रांची/गिरिडीह: झारखंड और महाराष्ट्र में चुनाव की घोषणा हो गई है, पर ये एक देश, एक चुनाव के तर्ज़ पर, दो प्रदेश एक जैसी चुनाव की तारीख जैसा हो गया। झारखंड में दो चरणों में वोट डाले जाएंगे, 13 और 20 नवंबर को, जबके महाराष्ट्र में एक चरण में 20 को। महाराष्ट्र विधानसभा का कार्यकाल 26 नवंबर को पूरा हो रहा है। वहीं झारखंड विधानसभा का कार्यकाल 5 जनवरी 2025 को पूरा होगा। मतलब झारखंड के लोगों ने जिस पांचवे विधानसभा को चुना था उसका कार्यकाल 40 दिन पहले पूरा हो गया।
झारखंड मुक्ति मोर्चा वाली गठबंधन सरकार ने चुनाव आयोग से दो बार चिट्ठी लिख कर राज्य में चुनाव बाद में कराने और कार्यकाल पूरा करने का आग्रह किया था। चुनाव आयोग की तारीखों के ऐलान के बाद, झामुमो के महासचिव विनोद कुमार पांडेय ने प्रेस ब्यान जारी कर पूछा है कि आखिर चुनाव आयोग ने इतनी जल्दबाजी में झारखंड में चुनाव की घोषणा क्यों की है?
सत्तारूढ़ झारखंड मुक्ति मोर्चा ने झारखंड में चुनाव की घोषणा को लेकर भारत निर्वाचन आयोग की विश्वसनीयता पर सवाल खड़ा किया है और कहा की हेमंत सोरेन की लोकप्रियता से घबरा कर भाजपा ने समय से पहले कराया चुनाव।
विनोद पांडेय ने प्रेस ब्यान में के भाजपा के चुनाव प्रभारी हिमंता विस्व सरमा के चुनाव की तारीखों का पहले से पता होने पर भी सवाल खड़ा किया है।
“चुनाव आयोग की घोषणा से एक दिन पहले असम के मुख्यमंत्री व भाजपा के चुनाव सह प्रभारी हिमंता बिस्वा सरमा ने यह बता दिया था कि मंगलवार को चुनाव आचार संहिता लग जाएगा। इससे दो प्रश्न उठते हैं। एक चुनाव आयोग भाजपा के निर्देश पर चल रहा है, या दूसरा चुनाव आयोग के फैसले की जानकारी भाजपा को पहले मिल जाती है। दोनों ही स्थिति में चुनाव आयोग जैसी संवैधानिक संस्था की विश्वसनीयता पर प्रश्न खड़ा होता है। कहीं न कहीं झारखंड में मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन की बढ़ती लोकप्रियता और उनके नेतृत्व में इंडिया गठबंधन की सरकार में जनहित में लिए जा रहे ऐतिहासिक निर्णयों से भाजपा घबरा गई है। यही वजह है कि हेमंत सोरेन को अपना कार्यकाल पूरा नहीं करने दिया जा रहा है।”
विनोद पांडेय ने ये भी कहा कि हाल में मुख्य चुनाव आयुक्त के नेतृत्व में आयोग की टीम ने झारखंड का दौरा किया था। विभिन्न राजनीतिक दलों के साथ झामुमो ने भी दीपावली, छठ महापर्व को मद्देनजर रखते हुए इसके बाद चुनाव कराने का आग्रह किया था। इसके अलावा राज्य गठन के मद्देनजर 15 नवंबर को स्थापना दिवस के बाद चुनाव कराने का अनुरोध किया भी किया गया था। हरियाणा में त्योहार के मद्देनजर चुनाव की तारीख बढ़ाई गई, लेकिन झामुमो के किसी भी आग्रह को चुनाव आयोग ने नहीं माना।
हालांकि, राजनीति के जानकार ये मानते हैं कि झारखंड में जल्द चुनाव होने से हेमंत सोरेन सरकार की मईया सम्मान योजना का झारखंड के जनमानस पर प्रभाव बरकरार रह गया। मईया के जवाब में भाजपा ने गोगो सम्मान योजना लाने के लिए आवेदन भी जारी किए, वो इसे ज्यादा प्रचार-प्रसार से भी रुक गई। वहीं मईया सम्मान योजना जिसमे राज्य की महिलाओं को पिछले तीन माह से 1000 रुपये मिल रहा और कैबिनेट ने दिसम्बर से 2500 करने का प्रस्ताव पास कर दिया, हेमंत सरकार नामक नाव के लिए खेवनहार बन सकती है।
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he intensity of the world’s interest in last Friday’s prayer in Tehran led by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatullah Khamenei has been unprecedented. Media outlets and commentators, including many that are openly hostile to the Iranian state and its revolutionary ideology, vied with each other to relay and dissect the content and significance of this massive religious gathering in the Iranian capital.
In that remarkable moment, the configuration of the Muslim world appeared very different from what it is usually assumed to be. Rather than Mecca-Medina, or any of the major Arab capitals, it was a Persian city that appeared to be at the centre of the global Muslim community or the Ummah. In a speech heavily infused with Qur’anic themes, a Shi’a religio-political leader addressed not just the massive crowds of men and women that had gathered in fearless defiance of Israeli threats, but also nearly two billion Muslims across the globe, calmly urging them all to forge a united front against their common enemies.
Also present was the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian who had just returned from Qatar after meeting with several Arab leaders and foreign ministers a few hours after Iran’s major missile assault on Israel. At these meetings in Doha, America’s Arab allies including Saudi Arabia unequivocally condemned Israel’s recent actions, and enthusiastically claimed to seek better ties with Iran. They also assured Pezeshkian that they would not allow their countries to be used to harm Iran.
This writer postulates that far from being an aberration, the seemingly unusual events described above are revelatory of undercurrents that have strengthened enormously over the past year, ever since the Palestinian uprising of 7 October. It may no longer be appropriate to speak of them as undercurrents. They are now trends, and they are set to strengthen and grow further in the days ahead, precipitating rapid changes across the Muslim world, especially in West Asia and North Africa. Let’s go over some of them.
The strength of identities in Muslim societies – for example, the feeling of being primarily Saudi or Turkish for example, or that of being Arab or Sunni– has changed considerably over the past year. On the one hand, countries such as Iran and Malaysia that have openly supported the Palestinian cause have experienced a surge in national pride. On the other hand, national pride has frayed in societies such as Saudia Arabia and Egypt, countries that are seen as being ruled by Israel-friendly regimes. The case of Yemen is unique; it appears that the Yemenis’ strong show of support for the Palestinians has accelerated the forging of a new shared national identity in a hitherto tribally-ordered society in which such an identity was nearly absent.
Another arena in which the ummah has witnessed rapid change over the past year is that of the soft power enjoyed by various countries and political actors. Players all across the Muslim world have seen a rise or decline in their soft power in direct proportion to their perceived levels of support for the Palestinian cause. Thus Yemen, Iran and its allies such as Hezbollah have seen their popularity skyrocket to levels not seen before. Suspicion of the Shi’a has declined, and in some cases has been replaced by respect. Algeria, Turkey, andMalaysia have fared reasonably well, as have Russia and China. The biggest decline in soft power in the Muslim world over the past year has been suffered by the USA; the decline has been so precipitous that it appears difficult to imagine that America can ever recover its earlier position of power and influence. With its uneven voting record at the UNGA and its continued supply of arms to Israel, India’s soft power too has suffered, albeit to a far lesser degree.
Yet another change that has occurred at an accelerated pace over the past year is like the relationship between the masses and their ruling elites. Except for a few countries such as Syria and Iraq, disenchantment with the ruling class has grown sharply in almost all Arab countries, sometimes leading to the intensification of repressive measures and policies in those societies.
Driven by developments in the war over Palestine, these and similar trends are leading to a rapid reconfiguration of identity and power patterns across the Muslim world. Dynamics across the ummah have shifted sharply towards greater transnational and intersectarian unity and lesser Western influence. More than nationality or affiliation to a specific sect or ethnicity, it is the intensity of support for the Resistance in Palestine that has started to determine the power quotient of any player in the Muslim world. Thus, as Israel spreads its US-backed war to Lebanon and perhaps beyond too, the stature and influence of countries, societies and groups that confront it is set to grow even further.
In summary, it appears that last year’s October 7 attack and the immense suffering that has followed it have catalysed the emergence of a new future for the Muslim world. It’s a future in which the power and influence of countries and groups that constitute the Muslim World will increasingly be determined by the strength or weakness of their support for the Palestinian cause. Therefore, more than viewing it as an aberration, it may make more sense to see Friday (October 4)’s prayers in Tehran and the enormous attention they attracted as a glimpse of the future.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he death of Prof GN Saibaba in Hyderabad yesterday should haunt our judiciary which was unable to rise and understand the pain he was going through. A person with 90% disability yet full of convictions was made India’s most ‘wanted’ person by the state, equally endorsed by the judiciary as well. I have mentioned many times that in a democracy people might have divergent views. As long as we have faith in constitutional values and democratic dissent, these views ultimately strengthen us.
