When Indians Gathered To Offer Tribute To A Pakistani

Published : https://nayadaur.tv/2020/04/when-indians-gathered-to-offer-tribute-to-a-pakistani/ 

By: Ravi Nitesh

It is rare that Indians and Pakistanis consider someone as their own equally, but recently, Dr. Mubashir Hasan’s demise has brought this rare gesture where not only Pakistanis but even Indians too joined to offer him tribute.

Dr. Hasan was born in Panipat (Haryana, India) in 1922 and later migrated to Pakistan where he rose as an eminent political leader being a founding member of PPP and later Finance Minister in Govt. of Pakistan. He advocated peace and regional coordination and supported Indo-Pak Peace by heart.

When the people in Panipat heard the news of his demise, many who knew him became sad. Hali Panipati Trust (A local trust named upon renowned poet Altaf Hussain Hali) organized a memorial meeting to offer tribute and many joined in. Many other Indian progressive groups, individuals, and journalists wrote about him on social media and in newspapers. Pakistan India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) issued a statement as a tribute to him. It looked like Dr. Hasan made people united by hearts even after his death. This tribute and memorial meeting was widely covered by local media. 

I never met him personally, but knew him as a stalwart through many friends who met him. Dr. Syeda Hameed (Syeda aapa) – a well known activist who also authored political biography of former Pakistani PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto with title ‘Born to be hanged’ – also talked about him many times when I met her. She told about how she travelled to Lahore and met him several times.

The connection of Dr. Hasan with Panipat played an important role as people in Panipat still remembered the year 1997 (50 years after partition), when a 23 member Pakistani delegation reached India including Dr. Mubashir. They were hosted in Panipat by Dr. Nirmala Deshpande and their colleagues like Dr. Syeda Hameed and Ram Mohan Rai. This visit is still afresh in minds of people in Panipat who met the delegation members that time. Efforts of Dr. Nirmala Deshpande in organising such delegation visits were commendable and she motivated many activists to spread the message of peace among common people.

During their stay in Panipat, hosts in India arranged stay of Dr. Mubashir in the same house that he had lived once but left during partition. Mr. Rai described how Dr. Mubashir remembered names of many streets in Panipat even after so many years. He used to walk in old streets early morning and sometimes even knocked doors of houses that he knew.

He met with old friends and said ‘O yaara, kitthe ho? Twada purana yaar aaya hai’ (dear friends, where are you- your old friend is here). After these utterances, he and his friends would become emotional.

He was also full of humour and would extend an on spot reply. During another visit to Panipat in year 2008 on the occasion of Hali Mela, the then Chief Minister of Haryana and the then Vice President of India Dr. Hamid Ansari were on stage. Dr. Mubashir Hasan spoke that he is proud upon being a Panipati to which the then CM Hudda replied, ‘you are Panipati only’ and Dr. Hasan immediately responded, ‘then give me citizenship of Panipat’ while everyone was cheered up.

Very few people receive such ‘across the border’ respect. I had witnessed it also when Asma Jahangir left us and we all had gathered in Delhi on the call of PIPFPD. Similarly, when Kuldeep Nayar left the world, I read how people in Pakistan poured their tribute. People like Khushwant Singh and Kuldeep Nayar also got respect of having their ashes flown on the other side of border after their death. Dr. Nirmala Deshpande’s death brought people from many countries together and even her ashes were flown to rivers in South Asian countries. These are the real gestures these people received for their identity of being human first and their vocal speaking of such, irrespective of their other identities. Many amongst such people were those who had history on the other side of border.

Now after 72 years of partition, we are losing the generation who had kept memories and attached with other side while evoking emotions. During these seven decades, unfortunately, many events led us towards a poisonous atmosphere where it has become seditious to love the other side. But it doesn’t mean that everything ended as still many people are advocating for unity of hearts through demolition of walls of hatred. I remember that how during our Aaghaz-e-Dosti Yatra from Delhi to Wagah, even rural women came on road and extended support for peace and Aaghaz-e-Dosti. When asked why they supported, their reply was simple: ‘Because there is nothing in war and conflicts. We need proper food and living and not bloodshed. These conflicts should end.’

I know that most of the villages in Pakistan and India demand this and they deserve it too. Our governments must look prospects of peace in these voices to pave a way for a peaceful future.

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Gandhian-Socialist Efforts are key to National Integration: Peace Actions in Delhi Violence Affected Areas

Published: https://countercurrents.org/2020/03/gandhian-socialist-efforts-are-key-to-national-integration-peace-actions-in-delhi-violence-affected-areas
By: Ravi Nitesh

Delhi Violence claimed more than 50 lives. Hindus and Muslims both faced wrath of extremists of both sides. Fuelled by many objectionable statements and gripped under politics of left and right, secular and communal and even patriotic and seditious, this violence brought a clear fact that no hands are sane and every political group and individual seeking opportunity. This has also brought an ugly fact thateven the capital city of world’s largest democracy is unsafe and sitting at the ignition point of communal conflict in this 21st century of science on the land that is famous for its glorious history of tolerance, co-existence, love, fraternity and spirituality.

