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EDITORIAL What can be teemed as landmark judgement, J&K High Court has directed State Government to ban plying of old vehicles in the heavily polluted twin capitals of Jammu & Srinagar. Taking cue from the Apex Court order enforced in Delhi to reduce pollution, similar dispensation has to be put in place before it is too late. The contours of such limitations have been left to be notified by the Government but it essentially must encompass what has been entailed in the Apex Court judgement. In reality it is neither the age of the vehicles nor any other ...more Though short, current session of J&K assembly has been faster on delivery. It depicts the Farooq Government in positive light in as much as long overdue legislative measures have been cleared with alacrity par excellence quite unknown to successive rulers of this wretched State. It has been invariably a case of elusiveness, false promises, short-delivery or wrong delivery besides ...more |
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MEN AND MATTERS From B L Kak Is Indianisation in
India avoidable?.... By Dr R L Bhat Secular foundation By M L Kotru Indo- Russian front on global terrorism- II By V D Chopra |
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EDITORIAL What can be teemed as landmark judgement, J&K High Court has directed State Government to ban plying of old vehicles in the heavily polluted twin capitals of Jammu & Srinagar. Taking cue from the Apex Court order enforced in Delhi to reduce pollution, similar dispensation has to be put in place before it is too late. The contours of such limitations have been left to be notified by the Government but it essentially must encompass what has been entailed in the Apex Court judgement. In reality it is neither the age of the vehicles nor any other consideration that has weighed heavily in the mind of learned Judge. The over-riding factor is ever increasing pollution which has assumed hazardous proportions that affect the health of the citizens. Viewed from another angle ageing vehicles not only fret and fume but also are fuel gushers. Given that petro-products are imported at huge foreign exchange drain, more fuel efficient vehicles must replace the old ones. That explains enforcement of Euro I & II compliant vehicles, incorporation of devices that facilitate operation on LPG and addition of other anti-pollution devices. According to the verdict, Government and its functionaries are under constitutional obligations to control pollution and if necessary by anticipating the causes of pollution curb the same. The direction to the Government restricts operation of the order to the cities of Jammu and Srinagar and that these old vehicles can indeed continue plying on outer routes away from the capital cities. The High Court has also imposed speed limit of 30 km for all types of vehicles within the municipal limits besides imposing other restrictions like crossing of white Line, random stopping that chokes other vehicular traffic besides directing the authorities to construct proper stops within three months. It is also directed that possession of proper and valid driving license is a must and that traffic police/RTO should carry out intensive checks. In fact, many things are already contained in the MV Act. What is conspicuous by its absence is the traffic discipline both at the official as also operators level. It is this indiscipline and non-observation of norms that results in large number of accidents besides causing undue congestion and pollution on busy roads. There are many more factors that continue to raise level of pollution in the power-starved cities in particular. Extensive use of generators to light up the business premises during curtailments and disruptions of power supply are by far the greatest pollutants that cause instant choking of the lungs. This aspect has not been constructively addressed by the powers that be. It is obvious that one cannot revert to primitive age in this modern scientific era. The Government is singularly responsible for adding this man-made pollution problem. It is ironical that even PCB has not moved in the matter. To keep the environs free for the hapless citizens who are twin victims of official ham-handedness and pollution alike, it is mandatory and obligatory on the part of the powers that be to either stop curtailments or devise some other suitable alternative to reduce level of pollution on this count. High Court has reminded the Government and its officials that they are under constitutional obligations to control pollution. In this context, substitute sources of power supply whenever curtailment is enforced should be put in place immediately. These could be gas-turbine based or large community diesel power supply for the exclusive consumption of commercial establishments within the city limits. Of course tariff for such supply should be more or less equal to the cost of what is being incurred by them on operation of mini Petrol/Kerosene Gen Sets. This is a suggestion and its viability needs to be gone through in objective and realistic manner. It must be recognised that this is a very strong pollutant and Government must not wait for intervention of Courts to address to this problem. Either curtailments be stopped or alternatives put in place. Yet another source of pollution is garbage dumps, choked drains and lanes in highly dilapidated condition. Municipal bosses have to put their act together for speedy clearance and timely repair. Now that ban on fresh recruitment of safai karamcharis is lifted, every possible effort should be made to keep the city spick and span. In this context it is reminded that Apex Court had given directions to Municipal Corporation of Delhi on these lines. Let the action plan be put in place without intervention of the Courts. Congestion also adds to pollution. Nothing has been done to decongest the old city in particular. There have been various committees on this count but their recommendations have remained confined to filthy cupboards. One ought to change with time. Here it is a classic case of moving two steps backward for every step forward. In fact most of the pollution related problems can be directly traced to apathy and inaction besides lack of any perspective plan to cater to the ever increasing population and the resultant demands and requirements of the citizens. When one mentions decongesting city, it implies broadening of roads and lanes, creation of more roads, providing all facilities in the outlying colonies so that they do not converge on the