He was arrested for his ‘alleged’ Maoist links by Maharashtra police on May 9th, 2014. He was released in June 2015 after the Bombay High Court gave him bail on medical grounds. Since then, he has been in jail and all his appeals were rejected by the courts. He was given life imprisonment by a Session court in 2017. His medical bail petition was dismissed by the High Court. The most painful part was that he was denied even Parole to attend his mother’s last rites. He was a brave fighter and went on a hunger strike in Jail for the installation of CCTV cameras which was accepted by the High Court. On October 14th, 2022, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted him of all the charges under UAPA but that was challenged by the government in the Supreme Court which suspended the judgement and asked the Bombay High Court to reevaluate the case again. On March 5th, 2024, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court reaffirmed its judgement and ordered the release of five others arrested along with it.
Prof Sai Baba’s case is similar to father Stan Swamy who was denied bail by the Courts despite his growing health-related issues. It reflects how insensitivity has grown inside our judicial system and it is unable to look beyond the ‘official narrative’. At the lower courts, most of the time, no questions are asked to the authorities but when the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted him, the Supreme Court did not speak up for the right of a person with disability and that he could have been released on humanitarian grounds. Can law be so insensitive and brutal? How can the law be built on the philosophy of ‘tit for tat’. This is the same law, which has been releasing mob lynchers, hate mongers, rapists and murderers without asking any questions. The story of Ram Rahim and many like him is well known to people.
He was kept in the infamous ‘Anda’ Cell in the Nagpur jail where he faced tremendous hardship and difficulty. The state apparatus knows very well that those people with ideological commitments to social justice will not compromise their position. Hence they are not merely tortured but also mentally harassed and humiliated. One can assume how much humiliation Prof Sai Baba might have faced in the jail as they wanted to break spirit and that is the reason why he was not provided any helper who could assist him in his movements which he needed.
It is sad how a man who lived life with great dignity and humility was sought to be portrayed as the most dangerous man in India. This is what the state apparatus can do in India. Its priorities are clear. It is building up the narrative in a different mode. People are entrapped in the entire social media exercise to get ‘rich’. We need to understand why the Indian middle class or even the poor are not bothered about the issues they face. Because of the diversionary tactics emerging from the web world, a world which we thought would free us from the yokes of those who control our ideas has ultimately turned into the biggest weapon against us. After all, it is controlled by the capitalists and their propaganda machinery which decide who is a ‘nationalist’ and who is anti-national.
That there is not much sympathy for GN Saibaba or Father Stan Swamy or Umar Khalid among the middle classes or even the so-called intellectuals or political parties reflects the environment we are living in. Fear and intimidation have resulted in the silence of the people and the other side, the narrative builders continue to portray these exploiters as ‘wealth creators’, most of them, even after the massive economic robbery, are living luxurious lives even if that might look obscene to us but they have PR agents glorifying their ‘wealth’ and terming that as an ‘achievements’ for the country where hunger and malnutrition is still growing but does not impact us at any level. Web world was never a level playing field and we know it well that it controls the thoughts. Yes, if you don’t have any ideological perception other than that to confirm that of the ruling elite and their hegemonistic system then the world is yours otherwise you will turn out to be the biggest villain.
His wife Vasantha Kumari deserves kudos for fiercely fighting his battle and standing with him rock solid. It is such committed people that there is hope for all. GN Saibaba is now free where no state can come and chain them. They live with a dominant spirit to serve humanity. Both Father Stan Swamy and Prof GN Saibaba’s death reflect the crisis of the Indian political class as well as the judiciary. Political parties rarely spoke for them and the judiciary was unable to look beyond the narrative being spread by the right-wing ecosystem which does not consider that people grow old and can face different issues related to health. How can a ‘rule-based order’ deny older people or people with disability, their right to Medicare and help? You don’t need to agree with everything that they do as a citizen of this country, which is governed by a Constitution adopted by those who had faith in our people and most marginalized, we need to stand up and ask the state and its apparatus to be sensitive to the needs of women, elderly and physically challenged. Every individual has a right to defend themselves in a court of law and the state must ensure that there is a level playing field and that people get the opportunity to defend them. Prof GN Saibaba like father Stan Swamy became a victim of the insensitivity and brutality of the state system where the process itself is punishment. He is free now but will his death raise the conscious level of our system or will it continue to kill people through its process and procedures?
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]slam strongly encourages charity and good deeds. Waqf is a charitable act, where the benefit of a property or asset is dedicated to a specific cause (e.g. education, healthcare, mosques, graveyards) while the original asset remains intact. Several verses of the Quran encourage acts of charity and emphasize the rewards for those who give generously for the sake of Allah.
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:261). “The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed of grain that sprouts seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-encompassing and Knowing.”
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:267). “O you, who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth.”
These verses stress the importance of giving the best of what one has for charity, a key element in waqf.
Sadaqah Jariyah (Continuous Charity). The concept of waqf aligns with sadaqah jariyah (continuous charity), which provides ongoing benefits even after a person dies. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺmentioned this in a hadith;
“When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: sadaqah jariyah (continuous charity), knowledge from which benefit is gained, or a righteous child who prays for him.” (Sahih Muslim).
Waqf is a form of sadaqah jariyah where the asset or property continues to generate benefits for the community.
Helping Others in Need. Waqf is often used for charitable purposes to support those in need. The Qur’an repeatedly stresses the importance of looking after orphans, the poor, and the needy;
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:177). “Righteousness is not in turning your faces toward the east or the west, but righteousness is in one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets and gives his wealth, despite love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves…”
Honouring Contracts and Trusts. Waqf involves placing an asset under a trust ensuring that its benefit is used according to the stipulated cause. Trust and contracts are highly emphasized in the Qur’an;
Surah An-Nisa (4:58). “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice…”
Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:1). “O you who have believed, fulfil [all] contracts.”
These verses emphasize the importance of fulfilling the terms of a waqf, treating the endowed property as a trust that must be honoured in its intended purpose.
So we see that the principles of charity, social justice, and fulfilling trusts form the foundation of the waqf system. The act of endowing property or wealth for the benefit of the community is rooted in these Quranic values, as well as the guidance provided by the Prophet ﷺthrough his hadith.
The Indian Constitution
The Indian Constitution, while not explicitly mentioning Waqf by name, provides several key principles and provisions that relate to the protection and management of waqf properties under its broader framework of religious freedom, minority rights and the right to manage religious and charitable institutions.
Article 25 (Freedom of Religion). It guarantees all citizens the freedom to practice, profess, and propagate their religion. This includes the management of religious institutions such as waqf properties, which are dedicated to religious or charitable purposes in Islam.
Waqf properties, integral to the religious and charitable activities of Muslims, fall under the protection of this article, as they are established and managed for religious purposes.
Article 26 (Freedom to Manage Religious Affairs). It explicitly grants religious denominations the right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes. This includes waqf properties, often used for charitable, religious, or educational purposes within the Muslim community.
This article forms the constitutional basis for Muslims to manage waqf properties according to Islamic principles, as long as they conform to the general law of the land.
Article 29 (Protection of Interests of Minorities). The article safeguards the rights of minorities to conserve their distinct culture, language, and heritage. Waqf, as a traditional Islamic institution, is part of the cultural and religious practices of Indian Muslims. Any law or action that undermines the autonomy of waqf properties could potentially infringe on these rights.
It can be seen as an indirect safeguard for the continuation and protection of waqf properties, as they are part of the religious and cultural heritage of the Muslim community.
Article 30 (Right of Minorities to Establish and Administer Educational Institutions). Waqf properties are often used to fund and maintain educational institutions. Article 30 ensures that minorities, including Muslims, have the right to establish and administer their educational institutions. This is relevant to waqf properties, as many waqf assets are used for this purpose.
This provision strengthens the ability of Muslims to use waqf properties for educational purposes, without undue interference from the state.
Article 31A (Protection of Property Rights). Although Article 31, which explicitly dealt with property rights, was removed by the 44th Amendment in 1978, Article 31A still provides safeguards against the arbitrary acquisition of properties. This is relevant to waqf properties, as it ensures that any government action concerning the acquisition of waqf lands must comply with constitutional safeguards.
While the government has powers to acquire land, including waqf properties, it must ensure that these actions are lawful and do not violate the fundamental rights of citizens.
Relevant Statutory Acts Regarding Waqf
In addition to constitutional provisions, the Waqf Act of 1995 (now being challenged by the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill 2024) governs the administration of waqf properties in India. This act provides for the establishment of State Waqf Boards to manage waqf assets and ensures that these properties are used for their intended religious and charitable purposes. Any changes to this framework, such as those proposed in the 2024 Bill, could have serious implications for the autonomy and management of waqf properties, potentially impacting the rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
The central government’s intention to amend the Waqf Act 1995, in the way it is drafted as per the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, is not in the positive sense. It is to undermine the rights of the Muslims of the country. It is an attack on the very identity of the Muslims. It has given itself a free hand to deal with, manage, monitor and take away the waqf properties at the slightest pretext. This bill is more dangerous than the changes that they have brought in for the Muslim community, NRC, Triple Talaq, Babri Masjid, and so on. In a few generations, children will have fewer religious institutions than today. Lands gifted by the waqifs may be taken away or disputed (thus putting it out of use for the Muslims). Mutawallis (caretakers of waqf properties) are being forced to the dictates of the government-appointed collectors. It is high time, the community wakes up to the dangers of the nefarious intentions of the Modi government.