Incidentally, this is 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi, the ‘Father of Nation’ for India who has been widely recognized and followed across the world for his fearless leadership to promote peace and non-violence. It is a history that when India was getting its Independence in 1947 and almost all political leaders were gathering in New Delhi to witness the historic moment, Gandhi  was in Noakhali (now in Bangladesh) to work on communal harmony as the place was witnessing Hindu-Muslim riots. Such actions always made Gandhi an extra-ordinary leader among many of his contemporaries and even prior and after him. In the similar way, when in 1969, Government was observing centenary year of Gandhi, a Hindu-Muslim conflict in Ahemdabad, Gujrat pulled Socialist Jayprakash Narayan and Gandhian Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan to sit on fast in Gandhian style against the communal violence and brought ‘Insani-Biradari’ in light.

Now, when Delhi’s Jafrabad, Maujpur, KhajuriKhas and other areas of North East Delhi affected by communal violence, civil society were the first to respond, primarily through providing relief materials and human rights groups with their fact finding reports through talks with local people. But Gandhi’s mission was still incomplete till peace marches jointly by Hindus-Muslims both started in area. First such effort was done locally by people in few streets and later a group of peace activists comprising organisations like National Youth Project (NYP), Integrated Volunteers Network(IVN), Diversified Intervention of Youth Awareness (DIYA), Global Youth Peace Committee (GYPC), Milestone and others started doing that.

With comprehensive meetings at Gandhi Samadhi Rajghat and other public places and institutions, group started with brainstorming and found that in addition to its own relief works, it will try to support other relief works and most importantly will spread message for peace among people through joint marches by Hindus and Muslims.

With the inspiration of Gandhi and Dr. S. N. Subbarao (A veteran Gandhian activist in his 90’s known as The Living Gandhi) and with the experience of volunteering, activists of IVN, NYP and DIYA alongwith local youths (many among whom were already members of NYP, a trust founded by Dr. Subbarao that works with youth camps since last many years and has trained many thousands youth in peace, diversity and harmony and integration), people started with concept of peace marches with ordinary banners scribed with peace slogans like ‘Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Isai- Aapas me sab bhaibhai’ (Eng: Be it Hindu or Muslim or Sikh or Christian, All are like brothers) and ‘Nafratchhodo-DilJodo- Bharat Jodo’ (Reject the Hatred, Join the Hearts-Unite India).

Despite information to local administration in advance, police teams first stopped the march and were not ready to allow it saying no such march were allowed yet, but with the team members convincing powers and assurance that local people are with them and they were already in coordination with local administration for sending relief, police teams communicated among themselves and allowed it for first stretch from Seelampur to MaujpurChowk , approx. 2.5-3 km distance where 20 of us marched with slogans for peace. We crossed over few thousand people and many among them were seem hopeful from their eyes. Few even joined hands to greet, few old aged waved hands as their blessings and this is how Volunteers for Peace moved.

Many more stretches covered in these everyday peace walks in affected areas. After this, few other groups also led peace marches in these areas and probably police and local administration cooperated with them for the reason that their ground impact are effective. One such organization named KhudaiKhidmatgar Hind led by its co-founder Anjum Amir Khan alongwith Gandhi Peace Foundation, SarvSevaSangh, HarijanSevakSangh, Nirmala Deshpande Sansthan and others were completely involved with providing relief materials to affected families. They also had held a public gathering at Jantar-Mantar Delhi in solidarity and for appealfor peace.

With these efforts, it seems that dedication of people like Dr. Subbarao who spent all his life to train youths for peace, diversity and national integration on the path of Gandhi is still valuable and a secret treasure for our society. These Gandhian-Socialist way are befitting alternative to gun-policy of violent ideologies and actions and these are the only path to ensure National Integration.

Ravi Nitesh  is a Petroleum Engineer, Youth activist and follower of Gandhian-Socialist ideology. He has participated in Peace Efforts in Delhi Violence Affected Areas

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Hope for peace through students

Published: Daily Times 17 Feb 2020 / Ravi Nitesh
https://dailytimes.com.pk/559326/hope-for-peace-through-students/ 

If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with children; and if they will grow up in their natural innocence, we won’t have to struggle; we won’t have to pass fruitless idle resolutions, but we shall go from love to love and peace to peace, until at last all the corners of the world are covered with that peace and love for which consciously or unconsciously the whole world is hungering.” – Mahatma Gandhi

As the world is observing 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi, a person who is known for his ideas of truth and non-violence without fear, there is also need to look upon prevailing situation of present world, particularly the region from where he originally belonged- the Indian sub-continent. In fact, present day sub-continent is facing a time of crisis and it demands more and more ideas of people who advocated peace. Kashmir, which was once seen as ‘Ray of Hope’ by Gandhi, has recently faced severe restrictions of curfew, internet ban, arrests and house arrests and many are still under this fear. Borders are volatile and regularly taking lives of soldiers and civilians. Political relations between Pakistan and India are in bad taste and a TRP hungry media is fuelling lot many things with it.

In this time, talking peace is surely a difficult one, that also for India-Pakistan. But we know that there are always some light and we need to search for it and as Gandhi believed, we should learn from children. Pakistani and Indian students choose to paint for peace even in this time when the whole environment is filled with hatred and violence, suppression and attacks. These paintings are part of annual program of Aaghaz-e-Dosti initiative that mostly works with school students of Pakistan and India and also bring a peace calendar every year from selected paintings of both sides.

