडिया और कारोबारी घरानों में अहमद पटेल की पहुँच के बारे में कांग्रेस सर्किल में तरह-तरह के क़िस्से सुनने को मिलते हैं.

इस सर्किल में कहा जाता है कि लो प्रोफ़ाइल रहने वाले कांग्रेस के इस वरिष्ठ नेता के एहसानों के तले दबे लोग समाज के सभी हिस्सों में हैं, ढेरों लोग उनके एहसानों का बदला चुकाने के लिए हमेशा तैयार होते थे.

लेकिन अहमद पटेल ने उनमें से अधिकांश का इस्तेमाल शायद ही किया हो.

राष्ट्रीय राजधानी नई दिल्ली में अहमद पटेल का 23, मदर टेरेसा मार्ग का आवास, 10 जनपथ (सोनिया गांधी का आवास), 12 तुग़लक क्रेसेंट (राहुल गांधी का आवास) और 15, गुरुद्वारा रक़ाबगंज मार्ग (कांग्रेस का वॉररूम) के बाद पावर सेंटर जैसा ही था.

उनके घर में कई रास्तों से प्रवेश किया जा सकता है और निकला जा सकता है.

घर में कई कमरे, चैंबर्स हैं और ढेरों लोगों के बैठने की व्यवस्था भी, जहां निकाय चुनावों से लेकर संसदीय चुनाव तक के उम्मीदवारों, राज्यों के पार्टी अधिकारियों और कांग्रेस मुख्यमंत्रियों तक के भाग्य का फ़ैसला होता रहा है.

राजनीतिक चतुराई

हालांकि अहमद पटेल की रानजीतिक यात्रा जितनी आकर्षक आज नज़र आती है, उतनी आसान भी नहीं रही.

साल 1985 में युवा और उत्साही राजीव गांधी नौकरशाही के बंधनों (इसे प्रधानमंत्री कार्यालय पढ़ा जा सकता है) को तोड़ना चाहते थे, लेकिन अहमद पटेल, अरुण सिंह और ऑस्कर फ़र्नांडीस को लेकर किया गया उनका प्रयोग नाकाम हो गया था.

क्योंकि इन तीनों के पास सशक्त आईएएस लॉबी से पार पाने का ना तो कोई प्रशासनिक अनुभव था और ना ही राजनीतिक चतुराई.

लेकिन अहमद पटेल राजीव गांधी की 1991 में हुई मौत के बाद भी अहम भूमिका में बने रहे. राजीव गांधी के बाद पीवी नरसिम्हाराव ने अपने और 10 जनपथ के बीच सेतु के तौर पर अहमद पटेल का इस्तेमाल किया.

इस प्रक्रिया के दौरान अहमद पटेल ने सोनिया गांधी का भरोसा हासिल किया. जब सीताराम केसरी नरसिम्हाराव की जगह कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष बने तो अहमद पटेल कोषाध्यक्ष बने.

तब शरद पवार ने कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष पद की होड़ में सीताराम केसरी को चुनौती दी थी. वे केसरी के आसपास मौजूद घेरे की आलोचना करते हुए कहा करते थे, तीन मियाँ, एक मीरा (तीन मियाँ यानी अहमद पटेल, ग़ुलाम नबी आज़ाद, तारिक़ अनवर और एक मीरा यानी मीरा कुमार).

मार्च, 1998 में सोनिया गांधी कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष बनीं. तब उनके निजी सचिव विंसेंट जॉर्ज से पटेल की नहीं बनी. जल्दबाज़ी में पटेल ने तब अपना इस्तीफ़ा दे दिया था.

राहुल की पहली पसंद नहीं थे

बिना किसी ज़िम्मेदारी के अहमद एक तरह से कोपभवन में रहे. लेकिन सोनिया गांधी ने ही उन्हें वहां से बाहर निकाला, यह एक तरह से विसेंट जॉर्ज का दबदबा कम होने का संकेत था.

इस दौरान अहमद पटेल को मोतीलाल वोरा और माधवराव सिंधिया का सहयोग मिला और इन दोनों ने 10 जनपथ में उनकी वापसी में मदद की. अहमद पटेल, इसके लिए हमेशा मोतीलाल वोरा के आभारी रहे.