city. Greater Jammu or Greater Srinagar plans are futile unless corresponding facilities and infrastructurals are in place with clear focus on bringing the pollution level to safe limits. Though short, current session of J&K assembly has been faster on delivery. It depicts the Farooq Government in positive light in as much as long overdue legislative measures have been cleared with alacrity par excellence quite unknown to successive rulers of this wretched State. It has been invariably a case of elusiveness, false promises, short-delivery or wrong delivery besides 'miscarriages on almost all fronts, claims of all-round development and progress advertised in the media recently notwithstanding. For instance, announcement of Panchayat elections to be held on January 5 next surprised everyone. The caustic comments were invariably on the lines that it is one of those frequently reeled out 'rhetorics'. But the message appears to be much stronger this time as word has gone round to speed up and brace up for the day of reckoning i.e. January 5. It is good for the Government to be in time and on time. It is no use to engage in frivolities. Close on the heels of this announcement comes the speed with which three bills have been move and passed in the assembly when all earlier sessions failed to produce anything worthwhile despite many promises made on several counts. Municipalities of Jammu and Srinagar get the Corporation status. All the 62 Notified Area Committees become Municipal Committees having strength proportionate to population. Likewise, all the five Town Area Committees become Municipal Councils. Above all, long awaited Amarnath Shrine Board Bill is passed. One would expect similar speed on the power front and other problems faced by the people so that this Government can rightly be mentioned as 'Government in action'. It can then confidently seek peoples positive mandate to rule once again. |
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MEN
AND MATTERS From B L Kak The dreaded terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba, is in the news, once again. And this time, in the land of Marathas, Maharashtra, Lashkar-e-Toiba and its operatives have created a bit of sensation, a bit of fear, a bit of commotion, and a bit of administrative action. In the process, a different activity altogether has been reported among a number of members and sympathisers of the Shiv Sena. And the activity pertains to a new line of action against the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The Shiv Sena supremo, Mr Bal Thackeray, has approved the activity. In fact, he has approved plans seeking creation of an effective instrument or platform against Pakistan-aided Lashkar-e-Toiba not only in his home State, Maharahstra, but also elsewhere in the country, particularly the troubled State of Jammu and Kashmir. A beginning, in this regard, has been made by a set of Hindu youngesters.They are for a new organisation which will be known as the Lashkar-e-Shivba. Lashkar-e-Shivba derives its name from the ‘enemy’ and from its avowed ideal-‘enemy’ being the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the avowed ideal being Chhatrpati Shivaji. History bears testimony to the fact that Shivaji was referred to as Shivba in his childhood. The Government of India has been informed by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) about the formation of Lashkar-e-Shivba in Mumbai by a group of youngesters. The founders of the outfit have also planned to set up units of Lashkar-e-Shivba in other parts of the country, particularly Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. There is no denying that the setting up of Lashkar-e-Shivba in Maharashtra was the product of the "blessings" of the Shiv Sena chief. The new outfit is not a constituent of the Shiv Sena, but Mr Bal Thackeray has supported it for its "nationalist ideology".Founders of the new outfit have chosen to concentrate in Maharashtra in the given situation as the State’s law-enforcing authorities have pointed to the spreading tentacles of the Lashkar-e-Toiba in different areas of Maharahstra, particularly Aurangabad in Marathwada region. The region has emerged as a major base of the Pakistan-aided terrorist group. Observers attach importance to two significant developments-first, scores of members of Shiv Sena have associated themselves with Lashkar-e-Shivba in western Maharashtra and, second, the Sena leadership has not objected to their dual membership. Equally important is the announcement by two Shiv Sena leaders, Dr Ravi Acharya and Mr Vilas Tupe, that the Lashkar-e-Shivba would soon establish its branches in every district of Maharashtra to counter the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s "growing activities" in the State. These two Sena leaders have strongly justified the initiative taken to form a "people’s force" to deal with outfits like the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. A message received by the Government of India has quoted the two Sena leaders as having stated: "We will have to act quickly because there is trouble on all fronts. Kashmiri Hindus have been thrown out of their State. Their land and rights have to be restored immediately, and the security forces who are fighting a battle against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, the northeast and now even in Maharashtra, thanks to the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s infiltration, have to be lent a helping hand". The Government has also received another message, clearly hinting at the possibility of a marked escalation of violence along the International Border in Jammu and Kathua sectors in the coming days and weeks. If this message, currently being examined by the Ministries of Home and Defence, is to be believed, more than 1,700 terrorists, over 90 per cent of them Pakistani in origin, have moved into sensitive Rajouri and Poonch sectors. These two sectors, official circles admit, have been the principal thrust areas of Pakistan-based terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, along with areas further to the south along the International Border in Jammu. Military Intelligence (MI), BSF intelligence agency, better known as BSG(G), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) may differ with one another on some issues, but they seem united on one thing-that is, terrorists who cross the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri can proceed into Udhampur and Doda through Manjakote or north through Thana Mandi into Poonch and into the Kashmir Valley. Indian security forces have further mounted pressure on Pak-aided ultras in the Surankote area of Poonch. This is obviously because of the fact that the area has already become a hub for terrorists crossing the Pir Panjal range into the Valley. Fresh instructions have gone to the Army’s dedicated Romeo Force in Rajouri to continue operations against insurgents. The Ministries of Defence and Home have appreciated what is officially termed as "a key role" played by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in counter-terrorist operations. At the same time, the role of the J&K Police and other security agencies has become somewhat crucial in Rajouri district, where the mingling of communal politics and terrorism has already become an open secret. |