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]aryana election results have again highlighted the serious crisis in the Congress Party and the limitations of the regional kshatraps (supremo). Congress once ruled through regional kshatrapsbut that was when the central leadership was powerful and could threaten states if they didn’t follow the basic ideological traits of the organization. That was Indira Gandhi who learnt to take India’s diversity along with her. Congress was the natural choice for not only the Brahmins but other powerful upper castes as well as Muslim minorities and Dalits. Slowly, the party tried to follow the Hindutva line but lost disastrously to BJP whenever it tried to outdo them.
The problem is things are not going Congress’s way due to various reasons and the biggest is the role of state leaders considered as ‘kshatraps’ who are unable to look beyond their families and jaatis. None of these khsatraps could be termed as inclusive. Some of them went overboard on their ‘inclusiveness’ and lost the base of their communities like Harish Rawat in Uttarakhand. But people like Bhupesh Baghel, Ashok Gahlot, Kamalnath and now Bhupinder Singh Hooda are overhyped leaders who gained everything from the Congress but could not go beyond their family interests and therefore damaged it at the time when the people were looking to the Congress Party for the alternative to the ruling BJP.
Don’t ignore the fact that Siddharamaiyya was defeated in Karnataka despite his good work by the caste identities as both Vokalingas and Lingayats never wanted an OBC of the marginalized sections to lead the state.
Congress’ Kshatraps and Caste Politics: An Inherent Contradiction
DK Shivakumar continues to challenge the chief minister and the powerful Vokalinga lobby is desperate to have him as chief minister like the Jats of north India. Both the Jats as well as Vokalingas-Lingayats are powerful landed savarna castes but over the years the Bahujan narratives setters for the sake of their vote bank politics put them in the OBC category. The same Bahujan narrative setters are unable to respond or keep silent when violence against Dalits occurs in those states dominated by Bahujan politics. BSP chief Mayawati herself said that though Dalit votes shifted to other parties, the same did not happen as Jats did not vote for Dalit candidates and that is a reality. The Bahujan narrative setters need to look beyond their jaati interest and see the diverse contradictions among various communities at the ground level. There is no one community which can be blamed as being ‘jaatiwadi’ or casteist as almost everyone comes under that category. The only thing is we all are looking at someone below us and are in awe of someone above us as Baba Saheb explained. Unfortunately, communities and leaders who need to stitch this broad-based participatory alliance with diverse communities are unable to go beyond their jaati interests and are trapped in their constructed image of a particular community leader.
We may discuss EVMs and other administrative issues. They are serious issues and the Election Commission; political parties and the highest court have failed collectively to assure us as to why shouldn’t the number of votes polled be equal to that of the VVPAT slips. Why has there been a huge mismatch on it and if that actually is, then why have the objections not been taken seriously by any of the agencies or bodies accountable for free and fair polls?
It is important to understand that narrative-making is important but it does not work if you don’t have the cadres and leaders representing those communities at the ground.
The Role of EVMs, Election Commission, and Fair Polls in Congress’s Defeat
You won’t get cadres and leaders of the communities if there is a narrative of the ‘dominance’ of one particular community in the party organization and structure. In Haryana, Congress went into the fray with overconfidence that it is returning to power after 10 years of anti-incumbency and incompetent government led by the non-jats. It wanted to exploit the rising Jat sentiment of returning to power but ignored the vital factor that it was only possible if the Jat leadership was ready to play the role of a facilitator ensuring the participation of all those communities particularly Dalits who were feeling threatened. Dalits who constitute about 21% of the total Haryana population can’t imagine having a chief minister of their own because 27% of Jats would not like them to be so. The first decade of rule under Bhupinder Singh Hooda has brought the Jat Dalit hostilities into the limelight where Hooda had no interest in working as a conscious keeper of the constitution and providing justice to Dalits.
Dalit Marginalization and the Failure of Inclusive Leadership in Haryana
I was witness to various movements led by Dalits for justice including Bhagana and Mirchpur where Dalits became victims of Jat hegemony in Haryana and Hooda did nothing. The Congress High Command at that time could not pursue Hooda to act against Jats who were the accused in both cases. Hence, promoting Hooda at the time when Haryana was witnessing huge anti-Jat incumbency was nothing but playing in the hands of the BJP. Even if the party wanted to ensure that it remained in command with powerful Jat votes, it was important to play an inclusive game. The humiliation given to Selja, an extremely loyal leader from the Dalit community of Haryana did not go down well with the Dalits in the state. If even after so many years, a woman of substance who had devoted her life and energy to building the party, Selja can’t expect to lead the party or be on its platform as leader of the party, then it reflects the highhandedness of Hooda family. BJP used this insult for their campaign and BSP too raised the issue. The anti-Dalit characteristic of Hooda as well as dominant Jats in the region has not diluted whether it is a reality or narrative but it has won the game so far. Congress party must understand that their leaders were made to believe that ‘Kisan’, Pahalwan and ‘Jawan’ were against BJP so cutting across the community line there is a broad anger against the government.
Frankly, the Kisan, Pahalwan and Jawan insidiously only cater to the Jat voters of Haryana. Congress did not bother to reach out to Dalits and Rajput votes. Throughout 2024, even when we all know that there was Rajput’s desperation to break out of BJP and ally with all other groups who were sympathetic to its issues, Congress leadership refused to accept the fact that they too exist. Similarly, despite Rahul Gandhi’s loud claims of Social Justice, no collective effort was made in Haryana to reach out to Dalits. The last-moment entry of Ashok Tanwar could not bring back the Dalit votes in the party and the reason is clear. Congress must understand that political parties are not social justice movements. A movement can run on one particular agenda targeting one section but politics has to be inclusive and ensure engagement with all communities. Right now, India’s poor and marginalized want to share in the power structure and that happens through their political representation at different levels. While job reservation is an important issue, parties will have to prepare them to take a categorical stand on the issues.BJP succeeded because it has an open stand on various issues, unlike Congress which is unable to take a stand. The Dalit votes in Haryana were not one-sided. The Jatav-Chamar votes who are over 50% of the total Dalit votes in Haryana went along with BSP because of Congress’s no stand on sub-categorization. The Balmikis, who are about 30% of total voters among the Dalits, voted mostly for the BJP because it supported the demand for categorization. So the Dalit votes, whether pro or anti, went along with other parties and not to Congress because it refused to take a stand.
At a public meeting, Yogendra Yadav said that an effort is being made to convert the elections to Jat versus non-Jats and he said the BJP is an expert in doing so. The party did the same in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar where it pitched other communities against Yadavas. BJP might have been doing things as per its political strategy but in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party and Congress are doing the same which is blaming Rajputs or Thakurs for everything wrong there. Yogendra Yadav has not written a single sentence that the same Thakurs voted against BJP in Uttar Pradesh and ensured the defeat of many of the Hindutva candidates but today opposition parties are targeting Rajputs to take Yogi Adityanath head-on. It might boomerang as the community which is nowhere in judiciary, media, industry and bureaucracy in comparison to other powerful communities of Uttar Pradesh. Haryana’s Jat versus non-Jat narrative would not have succeeded if Bhupinder Singh Hooda and others had the humility of extending their outreach to other marginalized communities particularly the Dalits in Haryana.
There are about 8% Yadav votes in Haryana and many areas adjoining Uttar Pradesh impact that. A combined campaign with Akhilesh Yadav would have worked here but the local leadership of the party refused to ally with AAP or Samajwadi Party. Many times, we know well that an ally party does not have a base in the state but we keep them in good humour andgive them one or two seats so that the message goes to the communities about the intent of your party. An alliance with Samajwadi Party and a joint campaign would have served the purpose but Bhupinder Singh Hooda was not interested in that. It would have served better than allying with AAP. Congress’ AAP alliance failed because of an over-ambitious project of AAP and BJP wanted to use it. They work in different directions and multiple fronts to defeat the ‘enemy’ so Ram Rahim of Dera Sacha Sauda got released on parole and Arvind Kejriwal getting bail from the highest court during the same period can’t be ruled out for foiling the Congress chances in the state.
Apart, it is also visible that several candidates who were not given tickets from the Congress party contested as independent candidates and got an extremely handsome share of votes causing the defeat of the party. Though this happens in every party, it is also a reality that Hooda dominated everything as he was sure he would be in power andhe wanted to ensure that after the victory, he became chief minister without any interference from the party High Command. Bhupinder Hooda and his dream to rule Haryana has finished butit has given Congress a severe blow. The Congress party now needs to rebuild the party and bring all stakeholders together.
The Need for a Ground-Up Rebuilding of Congress’s Leadership Structure
Bring the issues that complement and even when Rahul Gandhi raises the Caste Census and reservation issue, it is time, it is done without offending anyone. There is a big difference between political parties and civil society or intellectuals as political parties will have to cater for all while intellectuals and civil society leaders/influencers are mostly agenda-driven and might be speaking a thing out of conviction but far away from ground realities. Political parties can’t behave as charitable organisations or civil society watchdog groups. Congress also needed to be careful of the ‘loyal’ YouTubers who had no other agenda than getting likes as well as resources. The party got carried away with the agenda of settlers on social media. They remained far away from the ground realities and were just talking of their ‘man ki baat’. Congress needs to become the party of all and not of one jaati or a couple of jaatis but for that it will have to weave a narrative where every stakeholder feels safe and committed. For that to happen, the party needs to rebuild the party organisations in all the states with new blood.