यह भी दिलचस्प है कि जब दिसंबर, 2017 में सोनिया गांधी ने पार्टी की कमान राहुल गांधी को थमानी शुरू की तब अहमद पटेल, राहुल की पहली पसंद नहीं थे.

राहुल गांधी एक बार लंबे समय के लिए अवकाश पर चले गए तो कांग्रेस के अंदर इस बात की ख़ूब चर्चा हुई कि युवा राहुल चाहते हैं कि सोनिया गांधी पुराने लोगों को बाहर करें.

इसमें थोड़ी सच्चाई भी नज़र आई क्योंकि राहुल गांधी के नेतृत्व वाली कांग्रेस में पार्टी के अहम चेहरा रहे जनार्दन द्विवेदी को जगह नहीं मिली थी.

लेकिन किसी तरह से अहमद पटेल और मोतीलाल वोरा वापसी में कायमाब रहे.

अहमद पटेल और मोतीलाल वोरा को बनाए रखने की कोई वजह होगी, लेकिन पिछले तीन दशकों में देखें तो भारत की सबसे पुरानी पार्टी का भार अहमद पटेल, ग़ुलाम नबी आज़ाद और अहम पदों पर मौजूद कुछ पुराने नेताओं के कंधों पर रहा.

पार्टी आलाकमान का भरोसा

पार्टी के अंदर पीढ़ीगत बदलाव की बात अहमद के सामने परवान नहीं चढ़ी. कई कांग्रेसी नेता मानते थे कि अहमद और वोरा पदमुक्त किए जाएंगे और उनकी जगह कनिष्क सिंह, मिलिंद देवड़ा या फिर नई पीढ़ी का कोई नेता लेगा जो पार्टी का वित्त प्रबंधन संभालेगा, लेकिन ऐसा कुछ नहीं हुआ.

अगस्त, 2018 में अहमद पटेल कांग्रेस के कोषाध्यक्ष पद पर लौटे. यह एक तरह से अहमद पटेल की अहमियत को साबित करने वाला था.

पार्टी संगठन पर उनके प्रभाव को देखते हुए ही शायद राहुल गांधी ने पार्टी में सुधार लाने या प्रयोग करने के बदले निष्ठा को सम्मानित करने का मन बनाया होगा और यथास्थिति को बनाए रखा.

परंपरागत तौर पर, कांग्रेस मुख्यालय में कोषाध्यक्ष का पद सबसे लोकप्रिय और प्रतिष्ठित माना जाता है.

उमाशंकर दीक्षित, अतुल्य घोष, प्रणब मुखर्जी, पीसी सेठी, सीताराम केसरी और मोतीलाल वोरा जैसों को पार्टी आलाकमान का भरोसा इसलिए भी हासिल रहा क्योंकि उन्हें गोपनीय जानकारी होती थी कि पार्टी फ़ंड में पैसा कहां से आ रहा है और कहां जा रहा है.

ऐसे में समझना मुश्किल नहीं है मौजूदा दौर में सोनिया गांधी, राहुल गांधी और प्रियंका गांधी के बाद कांग्रेस में सबसे सम्मानित शख़्स पार्टी कोषाध्यक्ष के तौर पर अहमद पटेल ही थे.

 

ये लेख बीबीसी हिन्दी में सबसे पहले पब्लिश हुई है

Around the country on a bike

ScribeShah
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Around the country on a bike

For some, life begins after retirement. There is even a desire to live life dangerously by throwing oneself out of one’s comfort zone. It is rightly said that to have an adventure, one must break through an invisible membrane of the familiar into strange and unknown places. In 2018, sixty-year-old Delhi-based travel enthusiast and a former editor, Sharat Sharma, decided to reinvent himself. A travel enthusiast and a fitness freak to boot, he made up his mind to undertake a country-wide solo bike trip, including Bhutan, and educating people about the importance of fitness and safe biking. Adventure has been the breath of life to Sharat since a young age. The traveller loves teasing his fate by remaining always prepared for the jagged rocks and treacherous shoals. Sharat believes that until we offer ourselves to the unknown, our senses dull.