Students who painted a piece of paper with their brush can be interpreted through their beautiful paintings where they express desire for peace. Since the last eight years, these paintings are coming regularly to become part of a calendar where six paintings from each sides form 12 calendar months and reflects an everyday peace. School students who participate and submit their paintings are seem well aware about the ‘need’ and this is added with their own imagination. Paintings can be seen with Badshahi Misque and Tajmahal, Peace boats, barbed wires with students shaking hands, planting flowers and trees on border, Soldiers together shaking hands and hugging each other, birds flying above and to contemporary one like opening of Kartarpur corridor as symbol of peaceful gesture.

We need to recognise the need of future generation. Any child in these countries actually deserve a peaceful and safer future, free from violence and hatred. India and Pakistan, being two sovereign countries and strong stakeholders in South Asian region, should take positive steps to strengthen understanding and focusing on the way forward. These two countries have rich heritage, culture, history, natural resources, and talents in their own countries and if they decide to move together, there are ample scope of moving towards excellence.

Education is the key to ensure an informed and civilized society and students get affected through their environment and learn things and make an image about each other’s country and people. But whenever, they get opportunity to think it deeply and to think naturally, they come with their idea of peacebuilding. While involving students for such actions for peace, nothing new is being given to them, instead it is like exploring their own idea, the natural instinct for peace that we all, as human being, irrespective of our individual identity, carry.

These expressions are learning for others and a ray of hope in present times when despite not being able to meet or cross boundary, there are young voices to whom all the hatred propaganda and media portrayal cannot divert from the path of peace and we need to support all such actions for peace, wherever these are happening.

The writer is the founder of Aaghaz-e-Dosti which is an Indo-Pak friendship initiative. He Tweets at @ravinitesh and can be reached at ravinitesh@gmail.com

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India’s Citizenship Amendment Act-2019: Confusion, Concerns, Conflicts and Chaos

By: Ravi Nitesh | Published at:

https://countercurrents.org/2019/12/indias-citizenship-amendment-act-2019-confusion-concerns-conflicts-and-chaos 

http://risingkashmir.in/news/confusion-concern-conflict-and-chaos-356252.html 

There are concerns, curiosity and confusion among citizens on CAA (earlier CAB) and protests erupted at many places and in universities across India.

Here are few concerns to express what is problematic there in CAA, NRC and in present situation:

Even if everything is fine with the bill:

If everything was fine with the bill and despite that there were protest against it in parliament, questions and amendments sought for it, then why such a bill was made passed in a day ignoring the dissent without giving it to parliamentary committee to seek concerns from public? Why such emergency?  Was it such an emergency bill or it was just a power show that we can do whatever with available majority? It brings doubt upon intent.

Even if it was made passed, and when protests erupted after that, why still govt. didn’t form any committee to invite concerns and resolve/reply and still crushing the protest through police and military? Any government, if feel itself responsible for citizens of its country, should clear all doubts and should give time to citizens, civil society, communities to remove all their misunderstanding and confusion.

People are much in doubt because of track record of govt. in recent years, particularly in its misadventures like demonstration, 370, NRC in Assam etc. that only pushed people to believe that leaders in govt. justify only their own decisions and rule in autocratic style while governance is all about being responsible for citizens.

Many chief ministers opposed the bill and even those who voted in favor of bill like BJD and JD(U) have come on front to oppose mixing NRC with this bill in implementation

But, everything with the bill is not right and here is how:

Discriminatory Grounds

The Bill considers ‘Religious persecution’ as a ground to provide citizenship to Non-Muslims who came from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

First of all, why only ‘Religious persecution’ has been taken in consideration and persecutions due to other issues like economic, social, political have been left from considering it as ground is the big question and must be protested.

Moreover, within the Religious persecution itself, why sectorial persecution within the religion, which is very prevalent in communities like Hazara, Shias and Ahmedis have been left. It is also unclear as to how Atheists, who do not believe in any religion have been left out and which country is for them?

Why only Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are only countries included in amendment bill and why not other countries is another big question. Hon’ble Home Ministers said in Upper House of Indian parliament that boundary of Afghanistan was with us in pre-partition time and Pakistan and Bangladesh were our part and that’s why these countries are included. Unfortunately, this basis cannot be said as justified as partition was happened 72 years ago, not recently and also that our border also touched to Myanmar (then Burma) during pre-partition era and still touching Nepal, Bhutan, Sri-Lanka and Maldives (Marine border) but why these countries have not been included. Answers are unknown. While the fact that Tamils from Sri-Lanka, Rohingyas from Myanmar are known for their migration due to persecution.

Home Minister in Upper House clearly said that we cannot offer all Muslims to come and to settle in our country. This statement is problematic in terms that no one is asking him to do so, but he must remember that why only Muslims have been left from this bill and why he can offer everyone else to come except Muslims? Is there any solid ground for that? Those who give logic that Hindus cannot go anywhere else must also ask to minister that then why Buddhists, Parsis, Christians included as they can also go to other countries and this country is not birth place of these religions as well.

This bill doesn’t tell what would be status of Tibetan refugees and Srilankan Tamils as they already are in India.