Though Congress’s defeat in Haryana is shocking for the party, it may be a boon for Rahul Gandhi and others. Bhupinder Singh Hooda would have behaved similarly to other leaders such as Ashok Gahlot, Kamalnath or Amrinder Singhetc once in power. He never followed the party line when Dalits were being attacked in Haryana. Congress High Command is helpless because regional kshatraps can damage the party if not benefit it andtherefore it was unable to act against them but Hooda now joins the company of Ashok Gahlot, Kamalnath, Bhupesh Bhagel and Harish Rawat. The time has come for the party to move on and build up the party by bringing young leaders from different communities that reflect the ground realities of the state.
All this is not to discount the unfair means which the ruling party adopted, the disappointing role of the Election Commission, the issues of fairness and EVMs. They remain vital for the health of democracy but we also know the fact that despite that parties have won elections. If the party and many others feel that EVMs have been manipulated and hackedthen they must approach the court in all seriousness. Administrative issues of fair play are extremely important but still, I feel that Congress committed blunders andthat can not be ignored.
Therefore, Congress would do well to do a caste census of the party structure so that it understands what ails the party, andwho are the leaders dominant in the party structure yet unable to fetch votes to the party. Get a complete figure of communities in the organisations and link it with the state figures. A complete overhaul of the Congress party is not possible without a jaati-janganana or ‘caste census’ of the entire party structure. Rahul Gandhi who is advocating the caste census and social justice issues everywhere needs to start cleaning his home firstas his social justice agenda will remain unimplementable if there are no takers of that in the party. Will the party ever listen?
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hatever direction the West Asian crisis turns, one fact is clear in the last year, after the Ukraine war, the Western media organisations claiming to be liberal, democratic and respecting the dissent have gone for a toss. BBC and CNN have been thoroughly exposed for their reporting on the Ukraine War and the Palestinian issue. Now, a few journalists from BBC and CNN have claimed how their editorial bosses wanted them to push the one-sided narrative ‘Israel has a right to defend itself’. The result is that even when experts pointed out the brutalities of the Israeli regime and its continuous disregard for all the ‘international norms and practices’ that various Presidents and Prime Ministers emerging from Western capitals harp so much under their ‘ruled-based’ rhetoric. Why do the West have two sets of narratives? Israel has the right to defend itself, and carry out the genocidal campaign against the hapless neighbours’ but the Russians can’t do the same in Ukraine.
Imagine if Russia had done a similar thing in Ukraine. I am sure the West knows well that if Russia wishes, it can flatten Kyiv any day.
Western leadership has turned out to be senseless and disgraceful. In the name of democracy, they have exposed themselves and the world is watching now that their ‘democracy’, ‘Human Rights’, ‘Liberalism’ and ‘dissent’ are ‘respected’ as per their convenience and their business interests. The fight in Ukraine or West Asia is related to ensuring who leads the world. Will the Americans remain unchallenged or the Russians are now building an alternative model along with the Chinese as well as BRICS?
It is also sad part that dissenting voices in the Western world are now being targeted. YouTubers being charged under different anti-terror laws. All online platforms have been guided by the Western interest order hence your posts and views can be deleted or reduced to nothing if they look contrary to the American interests.
In this entire game of media hegemony, a lot has happened. For West Asia, the BBC hegemony has been challenged by Al-Al Jazeera English as well as the Arabic language channel. While Al Jazeera has been active for nearly a decade, the most refreshing and interesting thing is happening on the other front. It is the emergence of RTV (Russian TV) as a global player. Their reports are brilliantly done and they provide us with alternative viewpoints so much so that the American and European ‘liberal’ regimes don’t want RTV to be aired in their countries. Not satisfied with that, it is being reported that they want India to ban RTV.
I know like Fidel Castro, the Western ‘democratic’ ‘liberal’ elite hate Vladimir Putin, simply because this man has all the qualities of being a great leader. I have not seen any one of his contemporaries in the Western world coming near to him. They all look too small in comparison to Putin. Listen to his speeches, his interaction with common people and his understanding of the issue. I am sure, Vladimir Putin can be the hero that the anti-colonial world is looking for today. He has brought back the sense of being a great country among the Russian people. Russia today is a country full of confidence and rising as a great economic power apart from being a military power and having a dominant role in space technology.
Many people might wonder why Russian deterrence is not there in West Asia. True but all these countries are working as per their national interests. There are layers and layers of complexities of the issue. Israel’s 15 to 20% population is actually of Russian origin. They are Jews but they are of Russian origin. Both the countries had great relations despite Israel behaving as an American enclave but it is also a fact that Iran has a great relationship with Russia. An all-out war between Iran and Israel could spill over the Middle East and could be extremely dangerous for the global economy but perhaps the Western world is interested in escalating and the reason looks simple. They want to thrive on the War Economy, perhaps learning from Vladimir Putin and the rise of Russia during the Ukraine War. But the question is who will rise in this war when all will die.
War must stop at all cost and the historic issue of Palestine has been acknowledged and given dignity. Palestine deserves their country. The only way for the future is for all the parties to sit together and speak to each other. Enough destruction has happened in Gaza and other places. It is time to stop this. Western leadership has not been able to control Israel and pretend as if nothing has happened. The stories of the last year that took place in Gaza are nothing but plain genocide and not only Israel but the Western world is complicit in it.
Without accepting a two-state solution and Palestinians’ right to exist, there can’t be any peace. It is time, the world wakes up to this reality and starts negotiating. Any attempt to allow Israel to escalate the war will not help and can be extremely dangerous for all including Israel. War economies thrive on people’s miseries. It is time to call for a complete stoppage of this war killing numerous innocent people, particularly children, women and older people. There can not be a final solution to anything through war, It never happened even during the First and Second World Wars. The only solution that can happen is, through negotiations and the acceptability of the fact that Palestine is an independent and sovereign state.
कोलकाता: सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता, लेखक और फिल्म निर्माता विद्या भूषण रावत ने पिछले 30 साल हाशिए पर रहने वाले समुदायों के साथ काम करते हुए बिताए हैं। उन्होंने सामाजिक न्याय के लिए पदयात्राएं की हैं, व्याख्यान दिए हैं, साक्षात्कार लिए हैं और कई वृत्तचित्र बनाए हैं। हाल ही में, उन्होंने एक महत्वपूर्ण काम पूरा किया—गंगा नदी की यात्रा की, जो हिमालय से शुरू होकर बंगाल की खाड़ी तक जाती है। उन्होंने इस यात्रा के दौरान गंगा के पर्यावरण, संस्कृति और इतिहास से जुड़े कई पहलुओं को डॉक्यूमेंट किया।
विद्या भूषण रावत ने इस यात्रा को अपने कई डॉक्यूमेंट्री फिल्मों में दिखाया है, और अब तक 25 से ज्यादा किताबें लिख चुके हैं। गंगा पर उनकी आने वाली किताब का भी बेसब्री से इंतजार हो रहा है। इस अद्भुत यात्रा को पूरा करने के एक दिन बाद, उन्होंने ईन्यूजरूम से बात की। बातचीत के दौरान वे शांत थे, लेकिन जैसे-जैसे गंगा के बारे में बात की, उनका उत्साह बढ़ता गया। बातचीत का अंश यहाँ प्रस्तुत है।
ईन्यूज़रूम: आपने गंगा नदी के किनारे यात्रा करने का फैसला क्यों किया?