“A traveller, no matter how difficult and perilous the journey, is never down for the count,’’ says Sharat, who grew up admiring Marco Polo, the Venetian traveller and writer, who fueled his wanderlust. In March, 2018, he undertook an arduous expedition through various Indian cities and Union Territories (U&T), and Bhutan, spanning 234 days on his sturdy Royal Enfield Himalaya. He covered a total distance of 30,850 km on his bike. And, as expected, the bike trip had all the Homeric resonances of perilous journeys and encounters with animals and extortionists. Sharat is no stranger to the fact that on one’s journey, curious and surprising and depressing things happen. But it was ever so. No wonder, for this adventure-loving man, there’s no age and no impediment so overwhelming that he can be deviated from his objective.

According to Sharat, travelling is in the DNA of the entire family. “My grandfather, uncle and my father, all had that rare passion to take the road less travelled,’’ says he with a smile. His wife, a professor in Delhi University, and two sons, the eldest an engineer, were more than supportive. “One needs many lifetimes to truly explore a diverse country like India. Timeline, funds and logistics were fixed and more or less I had to stick to my original plan,’’ says he, while admitting that these 234 days were mentally and physically daunting, but enriching and inspiring nonetheless.

biker traveller fitness enthusiast india bhutan
Sharat Sharma with young bikers in Bhopal

Sharat covered the following states and 4 Union Territories in the following sequence:  Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Diu, UP, Bihar, Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Tamu (Myanmar), West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Daman, Dadra, Nagar & Haveli,  Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Delhi.

Sharat believes that an avid traveller needs to be a man for all seasons and, along the way be prepared to confront a plethora of perils. “Once on the move the rule of a bike ride is to keep a close eye on weather conditions. Monsoon could mean thunderstorms and lightning and hailstorms, or even landslides. In hilly regions, one can expect cloud bursts and flash floods; in winters it could be snow storms, snow blocked roads and fear of hypothermia or frost bite. Summer could mean dehydration and heat stroke,’’ says the travel freak. According to Sharat, he too had to change his itinerary due to unseasonal rains in Uttarakhand which led to landslides blocking numerous states and national highways rendering the state inaccessible. While he may have felt let down by his inability to visit Ladakh due to heavy snowfall, he found Wordsworthian solace in an early morning walk on the river bed of the Chenab Valley in Ramban.

A traveller always lives to fight another day. In other words, one, often, has to look into the glacial eyes of the menacingly approaching threats and challenges. In one of his journeys, Sharat got stuck on Agartala, Shillong-Jowai-Silchar highway, with no soul in sight, at 4pm, due to zero visibility. In Gujarat’s Devalia Safari Park, he had a close encounter with a lioness while on his bike. For a few seconds, he had his heart in his mouth. Thankfully, the animal resumed her leisurely stroll after glaring at Sharat for a few seconds. If that was not enough, Sharat survived an extortion bid at Khanvel on his way to Nashik.

biker traveller fitness enthusiast india bhutan
A day in the life of Kolkata through the lens of Sharat

During his entire journey across the length and breadth of India, Sharat not only explored the diversity of cultures and history of various states, but local cuisines as well. He feels that if one wants to be a traveller, one should not be finicky about food. According to him, food is an ice-breaker. “Since I love experimenting with foods of different places, it helps me connect with people as well.’’

Talking about food, Sharat had a wonderful experience sampling culinary delights such as rosogollahs and Sandesh in Kolkata considered to be a food lovers’ paradise.  He refers to the City of Joy as also the land of Rosogollahs and Sandesh. He stepped into a renowned sweet shop in the famous Park Street by the name ‘Mishty Magic Since 1885’. Being blessed with a sweet tooth, Sharat gorged on a variety of sweets to his heart’s content. These were Baked Rosogulla, Baked Sandesh, Mango Gelato (only during mango season), Khir Kadam, Mango Lava, Malai Roll Baked… the list was endless.

biker traveller fitness enthusiast india bhutan
Asia’s largest all-women market located in Imphal

His visit to the North-East was a real eye-opener. He found people of this region extremely warm and friendly. According to him, it is the safest place for women. Sharat also chanced upon Asia’s largest all-women market, called Ima Market in Imphal. It was a true example of women’s economic empowerment.