What International Laws state:

International laws are like guiding principles and not abiding with states who are not signatory to it, however under international relations, these are important principles for all states. Here are only few such examples:

Convention related to status of refugees (1951) and amended through 1967 protocol, clearly states (under its Article 1) that ‘refugee is a persecuted person for race, religion, nationality, membership of social group, political opinion…..’ and it clearly restricts state (under Article 3) to discriminate against refugees on these basis and ‘same treatment with respect to public relief and assistance as it accorded to state’s own citizens’. Though, India is not a signatory of 1951 Convention and hence its not a legal obligation but it doesn’t lesser its moral obligation.

The UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination states that ‘deprivation of citizenship on the basis of race, color, decent, ethnic origin is a breach of states’.

Recently, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom criticized CAA.

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also criticized the act with ‘fundamentally discriminatory in nature’.

United States House Committee also questioned the bill.

Who are illegal immigrants and how world looks them

Illegal immigrants are those who enter in a country without any documentation and in violation of immigration law of the country. However, progressive countries even avoid calling them as ‘illegal immigrants’ considering the fact that persons are not illegal and hence they should be termed as ‘undocumented immigrants’. Reasons of these illegal crossings worldwide includes poverty, limited resources, conflicts and wars, persecutions on various basis and in search of better and safer life. In recent times, climate change also becoming a reason of such illegal crossings.

India, as a country with second highest population may not carry more weight upon it through undocumented immigrants, but to stop it, there should be a proper mechanism, with primarily as responsive and honest border crossing mechanism but if someone entered in the boundary, it should have been dealt not on religious basis.

Against the Constitutional Ethos and Against Spirit of Freedom Struggle

Our constitution guarantees equality before law under its Article 14. Our citizenship articles also provides provisions to grant citizenships to people as per already existed under Citizenship Act, 1955.

India never adopted ‘religion’ as a ground for granting citizenship and hence any change to this status would be an attack upon ethos of equality and secularism. India belongs to its people and even in its ancient days, welcomed people from all sides to come and grow together and enhance its diversity. Providing refuge to anyone without discrimination was in its value and culture. Even during modern history’s freedom struggle, people of all religions and identities fought for India and names of Hindus, Mulsims, Sikhs, Parsis and others can be easily seen on the walls of India Gate, in Jalianwalan List and in list of freedom fighters and even during partition when Muslim League demanded a separate nation for Muslims and Britishers approved the same; millions of Muslims never left India as this was the land where generations and generations of Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs and others born, lived and died together. India, in spirit of its freedom struggle maintained its secular character after Independence.

Generating suspicion, social dis-integrity and dis-harmony

Now provisions to grant citizenship on religious grounds have initiated a new debate and has made ‘Muslims’ as a word that is on denial. Though in CAB (now CAA), it is termed only for Muslims who are in India from other countries. This very basis of separation is problematic and inhumane and it also brings a feeling of exclusion among Muslims who are citizens of India as to why other religions from other countries can be accepted except Muslims when within India, all religions live and had lived together and India doesn’t belong to any single religion.

Exclusion politics for Muslims on HindutvaBrandline

This exclusion politics for Muslims is broad basis among dissatisfaction for everyone who doesn’t accept the ideology of Hindutva. The idea of India and even Hinduism always spoke about equality, inclusivity and diversity while the ideology of Hindutva is attacking those values. Also, the exclusion based on religious identity is a new and ‘expected’ in line with the extremist ideology where Muslims are looked with hate and ‘others’. The Assam NRC exercise brought out example of what can happen to even Indian Muslims once NRC will be tabled as bill in Parliament and this speculation is certainly not an ‘imaginary’ one, instead putting it in parliament has been in pipeline of the present government and then together with CAA+NRC may put millions of Muslims as illegal entrants.

Assam NRC’s fault lines

NRC exercise in Assam brought some 19 Lacs people out of accepted list and hence these people considered as illegal immigrants. Started with all passionate efforts on the suspicion that millions of Bangladeshis have been settled in Assam and need to be deported, this exercise brought a rough proportion of around 12 lacs Hindus and 7 lacs Muslims and hence as a polarized vote bank based party, even state unit of BJP opposed this result and pressurized to central leadership to bring Hindus out from this hell created. Now, CAA may come as a remedy for them as then it will grant citizenship amongst most of the 12 lacs Hindus while there would be nothing for remained 7 lacs Muslims as they will be considered as illegal immigrants. This is when ground reports available where it is probed that even in many among these 7 lacs Muslims are from Hindi belt areas of Bihar and U.P. who with the time got settled in Assam but they do not have any document to prove they are Indian citizens. There are wide spread reports where even former Indian army soldiers have been now put under detention centres as an illegal immigrant. There are reports that Father made it in the list but daughter couldn’t ,Whole family made it in list but mother couldn’t and many such stories where few members of family declared illegal and have been put in detention centres. The whole cumbersome exercise was a hell for poor, illiterate and downtrodden and it didn’t consider right of blood or right of the soil as basis of citizenship.

As per recent statement in Loksabha, it is informed that around 1000 detention centres being built in various districts of Assam to put these illegal immigrants. It is sad to say that probably India may become the only country in world that would put such a huge number of people, based on their religious identity under such large numbers of detention centres. This is infact, cruel, inhumane and against human rights; but it doesn’t matter for present power because our Home Minister already stated that ‘We do not believe in western idea of human rights.’