विद्या भूषण रावत: उत्तराखंड का रहने वाला होने के कारण, मुझे हमेशा से नदियों और पहाड़ों से गहरा लगाव रहा है। पहली बार मैंने गंगा को 1978 में देखा था, जब मैं 10 साल का था। मैं मुनि की रेती, ऋषिकेश गया था और गंगा की सुंदरता से बहुत प्रभावित हुआ था। उस समय गंगा का पानी हरा, शुद्ध और बहुत शांत था। किनारे पर बैठकर उसे देखने से मुझे बहुत शांति मिली।
बड़े होने पर, जब मैं पढ़ाई के लिए देहरादून गया, तो हरिद्वार के हर की पौरी पर जाना एक नियमित काम बन गया। हमारे परिवार में भी, बाकी लोगों की तरह, अंतिम संस्कार के लिए गंगा के तट पर जाने की परंपरा थी। 1991 में जब मैं दिल्ली शिफ्ट हुआ, तब भी उत्तराखंड और गंगा से मेरा गहरा संबंध बना रहा।
करीब 20 साल बाद, मैंने ललित कला अकादमी में सावी सावरकर की एक प्रदर्शनी देखी, जिसमें एक पेंटिंग ‘डीब्राह्मिंसिंग द गंगा’ ने मुझ पर गहरी छाप छोड़ी। लेकिन मेरी गंगा यात्रा की असली प्रेरणा तब मिली जब 2021 में लॉकडाउन के बाद मैंने उत्तराखंड के हिमालयी इलाके की यात्रा की। मैंने देखा कि पहाड़ों का दोहन हो रहा है और गंदगी गंगा में बहाई जा रही है। इस अनुभव ने मुझे ‘गंगा तुम बहती रहो’ नामक एक छोटा वीडियो बनाने के लिए प्रेरित किया, जिसे मेरे दोस्तों ने काफी सराहा।
उत्तराखंड में गंगा | साभार: विद्या भूषण रावत
उत्तर प्रदेश और उत्तराखंड में कई पदयात्राएं करने के बाद, मैंने गंगा पर नाव यात्रा का विचार सोचा। हालांकि, शुरू में वित्तीय और अन्य समस्याओं के कारण यह संभव नहीं हो पाया। फिर कुछ दोस्तों ने मेरा समर्थन किया और गंगा पर मंडरा रहे पर्यावरणीय संकट को डॉक्यूमेंट करने में मदद की। इससे मुझे इस प्रोजेक्ट को शुरू करने का हौसला मिला।
जब मैंने गंगा की कहानी में गहराई से जाना, तो मुझे महसूस हुआ कि केवल हिमालयी क्षेत्र को कवर करना पर्याप्त नहीं होगा। मुझे बंगाल की खाड़ी तक जाना पड़ा। मैंने सोचा था कि सबसे कठिन हिस्सा हिमालय में होगा, लेकिन निचले गंगा के क्षेत्रों में काम करना और भी चुनौतीपूर्ण साबित हुआ।
सितंबर 2021 में मैंने गंगोत्री से अपनी यात्रा शुरू की, जिसमें उत्तराखंड के अलावा यमुना घाटी, टोंस, महाकाली और अन्य क्षेत्र भी शामिल थे। मैंने उत्तर प्रदेश, झारखंड और पश्चिम बंगाल होते हुए गंगा सागर तक यात्रा पूरी की। यह यात्रा न सिर्फ एक अनोखा अनुभव था, बल्कि इसने मेरी समझ को भी गहरा किया कि लोग, प्रकृति और गंगा के किनारे रहने वाले समुदाय कितनी मुश्किलों का सामना कर रहे हैं।
ईन्यूज़रूम: भारतीय संस्कृति के संदर्भ में आपकी यह यात्रा कितनी महत्वपूर्ण थी, क्योंकि भारत में सभ्यताएँ गंगा के आसपास ही विकसित हुईं?
विद्या भूषण रावत: हिंदुओं के लिए गंगा का बहुत धार्मिक और आध्यात्मिक महत्व है। अधिकतर लोग उन्हें ‘मां गंगा’ के रूप में देखते हैं, जबकि उत्तराखंड में उन्हें शैलपुत्री के रूप में जाना जाता है। दुर्भाग्यवश, पिछले कुछ दशकों में गंगा को सिर्फ धार्मिक अनुष्ठानों तक सीमित कर दिया गया है, और उसकी पवित्रता की अनदेखी की जा रही है। मेरे लिए, गंगा के धार्मिक महत्व से परे यह जानना भी जरूरी था कि हम गंगा की ओर क्यों आकर्षित होते हैं? वह हमारे लिए मां क्यों है? इस यात्रा ने मुझे इन सवालों के जवाब ढूंढने में मदद की।
हिमालय क्षेत्र से यात्रा शुरू करते हुए, मैंने देखा कि यह क्षेत्र शिव और बुद्ध का निवास है। यहां शैव और बौद्ध धर्म फले-फूले, और समाज में स्त्री-पुरुष संबंधों को अधिक आजादी और सम्मान मिला। जैसे-जैसे गंगा मैदानी इलाकों में पहुंची, हमने धार्मिक अनुष्ठानों का बढ़ता प्रभाव और ब्राह्मणवाद का प्रभुत्व देखा, जिससे गंगा के प्रदूषण की समस्या भी बढ़ी।
बंदेल का ऐतिहासिक इमामबाड़ा और पीछे कोलकाता की ओर गुजरती हुगली
गंगा केवल धार्मिक महत्व की नहीं है, बल्कि यह भारत की विभिन्न सभ्यताओं और संस्कृतियों की साक्षी रही है। इसके किनारे कई साम्राज्य और राज्य बने। कन्नौज के राजा जय चंद, जिन्हें गलत तरीके से बदनाम किया गया था, और राजा हर्ष जैसे महान शासकों के साम्राज्य गंगा के किनारे ही फले-फूले थे।
चुनार का किला गंगा के किनारे स्थित है और काशी पहुंचने से पहले गंगा यहां बहुत आकर्षक लगती है। गंगा ने संत रैदास और कबीर जैसे ब्राह्मणवाद विरोधी संतों की शिक्षाओं को देखा है। सारनाथ, जो बौद्ध धर्म के लिए महत्वपूर्ण स्थान है, भी गंगा के पास है।
महान सम्राट अशोक की राजधानी पाटलिपुत्र भी गंगा के किनारे थी। आज का पटना शहर उसी ऐतिहासिक स्थल पर स्थित है। पटना गुरु गोबिंद सिंह, सिखों के 10वें गुरु, का जन्मस्थान भी है।
गंगा के किनारे एक और महत्वपूर्ण बौद्ध शिक्षा केंद्र विक्रमशिला था, जो नालंदा के बाद सबसे प्रसिद्ध विश्वविद्यालय था। झारखंड में गंगा के किनारे कई बौद्ध स्थल हैं। राजमहल, जो कभी बंगाल की राजधानी था, अब ऐतिहासिक स्थलों और स्मारकों का घर है, जैसे बारादरी और जुमा मस्जिद।
बंगाल में गंगा की यात्रा बहुत सुंदर है और इसके कई ऐतिहासिक स्थानों से पता चलता है कि यह क्षेत्र बौद्ध, मुगल, पुर्तगाली, डच, फ्रेंच और ब्रिटिश प्रभावों से समृद्ध रहा है। हुगली नदी के किनारे स्थित बंगाल के कई पुराने राजमहल और संरचनाएँ आज भी हमें उस समय की कहानी सुनाते हैं।
हिमालय से लेकर सुंदरवन तक, गंगा सिर्फ एक नदी नहीं है, यह भारत की जीवन रेखा है। इसने हमारी सभ्यता को आकार दिया है, सबसे उपजाऊ भूमि को पोषित किया है, मछुआरों और लोक समुदायों को जीवन दिया है, और महान कलाकारों को प्रेरणा दी है। गंगा हमारी धरोहर है, और हमें इसका सम्मान करना चाहिए और इसे बचाने के लिए कदम उठाने चाहिए।
वाराणसी से लेकर कानपुर और बक्सर तक विद्या भूषण रावत को फैक्ट्री के नाले, गंदगी, कूड़ा-कचरा नदी में फेंका हुआ मिला
ईन्यूज़रूम: जलवायु परिवर्तन और पर्यावरणीय मुद्दों को समझने के लिए आपकी यह यात्रा कितनी महत्वपूर्ण थी, खासकर यह देखते हुए कि गंगा जैसी नदियाँ, जो अरबों लोगों के जीवन को प्रभावित करती हैं, अब न तो उतनी स्वच्छ हैं और न ही उतनी विशाल?
विद्या भूषण रावत: यह यात्रा जलवायु परिवर्तन और पर्यावरणीय संकट को समझने के लिए बेहद महत्वपूर्ण थी। ग्लेशियरों का तेजी से पिघलना चिंताजनक है। इस साल मई की शुरुआत में ही हमने कई पहाड़ों को बिना बर्फ के देखा, जो बहुत ही दुखद था। चरम मौसम की घटनाएं, बाढ़ और जंगल की आग बढ़ रही हैं। गंगा के मैदानों में, नदी के संरक्षण के प्रति जागरूकता की कमी निराशाजनक थी। हरिद्वार के बाद गंगा में बड़े रेतीले पैच दिखने लगते हैं, और नदी धीरे-धीरे सिकुड़ती जा रही है।
कन्नौज में एक किसान ने मुझे बताया कि अब खेती से ज्यादा रेत खनन में फायदा है। उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार में बड़े पैमाने पर रेत खनन हो रहा है, जिससे पर्यावरण को गंभीर नुकसान हो रहा है। इन राज्यों में मरुस्थलीकरण बढ़ रहा है। हर साल बाढ़ से व्यापक विनाश होता है, और कई जगहों पर गंगा का जल स्तर बहुत कम है। कानपुर, वाराणसी और पटना में पानी की गुणवत्ता इतनी खराब है कि वह नहाने लायक भी नहीं है।
बंगाल में गंगा बड़ी हो जाती है, लेकिन बाढ़ से वहां भी जीवन प्रभावित होता है। पानी की गुणवत्ता एक गंभीर मुद्दा है, और यह सुनिश्चित करना बहुत जरूरी है कि नदी में कोई सीवेज या कचरा न डाला जाए। नगर पालिकाओं और ग्राम पंचायतों को यह जिम्मेदारी दी जानी चाहिए कि वे उद्योगों को नदी में रासायनिक कचरा छोड़ने से रोकें। धार्मिक नेताओं को लोगों को जागरूक करना चाहिए कि वे गंगा में कचरा न डालें।
गंगा में स्नान को भी नियंत्रित किया जाना चाहिए। मेरे विचार से, लोग डुबकी लगाने की बजाय पानी का एक घूंट लेकर या उसे छिड़ककर गंगा की पूजा करें। इससे गंगा को बचाने में मदद मिलेगी। यह देखकर दुख होता है कि लोग गंगा को मां कहते हैं और फिर भी उसे प्रदूषित करते हैं। यदि हम गंगा के प्रदूषण पर ध्यान नहीं देंगे, तो यह भारत के लिए एक बड़ा सभ्यतागत और पर्यावरणीय संकट बन सकता है।
विद्या भूषण रावत की झारखंड में गंगा यात्रा
ईन्यूज़रूम: इस यात्रा से आपने क्या सीखा? क्या इसने गंगा या अन्य नदियों को लेकर आपकी किसी पूर्व धारणा को चुनौती दी?