Another exciting facet of Sharat’s journey has been his interactive sessions with youngsters in various states on the need to drive bike with responsibility. The traveller says, “Many young bikers indulge in rash driving and associate biking more with speed rather than caution. It is a sign of immaturity.” Throughout the ride, Sharat exhorted the youngsters not to turn the roads into racing tracks. His message was: “Roads are meant for life’s journey. By driving rashly, they were not only endangering others’ lives, but also their own.”

An incurable bibliophile, Sharat feels that reading and travelling make one a complete human being. He also is of the opinion that one should always be in a state of flux than to be in a perpetual state of vegetation. For the ebullient Sharat, the rewards of living according to one’s instinct and inclination are simply unsurpassable. American saint Ralph Waldo Emerson’s comment couldn’t be more apt, “Your every stride’s your guide in life.”

One is also reminded of Greek poet Constantine Cavafy’s famous poem Ithaka which says that journey is more important than the destination.

Open letter To The Prime Minister From Public Health Experts On Why India Needs To Rethink Its Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy

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Open letter To The Prime Minister From Public Health Experts On Why India Needs To Rethink Its Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy

Dear Shri Modi:

This letter is essentially to suggest that aiming to vaccinate all the citizens against the SARS-COV-2 disease is not a sound, rational, scientific and intelligent approach for India.

It is demonstrated that the entire world is in the grip of Covid-19 pandemic since the beginning of the year 2020. However, a cursory look at the country wise figures reveal very different picture. It shows that there is very wide variation in terms of number of persons infected and passed away in different countries and India forms part of the region where its impact is not to the proportion as of Europe and the US. Till this date, around nine million plus persons are infected and more than one hundred thirty-thousand lives are lost since the first confirmed case of it detected on 30th January, 2020.

More than 320 candidates are registered for development of vaccine against Covid-19 at the moment and it can be hoped that there will be a bouquet of them available quite soon. It will be the first time in the history of vaccine development that they are being developed in such a short time. The competition for approval and then marketing is so intense among pharmaceutical companies that within a span of few months some of them seem to have developed credible vaccines with above 90% efficacy and planning to seek emergency approval.

There are questions on the claims of above 90% efficacy of vaccines, however, the more important issue is to decide whether India needs vaccine, and if it needs then whether it should be administered to all citizens. The concern and resolve of your Government to protect all citizens of India from Covid-19 is undoubtedly very noble and laudatory but it could be misdirected if the decisions are not made based on sound analysis

Based on the current incidence, prevalence and fatality status of Covid-19 disease in India we find vaccinating all citizens does not merit any scientific rationale besides it will be a logistical nightmare and financially catastrophic. The reasons for it are as follows:

  1. SARS-COV-2 is an acute infection caused by species of Corona virus and should fade away after a time span as the epidemics of SARS in 2002-03 and of MERS (2012-13) caused by the viruses of the same species faded away.
  2. Both SARS and MERS washed out without any vaccine, specific medicine and any herd immunity. Attempts for developing vaccines and medicines were taken even for SARS and MERS but not with such a zeal and investment as now. The difference was that both these earlier epidemics did not affect the industrialized rich countries of the west and north and pharmaceutical companies did not find it so lucrative to invest in research and development for them.
  3. A small fraction of the population who is at the highest risk could be vaccinated when a fully safe and effective vaccine becomes available. For the majority of the population only non-pharmacological measures to protect themselves from the disease should go on more stringently along with prompt and quality treatment of those who require hospitalization because of intensity of symptoms. Our anecdotal data suggests that a majority of deaths owing to Covid-19 are because of very inadequate medical care. Therefore, the money saved by not procuring vaccines for the entire population of more should be used for strengthening public health system – state of the art medical colleges with hospitals in every district with minimum 700 beds with all specialties and possibly super-specialties. Primary health system brought up to the standard as enshrined in the new Health Policy 2017. This strengthening will not only mitigate the attack of Covid-19 disease but would serve as an active guard for several years to come to deal with all other diseases many of which take even higher toll than Covid-19 in India. The most notable among them is tuberculosis. Daily deaths owing to TB prior to Covid-19 pandemic were about 1100 which might have increased owing to disruption in the supply chain of medicines to patients.
  4. It is ironical and unethical that very little is being done for much and urgently needed research to find new medicines for the treatment of Covid-19. The reason is obvious that it is not a cost effective proposition for the pharmaceutical companies to invest in it as they are required in far less number than a vaccine.
  5. Even if the entire population is vaccinated against Covid-19, effective medicines will still be required as disease would continue to exist. Publicly funded initiatives are required for finding new medicines.
  6. Some of the companies have used mRNA technology to develop a vaccine. This RNA is being created through use of genetic engineering. Gene based technology have been used for developing vaccine earlier but none for vaccine of any human illnesses so far[i]. What could be its long term effects on human body are uncertain.
  7. The test results of different vaccine candidates claiming to have more than 90% efficacy are based on very small number of positive persons out of the large number of volunteers being put on trial. Efficacy data has not been presented through peer reviewed article in any medical journal of repute but through press releases. The released data does not provide any differentiation between ages, sex, geographies, co-morbidities, body mass index, antibodies status prior to trial and after testing positive. Therefore, the efficacy of these vaccine candidates for the entire range of human beings is still to be established.
  8. It is still unclear that how many doses of the vaccine would be needed and how long the immunity would last. This could be extremely unaffordable if the vaccine would be required at short intervals.
  9. Vaccines to be given intramuscular would pose a serious threat of other medical problems as maintaining aseptic conditions could be a huge challenge. If abscess developed at the injection site among old and diabetic persons it may take a long time to cure and call for additional medical attention.

We therefore citing above reasons strongly advise that India should opt for very selective immunisation against Covid-19.

Best regards.

Chhaya Pachauli (Rajasthan), Gautam Khandelwal (Rajasthan), Dr. Gopal Dabade (Karnataka), Jagannath Chatterjee (Odisha), Kavita Srivastava (Rajasthan), Dr. Meeta Singh (Rajasthan), Dr. Narendra Gupta (Rajasthan), Dr. Pavitra Mohan (Rajasthan), Dr. Prabir Chatterjee (Chhattisgarh), Dr. Srivatsan (Telangana), Rosamma Thomas (Maharashtra), Srinivasan (Gujarat), Sudhir Katiyar (Rajasthan).

An Open Letter to Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar

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An Open Letter to Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar

Dear Nitish ji,

Big congratulations for taking the oath as the Chief Minister for the seventh time—it’s a rare feat that few leaders have achieved. And thank you for taking care of Chhath devotees at Patna Ganga ghats by sending medical teams to carry out the test for the Covid-19. You (Nitish Kumar) rightly deserve credit for checking the enormity of the Pandemic despite getting a thoroughly inefficient colleague, Mangal Pandey. Had you someone like you as your health minister to support you, you would have done better. Anyway, your compulsion is understandable—you operate in alliance with the BJP which is hardly known for promoting professional efficiency and constitutionalism.

I propose to give you certain suggestions through this letter. As an ordinary citizen, I feel it my responsibility to give you suggestions in the interest of the state and its people and also in your interest as our Chief Minister. Of course, it’s up to you to accept or ignore them. Here they are:

1: Put your two deputy chief ministers, Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi—the BJP has found worthy of substituting Sushil Kumar Modi—to focus on arranging 19 lakh jobs that their party has promised in its manifesto. Set the deadline, cut down on their leaves, and make them work for twenty four hours and seven days in a week to implement their promise. Since they are ministers, they will get decent offices with support staff to do the job and comfortable homes with good kitchens, toilets and living rooms to eat and sleep. Tell them specifically that the elections are over and now they are the part of the government of the people, for the people and by the people.

Why I am telling so because Tarkishore and Renu after taking oath did something that they are not supposed to do as ministers. Tarkishore fumbled in pronouncing the name of our Honourable Prime Minister and didn’t utter a single word on his priorities. Renu gave a long interview elaborating her association with the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—an outfit banned thrice for its anti-national activities. Remind them specifically that you have talked about the “Sangh Mukta Bharat” and you haven’t withdrawn it.