But on the other hand, even this possibility of granting citizenship to 12 lacs Hindus through CAA in this Assam NRC exercise is not acceptable to native citizens of Assam because as per their demands, they want to protect their indigenous culture from any outsider irrespective of religion. Hence, NRC is nowhere a solution for even Assam and instead created another problem (in addition to already existed refugee problem) after CAA.

Though the bill exempts tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura; but it has become a matter of concern of whole Assam and other NE states. Also, the bill doesn’t include Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland as these states are under Inner Line Permit provision, but to address concern of Manipur, government also added ILP in Manipur too recently.

Unproved Data and Unclear Analysis and Unclear Future

Data provided in support of CAB is nothing. Yes, no data provided as Government doesn’t have any authenticate data regarding how many people from these countries have come and among them how is the religion-wise divison.

Government also has no process to check if the identity of the person came from another country is an accurate one and not based on fake documents. There is no such agency (neither can be) to check this accuracy of identity as scholars argue that India doesn’t have any such agency except R&AW who deals with intelligence gathering from other countries.

Government has no data as to how many people will get benefited from this bill. Certainly, crores of people not going to be and neither crores of people have come to India from these countries. Then why such a haste made and why one religion made left is the question and doubts the integrity of government.

There is no set process or basis to check whether even non-Muslims who came are on the ground of ‘Religious Persecution’and no Muslim who came faced any persecution.

There is no clarity as to how earlier existed Citizenship Act (1955) could not provide citizenship or what attributes it was lacked in providing citizenship to people including religiously persecuted persons and that how many such people applied for such citizenship earlier as it is clear that earlier existed act didn’t behave on religious grounds.

There is no agreement of Government of India with respective governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh regarding return of these ‘illegal’ Muslims who will be identified, neither any process that will prove them as citizens of these countries and hence millions of lives,particularly of Muslims will remain freeze in uncertainty and after NRC, their future is unknown.

If refugee or outsiders migrants are still such a big problem for India, there should be proper study for it regarding the disadvantages and resources spent on such outsiders to actually address its root cause and through sealing the still porous borders, undecided disputed areas for any such entry from any border.

Suffering for common people and a future of ‘Statelessness’ for Muslims

To think that CAA with NRC will only be a problem for Muslims is not the right way, though certainly Muslims will be final sufferers but during the process (that will definitely take few years to complete and that also with errors), common people of all religions will be required to prove their citizenship where Aadhar and PAN and Passport, DL will not be considered as valid documents to prove citizenship and thus long queues, much confusion and chaos will be surfaced and everyone will be running to justify their citizenship with most sufferers as poor, downtrodden and illiterates. Even if this NRC will be ever completed, Muslims will be declared out as illegal and will be put in detention centres with unknown future and treatment, all others may get citizenship through CAA and hence, the CAA will remain an Anti-Muslim bill which will include Muslims in general irrespective of which country they belong at the time of their stay in this land, we call India.

This is like making Muslims feel a second class citizens of this country and after the CAA and NRC, If Muslims will be singled out, this will be state of ‘Statelessness’ for which international community remains concerned and everyone should be and this state is against the principle of elimination of racial discrimination. This is how many Jews were made stateless and faced holocaust through Nuremburg Citizenship Law by Germany.

Illegal immigration is not one sided

Though it is difficult to distinguish and finding actual victims of religious persecutions, the illegal immigration is not one sided even in our country. Though there is probably no official study on numbers of such immigrants in India, but in Bangladesh, there may be around 1.2 million Indians who are living illegally as per few estimates.

India is one among the leading receiver of remittances (money sent to India by NRIs) and Bangladesh is fifth among nations who sent highest remittances to India.

India is not only country where people migrate illegally in to. People, in general move towards countries with better future for life and being a comparatively progressive country, people from few neighboring countries try to enter in India. Many Indians have also migrated illegally in to many countries in last many years and many amongst them also got settled in foreign countries with the time. Even in India’s neighbor countries, illegal migration happened from other countries but they didn’t come out with any such provision/act like CAA.

A myth regarding flow of reducing minority population has been made where data provided were used of 1941 census and hence baseless. In fact, through other sources, it is estimated that minority population in Pakistan (West Pakistan at the time of partition) remain almost stable and even increased with the time since partition. While in Bangladesh (East Pakistan at the time of partition), many Muslims and Non-Muslims migrated and entered in India due to persecution based on religion as well as due to better life prospects. Hence, only religious persecution cannot be termed as the sole reason of any reduction in minority population in these countries.

Is everything bad with CAA?

No, infact, no one is against grant of citizenship to Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, Buddhists, Christians and Sikhs as people including those who are protesting advocate citizenship to these communities. Concern is only regarding singled out Muslim community. Hence protest should not be considered as protest against grant of citizenship, instead, it is against the inequality, against religion-based citizenship and against possible persecution of Muslims in India.

Is CAA and NRC are separate things?

Legally said yes at some extent, but they are linked closely and after implementation, they will affect heavily on Muslims. Moreover, we must know that NRC is mandatory under CA, 1955 through an amendment in year 2003-04 and hence cannot be said as completely separate. There is much possibility that NRC will be implemented nationwide and this will be termed as a sixteen year old requirement with existed amendment of Citizenship Act, 2003.