विद्या भूषण रावत: इस यात्रा ने मुझे यह समझने में मदद की कि कोई भी यात्रा वास्तव में कभी पूरी नहीं होती। इसने मुझे गंगा की गहराई और विविधता के बारे में नई जानकारी दी, और यह कि कैसे इस नदी ने कई सभ्यताओं, राज्यों, और साम्राज्यों के विकास में योगदान दिया है। सच कहूँ तो, मुझे यह अंदाज़ा नहीं था कि गंगा की यात्रा कितनी विशाल और जटिल है। हम आम तौर पर हरिद्वार, कानपुर, इलाहाबाद, वाराणसी, और पटना जैसे नामों को जानते हैं, लेकिन गंगा के साथ इससे कहीं अधिक जुड़ा हुआ है।
बहुत से उत्तर भारतीयों को यह भी नहीं पता कि हुगली नदी गंगा का हिस्सा है, और बंगाल में भागीरथी का गहरा सांस्कृतिक महत्व है। पहले मुझे भी यही लगता था कि कानपुर के बाद गंगा बेजान हो जाएगी, लेकिन ऐसा बिल्कुल नहीं था। मुझे नहीं पता था कि बिहार में गंगा के किनारे इतनी खूबसूरत जगहें हैं, जैसे मुंगेर, भागलपुर, और कहलगांव, जिन्हें और अधिक बढ़ावा मिलना चाहिए।
एक और आश्चर्य था कि भारत के सबसे महान प्राचीन विश्वविद्यालयों में से एक, विक्रमशिला, गंगा के तट पर स्थित था। झारखंड का ऐतिहासिक शहर साहिबगंज भी मेरे लिए एक नई खोज थी। वहाँ से मनिहारी तक की जहाज यात्रा अविस्मरणीय थी। मैंने गंगा पर बड़े मालवाहक जहाजों को चलते देखा, और 45 मिनट तक अपनी कार के साथ नदी पर यात्रा करना एक अद्भुत अनुभव था। इससे मुझे गंगा की विशालता का अहसास हुआ।
बंगाल में गंगा की जटिलता, उसकी ज्वारीय और गैर-ज्वारीय शाखाओं के रूप में, मुझे बहुत कुछ सिखा गई। हुगली की उत्पत्ति को लेकर मैं पहले भ्रमित था, लेकिन मुर्शिदाबाद का दौरा करने से यह भ्रम दूर हो गया। रास्ते में कई महल, मंदिर, मस्जिद, और गुरुद्वारे देखने को मिले। यह यात्रा जीवन भर की सीख थी, लेकिन यह अभी खत्म नहीं हुई है। इस अभियान ने मुझे इन नदियों को बचाने और उनकी रक्षा करने का कर्तव्य महसूस कराया है, क्योंकि ये सिर्फ भौगोलिक रेखाएं नहीं, बल्कि हमारी पहचान और विरासत हैं।
ईन्यूज़रूम: क्या आप मानते हैं कि अगले 20-30 वर्षों में गंगा अपना महत्व खो देगी, या यह भारतीय जीवन का केंद्र बनी रहेगी, या संभवतः और अधिक प्रमुखता हासिल करेगी?
विद्या भूषण रावत: गंगा या भारत की कोई भी नदी कभी अपना महत्व नहीं खो सकती। यदि ऐसा हुआ, तो हमारी सभ्यता का अस्तित्व संकट में पड़ जाएगा। गंगा के बिना, हम जीवन की कल्पना भी नहीं कर सकते। पश्चिमी उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार, झारखंड और बंगाल की उपजाऊ भूमि इसका प्रमाण है। मछुआरों से पूछिए, वे गंगा के महत्व को कैसे समझते हैं।
हालांकि, एक खतरा बना हुआ है: यदि प्रदूषण अनियंत्रित रहा, तो हमें केवल गंदे पानी का सामना करना पड़ेगा, जो विनाशकारी होगा। धार्मिक पुनरुत्थानवाद ने केवल गंगा को अनुष्ठानों की वस्तु बना दिया है, बिना उसकी स्वच्छता सुनिश्चित किए।
हमें यह समझने की जरूरत है कि स्वच्छ गंगा से सभी को अधिक संतोष मिलेगा। लोग हिमालय, देवप्रयाग और ऋषिकेश की ओर क्यों आते हैं? क्योंकि वहां गंगा जीवंत और पवित्र है, इसका जल इतना साफ है कि कोई भी इसे पीने में संकोच नहीं करता। लेकिन जैसे ही नदी मैदानों में पहुंचती है, हम उसकी पवित्रता खो देते हैं। कानपुर और वाराणसी में तो लोग नदी में सुरक्षित रूप से स्नान नहीं कर सकते (हालांकि कई लोग पानी की खराब गुणवत्ता से अनजान होकर ऐसा करते हैं)।
हमें जलवायु संकट को गंभीरता से लेना होगा। हिमालय के मुद्दे केवल उत्तराखंड, लद्दाख, या हिमाचल प्रदेश के लोगों के लिए नहीं, बल्कि पूरे देश के लिए महत्वपूर्ण हैं। सरकार को सतर्क रहना चाहिए और राज्य सरकारों को इन चिंताओं का समाधान करने के लिए स्थानीय समुदायों की भागीदारी सुनिश्चित करनी चाहिए। बिना उनकी भागीदारी के, कोई भी समाधान सफल नहीं होगा, और ऐसा करने से और अधिक आपदाएं आएंगी।
ईन्यूज़रूम: गंगा नदी की यात्रा के बाद गंगा की बेहतरी के लिए नीति निर्माताओं को आपके क्या सुझाव हैं?
विद्या भूषण रावत: अपनी पुस्तक में, मैं हर राज्य में क्षेत्र-विशिष्ट मुद्दों के आधार पर विशिष्ट सुझाव दूंगा। हालांकि, यहां कुछ सामान्य बिंदु हैं:
स्थानीय निकायों को जिम्मेदार बनाना: स्थानीय निकायों को नदी को प्रदूषित करने वाली औद्योगिक इकाइयों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई करने के लिए सशक्त किया जाना चाहिए।
नालों का पानी रोकना: गंगा में नालों का पानी प्रवाहित होने से रोकें।
दंडित करना: ग्रीन ट्रिब्यूनल या नगर निगमों को उन कंपनियों या कारखानों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई करनी चाहिए जो नदी को प्रदूषित कर रही हैं और जो जल निकासी प्रणालियों पर कार्रवाई करने में विफल रहते हैं।
निगरानी एजेंसियों को फंड देना: गंगा की सुरक्षा और संरक्षण के लिए निगरानी एजेंसियों को अधिक धन आवंटित करें।
स्थानीय समुदायों को शामिल करना: गंगा के संरक्षण के प्रयासों में स्थानीय समुदायों और ग्रामीणों को शामिल करना आवश्यक है।
धार्मिक पर्यटन का नियमन: हिमालयी क्षेत्र में पर्यटकों की भारी आमद आपदा का कारण बन सकती है, इसलिए वहां के बुनियादी ढांचे को बेहतर बनाने की जरूरत है। केदारनाथ और सुंदरबन जैसे पवित्र स्थलों की पवित्रता को हर कीमत पर संरक्षित किया जाना चाहिए।
सावधानीपूर्वक पर्यटन की योजना: हिमालय से लेकर बंगाल की खाड़ी तक, हमें सावधानीपूर्वक पर्यटन की योजना बनानी चाहिए ताकि स्थानीय संस्कृतियों और पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र को नुकसान न पहुंचे।
Kolkata: Prophet Muhammad gave the world’s first constitution and a human rights charter. Additionally, the Ghazwa-e-Hind had already occurred in India when Muhammad Bin Qasim came from Damascus to rescue Muslim women and children from Raja Dahir in Sindh. This was stated during an interfaith meeting held in Kolkata on October 2.
In an effort to counter rising Islamophobia and propaganda against Prophet Muhammad, this interfaith meeting was organized on Gandhi Jayanti in Kolkata. The seminar, held during the birth month of Prophet Muhammad, Rabiul Awwal, was conducted by two organizations, SR Foundation and Hayaat Foundation, to educate the public on the life and works of the Prophet. Around 30 non-Muslim intellectuals participated in the three-hour-long event.
Prophet Muhammad is the Most Recorded Prophet in World History, No Room for Propaganda in Islam
Dr Sarfaraz Adil, the convener of the event, pointed out that every second of Prophet Muhammad’s life has been recorded. As there was no formal education system at the time, narrators helped preserve these records, maintaining a chain of narration.