Tell these deputy CMs to conduct themselves in the manner prescribed by the Constitution and focus on their basic job to serve the people. Review their work meticulously. Dismiss them if they fail to deliver within the deadline and ask the BJP to replace them with others who could work. You are yourself a workaholic and can do it.

2: Specifically ask Nityanand Rai, union minister of state for home, to help Bihar with forces and funds to modernise the police so that you are able to control the riots. Emboldened by the electoral success of the BJP, many RSS’s open and secretive outfits are on the prowl. You have already witnessed the situation these merchants of hate created in Munger on the day of the first phase of polling. Who knows better than you that Nityanand in conspiracy with his boss and home minister, Amit Shah and one Bhupendra Yadav propped up Chirag Paswan to damage your JDU? Tell Nityanand that elections are over and get on to the business. Tell him pointedly–he, Bhupendra Yadav and thousands of their likes can’t win the Yadavs from Lalu Prasad.

3: Still, if the BJP ministers fail to deliver, call Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav and offer him, “I will make you chief minister. My only pre-condition is you will have to provide 10 lakh jobs to Bihar youths as promised by you. I will withdraw my support to you if you fail to do it and will send Bihar to mid-term polls. I won’t wait for five years”.

4: Open channel with Lalu Prasad and the Left—be transparent and bold. After all we are a democracy which is supposed to have the rulers and the opponents united for the larger cause of the people. Avoid talking to Tejashwi too much because he is still young. Just remind him that you worked with his father and supported him in becoming the Leader of Opposition and also the Chief Minister in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when Tejaswhi was born. Lalu Prasad has candidly admitted your contributions in his memoir.

And despite your differences with Lalu Prasad, who knows your old and wily friend (Lalu) better than you? He will be pumped up when he learns that you could make his (Lalu’s) son the chief minister and can go to the extent of projecting you as the Prime Minister for 2024. The Left and Congress will support you. Believe me, I am not joking. The JDU-RJD-Left-Congress Mahagathbandhan will defeat the BJP in all 40 seats, smashing Narendra Modi’s dream to return as the Prime Minister for a third term in 2024. After all, you had named it “Mahagathbandhan”… You had fathered it. What’s the problem in returning to the home you had yourself built. You will be the hero again—the genuine Indians will celebrate your victory.

An ever innovative Lalu Prasad will forget describing you “Kursi Kumar and Paltu Ram” and will coin new phrases to put you above the greatest of the greats in world history. He will be out with his ‘lathi’ and his huge mass-following on the streets again, chanting boisterously, “Jab table baaj-e dhin-dhin tab de ooper se tin-tin”. The RSS leaders in the habit to operate in a shady and conspiratorial manner understand the meaning of “de ooper se tin-tin” well and fear Lalu Prasad more than anyone else– “Satham sathyam samacharet”.

The revival of Bihar’s pride lies in the re-union of Bada-Bhai and Chhota Bhai.

5: And let Sushil Modi—a genuinely efficient leader—be with you. I don’t mean Sushil should leave the BJP. You have already made him chairman of the Legislative Council’s disciplinary committee. Create the post of an advisor to help you control the anti-social elements that the RSS has unleashed, of late. Sushil knows the RSS in and out. At the same time, he has been a fighter and product of the JP movement like you and Lalu. He will enjoy working with you for the betterment of Bihar. Moreover, he is very friendly to Abdul Bari Siddiqui and other Muslim leaders. In agreement with Lalu or Left, get a prominent Muslim leader and give him powerful portfolio. Our brothers and sisters in this community– so dear to all us– are lying low because of the rise of the rabid Hindutva. Given your upbringing and very nature, you must be feeling pained for them.

And do most of these things before the process of Bengal elections begins. The RSS-BJP can indulge in more mischief against you after Bengal polls. Don’t give them time and leeway. Keep them in a tight leash.

Thanks and warm regards.