For or Against National Security?

Many who advocating the bill are favoring it on religious grounds and have notion as Bangladeshi Muslims as security threat without knowing any actual figures. On the other hand, India’s own intelligence agency R&AW expressed concern with the bill that it can be used by foreign agencies to help infiltrate legally in India.

Cost Effective and Need of Hour?

GDP is down, there are already reports that unemployment is at its peak, industries are facing shut downs and surely the need of hours should be addressing most immediate problems for common public good.

Beneficiaries are not counted as per a Loksabha statement by External Affairs Ministry, Even India’s own missions don’t have any reliable data about how many Indians staying and working illegally in foreign countries

As per reports telecasted in NDTV, Rs. 1220 Crore spent in Assam for NRC on 3.06 Cr population that brings Rs. 399/- per person. Hence, with 137 Cr population, it will be Rs. 54,663 Cr which itself is a big amount for a country which needs to address more immediate problems.

Earlier exercises like of making Voter ID cards, compulsory UIDs, Ration cards had already been actions where errors are still unresolved. NRC in Assam took many years to complete and still there are so many errors in the same. All such past experiences only indicates that no nationwide exercise of every citizen’s identity is full proof or perfect and no such exercise had been ever completed without errors. Now in these cases of CAA (where only Non-Muslim migrants will provide documents for getting citizenship) and NRC (where every citizen will have to prove their citizenship through documents), exercise will definitely not be error free again, but the impact of error in these cases will affect heavily as a person may be declared as non-citizen or illegal immigrant.

Generating Protest or Uprising or New Codes for Human Rights Violations?

And at last, even if everything stated above is far-fetched and not the intention of government and people protesting including myself are actually confused, misunderstood and mislead youths, even Large number of people are on streets to protest this disputed act, but administration on direction of government terming it and taking it only as law and order problem despite the fact that these protests are not controlled by any leader, any ideology or organization and hence should be seen as uprising.

Government on the other hand is only handling it through applying force and trying to crush it by all ways. Paramilitary forces have been deployed in civilian areas. Internet is shut down in many parts of country including in National capital and hence curtailing freedom of speech and expression is what government is thinking about. Hundreds of people have been detained, permissions to hold rallies and peaceful marches have been denied and states like Uttar Pradesh announced imposing section 144 in whole state, which is completely against violations of human rights and rights of peaceful assembly.

At Last

And at last, even if everything stated above is far-fetched and not the intention of government and people protesting including myself are actually confused, misunderstood and mislead youths, even then also, my government should act in accountable and responsible ways to remove these suspicions and to address doubts, to clear confusions and to answer the questions as there are no reasons to not doing this except that all above are possibilities and my constitution will be smashed.

Ravi Nitesh is petroleum engineer, youth leader and human rights activist.

ravinitesh@gmail.com | Twitter @ravinitesh | www.ravinitesh.com

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ARTICLE: I Lost a Mentor, a Friend. Goodbye Rahul Jalali

Published:

Rising Kashmir | 30 July 2019

http://epaper.risingkashmir.com/EPaper.aspx?kH2sJU5b4AelS58q42sJzw_ep_ep 

A big smile, a polite voice and despite a thin pipe in his nose, he walked and sat on his dining table where I was waiting for him. During my few visits to meet him, just without any work, only for talks, I didn’t know that this visit would be last one. I had met him around two months ago and now, he suddenly left us.

Rahul Jalali, as the world know him, was a veteran journalist and has been an elected president of Press Club of India but more importantly, he was a man who was always filled with much love and compassion in his heart. Whenever I met him, I leaned from him, about being humble, being simple and being down to earth. In one of my meetings with him, he literally cried, filled with tears when he remembered his friendship with others of his generations. This cry was for Pandit-Muslim relations. He told me that youths in the valley, probably will never feel what people whether Pandits or Muslims of his generation still feel and how beautiful and strong bonds people of his generation still share with each other. He wished and told me to start informal sittings of Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims and desired to use his house for these sittings whether both sides can talk, can tell experiences, can say stories and can sit together. Sadly, I thought that I will do it soon after few months but now he departed. In the last meeting, he spoke to me about how some people Pandits and Muslims are meeting in a nearby center and told me a very good environment about in those sittings.

He was a strong advocate for India-Pakistan Peace and always supported us in Aaghaz-e-Dosti (An Indo-Pak Friendship Initiative) through his presence in its activities and his voice in the favor. He was someone to whom I found an extremely nice soul. I remember when he asked for few Indo-Pak peace calendars and I presented few with excuse that I could not give more due to financial constraint, to which he said to send me a note where he would try to get some help for printing of this calendar. I also remember how he was much concerned upon political situations, social equations and most importantly on the standard of present day journalism. He was too concerned that actually journalism is not a bookish subject that journalism institutes try to teach, instead it is something else. As he was also going to prestigious IIMC (Indian Institute of Mass Communication), he told me that he goes there because he has freedom there to teach journalism in his own way. I don’t know whether students of IIMC experienced it or not, but I can guess that his approach to subject would be pure, full of practical sessions, interactions and informal sittings and providing them opportunities to know narratives, to know root causes and to have a view without bias. While he was sad on present situation of media and ethos, the shouting anchors and all; I remember that during one of our program when someone asked him about the need on restriction upon media, he immediately told that restriction upon media is not good as Media must be free and self-controlled. In this program, he also brought many beautifully crafted sentences as humor even on serious issues and made the discussion interesting for audience. On the other hand, he was also active on social media and told me that he express his thoughts there and also analyse reaction of people there. He believed that social media is also a good platform where people may share their notes.     