“To record the Prophet’s sayings, the narrators’ lives were also documented. Six lakh narrators’ lives have been preserved to record the Prophet’s works and life. Every detail, from his sitting posture to his hair and every moment, has been preserved,” Dr Adil explained.
“There is no place for propaganda in Islam. Yet, people and organizations attempt to spread it through fake memes, doctored videos, and misinformation. Although these falsehoods are later debunked, by that time, riots often erupt, and many innocent lives suffer as a result.”
Dr Adil also mentioned how people’s lives have changed while reading or writing about the Prophet. One such person is Swami Laxmi Shankaracharya, who first wrote the book Islamic Atankwad Ka Itihas but later authored Islam Atank Ya Adarsh. Not only did he realize his mistake and write a second book, but he also formed the Hindu-Muslim Ekta Manch to bring the two communities closer.
“When Gandhi Ji met Maulana Mungeri, he mentioned that he had read the Quran and liked it very much. He also read the biography of Prophet Muhammad and found many good things about him. He said, ‘If his life is followed by Indians, India will become heaven.’
Maulana Mungeri then asked Gandhi Ji if he found anything wrong in the Quran or the life of Prophet Muhammad.
“I wasn’t expecting this question, but no, I didn’t find anything wrong in either the Quran or the teachings of Prophet Muhammad,” Gandhi Ji had answered,” Dr. Adil shared.
Never Spoke Lies and Always Paid Others Their Due Rights
The next speaker, Mufti Abdul Mueed, highlighted two important aspects of the Prophet’s life: “Prophet Muhammad’s two most significant teachings were—never speak lies and always fulfill the rights of others. Most conflicts, whether personal, social, or political, arise from not giving others their due rights.”
The Prophet Told the World That Women Are Equal and He Trusted Them
Professor Abdul Rasheed emphasized that Prophet Muhammad established a constitution when he went to Medina, which contained 52 points. This constitution united all social groups, including Christians and Jews, to protect Medina and promote social responsibility and financial stability. The Prophet also formed 300 agreements with different tribes.
The professor discussed seven important messages the Prophet gave to the world. “He proclaimed that the Almighty is One, and never accept anyone else as God. He asserted this concept clearly and simply for common people. He also taught that the father of every human being is one, meaning all are brothers and equal, which brought his third message about equality. No one is superior based on caste, color, or creed. His last sermon in Mecca introduced the world’s first human rights charter.”
Although historians recognize The Cyrus Cylinder as the world’s first human rights charter, written by Persian King Cyrus in 539 BC after the conquest of Babylon, and in modern times, the UN Charter is known as the human rights document, Rasheed explained that Prophet Muhammad’s last sermon was also a human rights charter for the world.
Rasheed further stated that the fourth important message was that human beings are the best creation of the Almighty, and everything in this world was created for them.
“He also taught that men and women are equal. While in Arabia, a girl child was often killed, this was a common practice worldwide at that time. The Prophet empowered women, giving them rights in marriage, property, and education. He trusted women so much that he first told his Prophethood to his wife and even performed household chores,” said the professor.
Rasheed also stressed that Prophet Muhammad warned against superstition, advising people not to let it hinder their progress. “Religion is not just spirituality; it should be connected to daily life to make life better.”
He added that the Prophet reformed the system of slavery, urging people to feed their slaves the same food they ate, dress them in similar clothes, and assist them with major tasks. “He even encouraged people to free their slaves.”
Prophet Muhammad Teaches Us to Respect All Religions
The attendees, who patiently listened, later asked questions and thanked the organizers for hosting an event that provided them with valuable, authentic information about Prophet Muhammad.
“What I learned from Professor Sahab’s speech is that we are all children of one father. What he said about the Prophet is very inspiring and ideal for everyone. The life of Prophet Muhammad conveys respect for other religions and promotes living a peaceful life,” said Swami Devaker Chinmaya.
Bimal Sharma, a guest, asked where he could find references to counter misinformation and disinformation, to which he was promised recommendations for books and writings.
Dr Sanchay Sarkar, a Matua community leader, expressed happiness at the knowledge he gained from the event.
Soumya Mondal remarked that many of his friends often speak about the Ghazwa-e-Hind, claiming Muslims will take over India. Similar statements were made during the recent political turmoil in Bangladesh, saying the Ghazwa-e-Hind had already begun.
Dr Adil clarified, “The Ghazwa-e-Hind has already happened in India. Raja Dahir’s army had imprisoned several Muslim women and children, and to free them, Bin Qasim fought against the king. After this, Islam came to India. As Dahir was not popular among his people, Bin Qasim stayed for two years, demonstrating the qualities of a ruler before eventually returning.”
Maulana Ansar Alam Qasmi spoke in Bangla to the audience, while Imtiaz Mollah moderated the event. Athar Firdausi from the SR Foundation gave the vote of thanks.
Ranchi: A citizen’s charter was made public today in Ranchi ahead of the forthcoming assembly polls in Jharkhand by Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan, a Jharkhand-based campaign aimed at saving democracy. The public manifesto, released for the 2024 Legislative Assembly election, demanded the following:
The Land Acquisition Law (Jharkhand) Amendment 2017 and the Land Bank Policy should be repealed. All projects being established without the consent of the Gram Sabha, that violate land laws, or are opposed by locally affected communities, should be canceled.
A Displacement and Rehabilitation Commission should be formed. Land should be provided to the displaced, landless, Dalits, and poor farmers. In line with a recent Supreme Court decision, the state government should immediately impose a state tax on mining and give at least half of it to the Gram Sabha. PESA rules should be formulated, and provisions of the Sixth Schedule should be implemented in Adivasi-dominated areas like Kolhan and Damini Koh. All pending individual and community forest pattas should be distributed within three months of the formation of the new government.
The campaign calls for action within the first six months of the government’s formation on the issues for which the state was created—jal, jangal, zameen, identity, Adivasi autonomy, and freedom from exploitation.
The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Abua Jharkhand, Abua Raj) held a press conference at the Ranchi Press Club, urging political parties that support communal harmony and constitutional values to include these demands in their manifestos. Following the press conference, the Abhiyan delegation submitted the manifesto to the state leadership of the JMM and Congress.
During the press conference, an assessment was given on the Hemant Soren coalition government’s rule over the last five years. Several initiatives aligned with public expectations were undertaken by the coalition government, such as significant increases in social security pension coverage, the Maiya Samman Yojana, support for migrant workers during and after the COVID-19 lockdown, agricultural loan waivers, withdrawal of cases related to the Pathalgadi and CNT-SPT movements, and halting the extension of the Netarhat Field Firing Range project. Additionally, major demands like the 1932 khatiyan-based domicile policy, 27% reservation for backward classes, and the recommendation for a Sarna religious code were passed by the assembly.
However, the Abhiyan pointed out that many promises made by the coalition parties remain unfulfilled after five years. For instance, the Land Bank and Land Acquisition Law amendments were not repealed, the Icha-Kharkai Project was not canceled, PESA rules were not created, and a mob lynching law was not enacted. Additionally, merged schools were not reopened. Moreover, ground-level corruption in government schemes, including MGNREGA, was not adequately curbed. Many government announcements remained limited to paper, such as providing eggs to children in Anganwadi and mid-day meal programs. Over these five years, the BJP and the Modi government continuously attempted to topple the state government. The central government also blocked many state policies.
Looking forward, the new government needs to address key issues. According to government data from last year, around 15,000 undertrial prisoners are in jail, most of whom are Adivasis, Dalits, backward castes, and Muslims, many incarcerated under false cases. These prisoners should be immediately released, and a high-level judicial inquiry should be established to identify and dismiss false cases against Adivasis and marginalized people.
It was also noted that appointments over the past five years were based on the anti-Jharkhand domicile policy of the Raghubar Das government. The new government should implement a khatiyan-based domicile policy (including special provisions for the landless) within three months, in line with public expectations. Laws should also be enacted to ensure substantial representation of Adivasis and Mulvasis in leadership and decision-making positions in both private and government sectors. In Fifth Schedule areas, locals, especially Adivasis, should be prioritized for decision-making roles in police stations and local administrations. Lakhs of landless Dalits and displaced individuals in the state lack caste certificates, depriving them of education, employment, and other rights. The process of issuing caste/residential certificates should be simplified, and camps should be organized to distribute these certificates.
Various communal organizations and parties are undermining the fabric of Jharkhandi society through divisive politics, using issues like Bangladeshi infiltration, Sarna-Christian, and Hindu-Muslim tensions. Halting such activities should be a priority for the next government. An important step toward equality and communal harmony would be to prohibit the construction of religious-specific worship spaces in police stations, police camps, and government offices. Additionally, it should be ensured that religious flags and symbols installed in public places, roads, electric poles, government offices, police stations, and paramilitary camps for religious events are removed within 48 hours after the event concludes.
Another priority for the new government should be improving the state’s poor public education and healthcare systems. Vacant positions, from primary schools to colleges, should be filled, and regular quality classes must be ensured. Similarly, vacancies in sub-health centers to district hospitals should be filled, and provisions for medicines and tests should be guaranteed. The government should avoid focusing solely on works involving contractors and large sums of money, such as building construction.