Yours truly,

Nalin Verma

No medical aid in case of emergency for Quest Mall visitors and working professionals

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No medical aid in case of emergency for Quest Mall visitors and working professionals

Kolkata: A week after the death of Md. Shabbir, a 34-year-old employee of Samsonite India, the Quest Mall authorities could only come up with the CCTV footage of the mall just to show (from outside the store) how people reacted to the health emergency on November 13.

Significantly, Samsonite’s Quest Mall store is operational without CCTV cameras till date, so what happened inside the store is yet to be answered.

On Friday, November 13, Shabbir, the store manager of Samsonite, had a heart attack at the store but could not be provided with any medical support or have an ambulance arranged to send him to the hospital since the mall authorities are unprepared to provide the same. Consequently, he died at the store due to lack of medical intervention.

This happened at a time when the world is grappling with a pandemic and preparedness for medical emergencies is the need of the hour.

A day after the devastating incident, when the grieving family had met the vice-president of the Quest Mall Sanjeev Mehra to inquire about the incident, Mehra first called the local police and then talked to the family members. He had agreed to inquire into the incident, but had not given anything in writing.

“On November 20, we met Mr Mehra to know what he found in the inquiry. But he had nothing new to tell us except showing CCTV footage of the mall. We were already aware about the sequence of the event so the CCTV did not throw any new light into the incident,” reacted Abdul Ali, brother-in-law of Shabbir, minutes after the meeting ended.

Quest Mall medical emergency health kolkata samsonite india

“This time again Mr Mehra did not give us anything in writing. And when he mentioned that there have been some loophole/shortcoming. But as soon as I wanted to know what those loophole/shortcomings were, he backtracked on his statement and said that loopholes/shortcoming is not the right word for it. He also refused to share any details on the loopholes that he noticed in the existing system,” informed Shabnam Imran, sister of the deceased.

Shabbir had around half an hour to get medical support, which could have been crucial to saving his life, admitted the Quest Mall authorities. But they claim that since they were informed by the housekeeper only about 10 minutes prior to the family arriving at the mall, they couldn’t do much. In the meeting, after showing CCTV footage, the vice-president of Quest Mall, reiterated the same.

However, when Shahnawaz Akhtar, another relative of Shabbir, who was also present at the meeting asked Mehra, “Even for those ten minutes that Shabbir remained unattended, what action did you take and how are you prepared to take in the future so that no one else has to face a similar situation? Do you feel the need for an ambulance at the mall?” Mehra refused to make any commitment or to take any such step.

Ironically, the victim of the mall’s gross negligence, Shabbir, had requested the mall staff to take him to the hospital. Mehra gave the excuse that as Shabbir had a well built body there were not enough people to lift him to the car.

Meanwhile, Sana Ahmed, ward co-ordinator of ward 62, wrote to the mall officials seeking an answer on what action was being taken by the mall authorities to ensure that in future no case of medical negligence takes place at the mall. Quest Mall is located under ward 62 of Kolkata Corporation.

However, the question remains that even during the Covid crisis there is no medical aid facility available inside the malls. How sensible is it for the government to allow them to operate in absence of the same?

Love Jihad Bill is like saying that women are incapable of making decisions or at no liberty to decide on their personal matters

Saira Shah Halim
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Love Jihad Bill is like saying that women are incapable of making decisions or at no liberty to decide on their personal matters

Ibtedaae Ishq hai rota hai kya.. Aage Aage dekhiye hota hai kya… Famous Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir had written this poem.

In English it translates to: It’s only the beginning of love, why dost you groan?

O, wait and see what happens as you onward move.

What happens when love becomes an unstoppable force? Can it be tamed or caged?

In 21st century India, just as we thought we were making inroads into women empowerment, personal liberty and truly progressing as a nation in thought and deed, comes a bill that seeks to curtail rights to love.

Controlling a woman’s sexuality is patriarchy in action, nothing more or less, the term ‘love jihad’ hitherto an unrecognised term in the legal framework of India will soon find sanction. It’s not a secret that the Sangh Parivar’s pet project of bashing Muslims 24/7 is a continuum along with a global lockdown, the coronavirus pandemic, the CAA-NRC protests, Delhi riots among others. To add cherry on the cake is the news that the Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra has recently said that ‘purported’ love jihad bill that includes five years of rigorous imprisonment for ‘violators’ will soon be introduced in the state assembly.