He also spoke about his visit to Jammu and where he travelled to border areas and met with people. He used to speak with me on phone whenever he felt like. He told that Delhi’s pollution creates problem for him and he takes oxygen sometimes and he doesn’t prefer going out.

As now, he departed, I feel that I lost a mentor, a friend and a person whom I admired as one of the finest persons I ever know. His smile will remain in our memories and his teachings will shine in our actions for peace. I also see that everyone who knew him and who love him, may take small steps for peace at individual, group levels in the areas of Pandit-Muslim Friendship, India-Pakistan Peace and Media and journalism.  

His messages that was published in Indo-Pak Peace Calendar of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, reads:

“When countries are in pain, it is only peace and understanding that provides the healing balm. In India and Pakistan, we urgently need this balm. Let us come together to heal each other.”

By:

Ravi Nitesh

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Indo-Pak Peace Will Bring Prosperity To South Asia

Ravi Nitesh calls on leaders of India and Pakistan to diffuse tensions and work towards resolving the longstanding bilateral issues so regional peace can be achieved.

https://nayadaur.tv/2019/06/indo-pak-peace-will-bring-prosperity-to-south-asia/ 

India recently held elections and voted BJP to power once again. Narendra Modi along with his council of ministers took oath for office. Many are speculating over how the government would perform. Although time will tell if the PM will be able to live up to the expectations of his voters, but what we know is that his re-election has provided Modi a great opportunity to take action for the better.

For its election campaign, the BJP strengthened its IT cell to reach out to every citizen through social media. It also helped that his image as a leader was improved among the Indian people due to some of his recent steps as PM. PM’s visit to other countries showed India’s strong external relations with the international community.

Moreover, Modi’s governance record has also been praiseworthy. Distribution of free gas connections, free health cards, making all villages electrified and building highest ever miles of roads and bridges in the country are some of his achievements.

From ‘surgical strikes’ against Pakistan to his handling of the post-Pulwama crisis, the PM managed to create an impression among the public about him being ‘strong’. UN’s obligations of bringing Masood Azher under global list of terrorists was also seen as India’s diplomatic win by common citizens.

But as elections are now over and government formed, the PM and his team need to start walking the talk.  When Modi and former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif held a meeting to diffuse tensions between the countries, the meeting got appreciation from all over the world. From common people to media and to governments and world leaders – everyone wanted India and Pakistan to meet at the dialogue table instead of exchanging harsh words publicly.

PM Imran Khan’s calls for restoration of peace between India and Pakistan and his government’s decision to open the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims have also been praised in India. Since both Imran Khan and Modi are seen as ‘strong’ in their respective countries, they should work towards resolving the longstanding Indo-Pak conflicts.

The surprise appointment of former Indian diplomat S. Jaishankar as India’s Minister of External Affairs may prove to be good for India-Pakistan relations because he appears to have the ability see positive effects of peace.

As already conveyed by both PM Modi and PM Imran Khan, both countries have almost similar challenges and getting rid of these issues need to be their priorities.

PM Imran Khan has a good fan following in India not only due to his multiple visits and achievements as a cricketer, but also because of his clearheaded statements seeking peace between the two countries.

From severe issues like Siachen, Kashmir and Sir Creek to issues like strengthening people to people exchange programs, educational collaborations, regularizing cross LoC trades and start of new routes like Kargil-Skardu, start of tourist visas, start of telecom partnerships, new spiritual routes such as of Sharda Peeth and increase in pilgrimages visas – the two countries should hold talks to find a way out. Humanitarian issues like betterment of conditions of prisoners and fishermen in each other’s prison to their speedy trials, revival of Indo-Pak judicial committee, more intensive talks on reduction of ceasefire violations, travel arrangements of divided families and wives of surrendered militants etc should be explored.

Recent face-off also witnessed the financial weight upon pocket of government on both sides. As it seems an environment now exists on both sides due to political stability, and history from Vajpayee years may be seen as effective example where even after 1999 Kargil, both sides came together and agreed for ceasefire in 2003 that brought down the CFVs drastically from few thousands in 2002 and 2003 to almost nil in 2004.

If this time again, both sides decide to take few steps together to resolve enmity and hatred, this would definitely usher in a new era in South Asia that is a common desire of people on both sides and will be remembered in history.