To end the widespread migration and unemployment in the state, an urban employment guarantee law should be enacted, and the daily wage rate under MGNREGA should be set at Rs 800. Additionally, the amount of social security pensions should be increased to Rs 3,000, and all pregnant and lactating women should receive Rs 20,000 in maternity benefits without conditions, as is done in Tamil Nadu. To combat malnutrition, the government should ensure that all children receive an egg daily in mid-day meals at Anganwadis and schools. The centralized kitchen system for mid-day meals should be discontinued.
Lastly, tackling ground-level corruption should be a top priority for the next government. Immediate measures should be taken to curb the contractor system, and an active, decentralized grievance redressal system should be established. All commissions, such as the Women’s Commission, Human Rights Commission, and Information Commission, should be appointed and made functional.
The press conference was addressed by Ambika Yadav, Ajay Ekka, Aloka Kujur, Basing Hessa, Dinesh Murmu, Elina Horo, Nand Kishore Ganjhu, Riya Pingua, and Tom Kavala.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he streets of India’s West Bengal State, majorly Kolkata, witnessed numerous protests, long marches, and rallies for the last month in recent times demanding justice and legal punishments against the perpetrators of the heinous incident that occurred on August 9 at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital where a junior doctor was reportedly raped and caused to death. People from all walks of life throughout the State, as well as the country, are showing their solidarity either by organizing protest events or by participating in ongoing protest marches against such inhuman and brutal action. It is a very familiar scenario in the State or at its capital of historical importance of such kind from the time of British colonialism and its emancipation from the imperial clutches to showcase such agitations whenever it finds something happening against human rights, injustice, oppression, violations, or political unrest and many more issues around the world.
Conversely, what is unfamiliar within this familiar frame of reference in the post-independent time is the cherry-picking of incidents that suit the ‘consciousness’ of the educated, civil, upper caste-middle class protest organizers from every corner of numerous professions and therefore excluding other genuine significant violations against human rights or injustice or political oppressions considering it as trivial or redundant.
Interestingly, this consideration of triviality gets assured with wilful indifference to issues related to Muslims of Bengal or having Muslim connections. On the other hand, the same intelligentsia becomes more concerned with the Muslim women, human rights, and political oppression of one group by another in countries where the Muslim population is in majority.
For instance, take the recent incident of the brutal lynching of Sabir Mallick, a Bengali Muslim migrant labourer from Basanti Police Station in West Bengal’s South 24 Pargana district who was thrashed to death in the BJP-ruled State, Haryana, on the 27th of August this year by five self-proclaimed cow vigilantes or cow-terrorists on suspicion of cooking and eating beef at his home. Sabir Mallick, who used to work as a ragpicker in Bandhra village of Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district with his family to earn his livelihood by gathering discarded materials and rags, was being duped into selling discarded materials by the accused to vent out their hatred against this migrant Muslim labourer. Though this trend of mob lynching on suspicion of cow smuggling, eating beef, or keeping it in a refrigerator has turned out to be a known fact and normalized scenario after the killing of Akhlaq working as migrant workers in BJP ruled States, non-BJP States like West Bengal and the society at large are maintaining silence and numbness against such inhuman activities.
Surprisingly, except for a few, those fighting to ensure justice for the RG Kar incidents have not uttered a single word or included Sabir’s name for justice in their ongoing protests and marches. Furthermore, there were neither any demonstrations of verbal retaliation against the rhetorical question of the chief minister of Haryana when he said, “Who could stop them (the cow-vigilantes)?” by the State leaders, parliamentary representatives from any political parties– irrespective of colours, in the form of a political statement or press release issued as a sign of protest. The reason is crystal clear. His religious identity and his place of residence in the peripheral location- far away from the luminous streets of Kolkata are sufficient for them to be selective and conscious before raising their voices.
Moreover, Bengal—being a secular and non-BJP State where a Muslim vote bank plays a crucial role in deciding who wins the throne, has eight Muslim political representatives altogether in both lower and upper houses and forty-two Members of the Legislative Assembly with few ministerial posts. Unfortunately, none of the Muslim representatives have spoken a word about the lynching of Sabir Mallick, nor has a single protest march been held in the streets of Kolkata by any Muslim organizations, nor any NGOs, which are brimming by leaps and bounds, and the larger salaried Muslim society have not been found in the streets protesting against such rampant events.
However, there is another twist concurrent to this chain of lopsided proceedings of the Bengal society concerning the infertile and sedentary negligence along with compartmentalized pursuit within the excluded Muslim community preferring silence to raise active voices on their issues, except a few social media activists within closed groups. Additionally, at times, a section of educated community sympathizers expresses their discontent over the lack of socio-cultural representations in societal artefacts and anguish over their nominal representations in the electoral forms of governance and holding of posts in the mainstream political parties, irrespective of colour.
Take the example of a recent government circular. On the 28th of August, the Secondary Branch of the School Education Department under the Government of West Bengal published a list of recruitment to the posts of Chairman/Chairperson for its five regions in which there is not a single Muslim candidate selected in the panel list. It has made an uproar among the educated Muslims of the State among the different sections of the community citing it as systematic deprivation and majoritarian supremacy. An outburst of unrest against such discrimination has been visible in social media, print media, and news portals showcasing the violation of fair and equal opportunities stipulated by the Government of India in any recruitment board vide memo no. O.M. No. 42011/15/1995-Estt.(SCT) dated 11th July 1995 and the revised Memo No. F.NO.42011/2/2014-Estt.(Res.) dated 13th July, 2014 which secures the presence of a representative from the minority. Long story short, the outcry is on the sidelining of Muslim representatives in higher posts in the government sector which is schematically maintained throughout with few exceptions.
Conventionally, Muslim political representatives have been staged as a token of empowerment for the community- obviously for securing vote banks, because of the one-third Muslim population of the State. It’s saddening that their existence involves no actual significance to the acute issues of the community rather than proving their loyalty towards their political custodians. Eventually, such leaders maintain ignorance or silence when issues like Muslim lynchings take place in any part of the country. Naturally, the question arises: why do Bengali Muslims need any community or political leaders at all when they turn out to be mute spectators? Or are their voices being compromised or suppressed by the system they are part of in the power structure of the State? It may be assertive for both questions, especially for those who have closely observed Bengal politics recently.
The silence of the majority community over the recurrent brutal issues against Muslims and silencing the voices of dissatisfaction of Muslim political representatives against the same within the power structure of the Bengal society are sometimes labelled as deprivation and discrimination. Few groups of concerned educated Muslim intelligentsia question these kinds of racist treatments by taking writing as a form of protest against it in community-run newspapers or news portals. But it can be argued that such deprivations and discriminations are being elicited from anti-Muslim or Islamophobic hatred prevalent in Bengal society the initiation of which dates back to the nineteenth-century Bengal reformation in the hands of the then prominent figures, the predecessors of today’s Hindutva ideology, like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Ishwar Gupta, and a flock of writers. The same sentiment and the nurturing of the same against the Bengali Muslims after almost two hundred years are thus visible in the present Bhadralok society in the form of latent Islamophobia. This can be noticed in their movement to divide Bengal for a Hindu Homeland in the 1940s or the deafening silence on sexual abuses in KunanPoshpora or Soni Sori.
Mainstream newspapers and local media are also complicit in the nurturing and conventionalization of latent Islamophobia. The leading media houses specifically cover Muslim issues with grandeur embellishment and insinuate their motive to blame the whole community or their religion when they find any Muslim individual committing any misdeeds and not the specific person. They always ignore covering pertinent issues related to the everyday living of the community. Take the example of the two incidents mentioned above. Neither the popular mainstream Anandabazar Patrika, Ei Samay, Bartaman among other publish any coverage as they usually do with any Muslim links to anti-social activities.
Nevertheless, in both cases, the GoB has taken the so-called positive initiatives; it declared a government job to Sabir’s family; the concerned Department again published a revised circular including three Muslim representatives in the panel list after the uproar by the community people. Contrarily, is it enough for a family and a younger daughter who lost her father for good? Is the weighing of human life with a job and slating brutality with the price of life appropriate enough to let it get normalized in society? Aren’t such initiatives setting the backdrop for more incidents like this to happen? What about justice for a Bengali Muslim minority living in a Hindu-majority State? Though the Haryana police have arrested the five cow vigilantes, who can be assured they will be dealt with stringent punishment for their heinous deeds, when one witnesses the fate of a Dalit or a Muslim in connection with the judicial system of the present country and when non-BJP States like Bengal fails to take that responsibility?
Furthermore, for the latter, this is not the first time such incidents have occurred; this single case is a snapshot only. The tradition of discrimination is deep-rooted either in the form of deprivation in equal share to numerous social fields or violating the roaster system under the Reservation Policy for the Other Backward Class (OBC) in which Muslims have a sizable share. It is untrue that there are ineligible candidates from the Muslim community; there are plenty of them who deserve such higher posts. Because of the systematic manipulation of power and inherent Islamophobic attitude, such cases of latent Islamophobia come out disguised as deprivation or discrimination.
It’s high time to protect and energize the vibrancy of Bengal society from its decadence entangled within the divisive politics of caste, religion, and racism. If a society cannot ensure the safety, security, social justice, and equality of its minorities, it is shameful to uphold the foundational glory and tradition of the said society.