Women never had much of an agency in India to begin with, whether it is to do with the right to be born, right to education, right to her body, right to choose a spouse etc.

Yes no doubt a few stray incidents have transpired in the past, of forceful conversions where Muslim men have married Hindu women and vice versa and the woman was forced to forego her immediate identity, which brings us back to the question whether the same has not happened with Hindu women at the hands of Hindu men?

It’s not shocking to say the least that such a bill is of top most priority in Madhya Pradesh, a state that has been ruled by BJP for the past 15 years where malnutrition, crimes against children, rape cases and employment is still a major issue for 62% of voters.

Come to think of this, if the state does implement this bill, the biggest losers will only be ‘women’.

The hypocrisy of banning Triple Talaq yet curtailing women’s personal liberty to choose a spouse by the present regime stands naked, hollow and exposed.

What sense does it make to safeguard a woman’s right to stay in her marital home and protecting her rights against a pronounced divorce from a Muslim man, and in the same breath taking another woman’s agency away of free will to choose a spouse? This will ensure that the state will take the power away from the young woman and place this authority and leave the decision making of marriage and place it in the hands of the parents of the woman.

There can be nothing more regressive and communal than that, it’s like saying that women are incapable of making decisions or at no liberty to decide on their personal matters.

All efforts to usher in reforms for the growth and empowerment of women stands decimated, if women of this country do not stand together and contest the passing of such an unconstitutional bill.

Two of my close family members got married to Hindu women in the recent past and their relationship was validated by the Special Marriage Act.

A few weeks ago a Tanishq ad that depicted an inter community marriage was forced to be pulled down by the right wing trolls, this act of harassment only depicts how communal harmony in the country has deteriorated in the past couple of years.

The ensuing Love Jihad Bill is nothing but another stick to beat up Muslim men with, a tool for harassment and further demonization of the minorities who have been left in the cold since the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

Marriages in India continue to be ‘arranged’ by parents of the bride and the groom, it’s said that while a girl gets married into a boy family, she not only marries the boy but his entire family.

Rules of endogamy further narrow the institution of marriage.

Recently in Kerala, an inter-faith couple found their particulars splashed on social media alleging a case of ‘Love Jihad’, all claims were baseless.

Indian society since eons has taken the onus of what should be deemed honourable or not, this bill would further act as an agent of shame induced by so called unworthy, undesirable behaviour as deemed by societal mores.

Honour killings in India are glaring examples of how primordial, medieval behaviour not only is accepted but also gets state sanction.

The fact that khap panchayats and Kangaroo courts are still alive and thriving in India is a telling sign on how much we have progressed as a nation.

In olden days women were ‘gifted’ in marriage for territorial expansions, women and slaves came part as a booty capture of kings and rulers.

This vicious cycle validated the patriarchal control over a woman’s heart, mind and body confining a woman’s sexual and marriage rights within the narrow confines of caste and gotra, today marriage is only a by-product of caste and societal acknowledgement.

In such harrowing times, it’s baffling to note that the government has absolutely no data on ‘love jihad’ and yet its priority to communalize things further in a divisive atmosphere stinks of dirty politics and nothing else.

It’s time the Supreme Court of India takes suo moto cognisance of this bill that proposes to criminalize love rather than proposing a bill to criminalize hate.

The right to marriage (Article 21) of the Indian constitution says “No person shall be deprived of his life and personal liberty except according to procedure established by law”

In the 2018 Hadia and Shefin Jahan case, Justice Chandrachud had ruled that neither the state nor the law can dictate a choice of partners or limit the free ability of any person to decide on these matters, they form the essence of personal liberty.

Any law by any state government or the centre that tries to curb an adult woman’s right to marry in the name of love jihad would be deemed unconstitutional.

Not even five victims of love jihad, to speak of and yet the urgency to table this divisive bill is an all out assault on India’s pluralism and multi cultural ethos.

It needs to be challenged viciously.

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