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Last Leg of Voting & Real Agenda of Eastern Uttar Pradesh

Ravi Nitesh for BeyondHeadlines

https://beyondheadlines.in/2019/05/last-leg-of-voting-real-agenda-of-eastern-uttar-pradesh/ 

Now, when the voting of six phases has been conducted for 484 seats, the whole environment of elections needs to be reviewed for what it has created and to what it is going to vote after in the last leg of voting for remaining 59 seats in 8 states on 19th May 2019. During the history of this democracy, probably this is the first time when a terror accused person has contested elections on the ticket of a party that has formed Government of India in 16th Lok Sabha. Logics can be created and given on every words and actions spoken by parties and their leaders but bringing cinema persons, signers, cricketers in mainstream politics, speaking false information about facts and figures and trying to befool people on the basis of WhatsApp and social media rackets is something we, as a democracy, need to be worried about.

No matter what would be the final result on 23rd May, whether NDA, UPA or any Third Front would make government, the real struggle to ensure honest and effective governance system on the ground must come irrespective of who is in power. For Uttar Pradesh, a state that is actually a deciding factor in Indian history of General elections till now, challenges are ahead even after 23 May for the reason that the state needs a complete overhaul in its system and needs an approach that can focus its growth to ensure region-centric schemes. In the last leg of voting, its 12 constituencies including PM’s constituency Varanasi and others namely Ballia, Bansgaon, Chandauli, Deoria, Ghazipur, Ghosi, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Mirzapur, RobertsGanj and Salempur with most seats in most backward Poorvanchal region are on stake.    

In this election season for 17th Lok Sabha, many debates are on the surface along with visionary manifestos released by national and regional political parties. Considering the highest numbers of parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh (80 seats among total 543 seats to be elected in India), the focus for everyone is Uttar Pradesh. Being the most populated state in India with approx. 20 crore people living in the state, Uttar Pradesh serves a great purpose in national politics and also has a great history in socio-political revolution since freedom struggle. It is said that if Uttar Pradesh were a country, it would be among top 5 countries of the world in terms of population, yet the state is still far behind on many fronts than many other states in India, yet the most talked issues even in this elections are not the core issues of development.  

On the political spectrum, the long burning issue seems Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi case that is supplying fuel to political parties for making it ground to polarize people. The same people who consists of around 20 crores among total 133 crore population of India and roughly divided with 80% and 19% ratio of Hindus and Muslims. In this elections, most of the keywords spoken by candidates and reported in media are about Pakistan, Pulwama, Balakot, Soldiers, Army, Hindu-Muslim and even many candidates and campaigners of political parties including few at important positions, have publicly violated the election commission’s MCC (model code of conduct).

The lost agenda of development indicates that candidates here have no worry that common people would ask real questions of development on ground that is still invisible. The record of Uttar Pradesh needS to be reminded. As per census 2011, Uttar Pradesh has a literacy rate of 70.69% that is below the national average of 74.04%. As the state is one among the biggest in terms of area and population and diverse with language and culture, caste and religion, there is also seen an internal divide among its different regions. A pool of around 26 districts (number of districts are different with different ideas of Poorvanchal) in Eastern U.P. are jointly called as ‘Poorvanchal Region’ has districts with lower literacy rate when it is compared to western UP (Pashchimanchal) and Central U.P. or Awadh Region. Poorvanchal region with a population around 8 crores and 30 parliamentary seats (among 80 in U.P.) has none of its districts among top 5 under literacy rate of all districts of U.P. while lowest three districts (Behraich, Shrawasti and Balrampur) of U.P. are from this region with less than 50% of literacy rate.

In the Niti Aayog report, 2016 of infant mortality rate (IMR) per 1000 live births, U.P. is among the top five states of India with high IMR, 43 nos. per 1000 live births before the national average of 34 and with the high rate among districts of Poorvanchal region. While U.P. itself is among the lowest per capita income states in India, the situation of Poorvanchal region is worse.

While parties are focusing on national and regional agendas, there must be a talk about creating different states such as Poorvanchal, Pashchimanchal, Awadh from U.P. or at least different administrative departments for its better governance as this may identify and address to resolve real issues. Any political party, if decides to improve the real fortune of people in Uttar Pradesh, it must focus on regional agendas with Poorvanchal as important among them. A region which has much scope due to its rivers, mountains, pilgrimages, tourist places, historical places, diverse language and culture but the same region is facing a crisis of hospitals, educational institutions, transparent and digitalized way of governance and have widespread corruption, high crime rate and lower level of public awareness.

As per NCRB report 2016, Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for 9.5% of total IPC crime reported in the country and with highest number of murder cases (16.1%), highest number of kidnapping and abduction (18.1%), highest number of crime against women (14.5%) and crime against children (15.3%) among all states in India. State also reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against scheduled casts (25.6%).

The creation of more states within Uttar Pradesh is the need of the hour in view of the need of development and in fact, it is not a new idea. In the book ‘Thoughts on linguistic states’, Dr B. R. Ambedkar had proposed the idea of U.P. to make it in three parts with Meerut as the capital of Western U.P., Kanpur as the capital of Central U.P. and Allahabad as the capital of Eastern UP.

The focus of Uttar Pradesh should be towards the people of the state and to their welfare. People of this state migrate in large numbers towards metros in search of employment, educational and better living opportunities as the region could not provide them right opportunities. Political parties who are involved in nation building must also seek solutions to ensure that social justice, equality, developmental opportunities would be made available to Poorvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh.  

(Writer is Petroleum Engineer and Youth Activist. He belongs to Poorvanchal Region of Uttar Pradesh. He tweets @ravinitesh)

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