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Secular foundation of
Indian polity By M L Kotru Read this one from the health column of Times magazine which I chanced upon some days back and, which somehow, seemed appropriate in the context of what is happening to our polity. Dr Ian K. Smith says in the article and I quote: "When we were kids playing football, we used to take heart the words emblazoned on the coach's shirt 'No pain, no gain. No guts, no glory. If you didn't feel well you sucked it in. If you were injured, you taped it up. If you took a hit on the head you just shook it off and got back to the field. It is surprising how many players and coaches still feel that way about sports-related concussions and other head injuries -- surprising because we know internal swelling and damage caused by repeated conclusion can be additive, making the brain susceptible to further injury. Returning to the field after a mind-altering blow to the head might win football games, but it an also permanently impair development and lead to serious brain damage or even death." "Concussions and other head injuries are no laughing matter," the good doctor concluded. Where do head injuries and their capacity to permanently impair development come in when talking of Indian polity. It does, when you have someone like the Sarsanchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh routinely and almost casually hitting the Indian people on their heads. The analogy may sound far-fetched but I think it is very apt considering the impunity with which Sundershan has been delivering those deadly blows on your heads. The Christian Church, he says should go swadeshi, whatever that may mean. Why do the Muslims have the "blood of Ram and Krishna in their veins" link themselves with" the invader Badar, whose mausoleum stands neglected even in Islamic Afghanistan". Sudershan doesn't stop there. The ancestors of Muslims did not come from abroad except a handful. Their roots are Indian. Like the Iranian Muslims, who evolved sufism, why don't they (Indian Muslims) give a few form to Islam which can take everyone along. Both in his Vijaydashmi address and the one in Agra last week Sudershan had even more scorn to pour on the Christian community. Short of accusing the community of being foreign agendas did not leave it instead that the foreign Christian missionaries were using the faith to sow the seeds of separation in the North-East, where incidentally, Christianity is the dominant religion. Sudershan naturally wants Christian to free themselves from the clutches of foreign Churches and to set up a "swadeshi" church. He even suggested the Chinese model to the Indian Christians; have an indigenous church like the Chinese have. Now, if you care to remember, the Chinese haven't quite given up their claim to Arunachal and other Indian territories in the North East. Could it be that Mr Sudershan is asking the people in the North East to embrace the Chinese Church. That would suit Beijing. A consequence of Sudershan's logic could be that the Indians living in the US, Canada, the UK, in the West Indies the Fiji may be asked by nationalists there to free themselves from the clutches of foreign (Indian Hindu) temples and branch out on their own. He would do well to ask the bigots of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to consider such a prospect; the VHP would tell him how much money Hindus living in America have contributed to the Ram temple fund or how much more the parivar continues to receive under various other pretexts. The problem with Sudershan and the Parivar is that their narrow-minded nationalism does not permit them to think of universality of religion and diversity of cultures. Nation States and nationalism are comparatively a new phenomenon, most religions and cultures transcend event the millennium just past. Even Indian nationalism was born as an antitheis of colonialism only in the last century. Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam have been with us for centuries. The Bharatiya Janta Party, which the RSS never lets us forget, was born of the saffron parivar and has predictably tried to play down Sudershan's bigoted fulminations. But then it has done it in so many different ices and without conviction. The party Vice-President J P Mathur says "We believe that the Indian Christians are capable of spreading Jesus Christ's message across the country. They need not seek the help of foreign missionaries." The party chief, Bangaru Laxman softpedals the whole thing, harping instead on his invitation to the Muslims to join the BJP. But how do you explain the presence at the 70,000 strong "national security camp" at Agra of Home Minister L K Advani. And he sat through the 55- minute trenchant peroration of the Sarsanghchalak. What message does that send to the minorities? Given the gameplan of the RSS and the objectives of the Agra camp, Mr Advani could not have missed the message of cultural nationalism emanating from the high poddium; it must have been clear to him, as such as to everyone else, what to expect from the extraordinary show of strength by the RSS at its Rashtra Suraksha Shivir (national security camp) - a strong majoritarian tenor. Advani may have provided legitimacy and encouragement to the theme espoused at the camp. He will, of course, say he was there in his personal capacity as a Swayamsewak. For the record again the BJP General Secretary, Narendra Modi, Unlike his president, Bangaru Laxman offered enthusiastic endorsement to whatever Sudershan spelt out at the three-day camp. If most church leaders have taken umbrage at Sudershan's suggestions it should not come as a surprise. They are understandably disturbed by the fact that the indigenous churches' notion is much more than a mere attempt to nationalise religion. They see it as a plot to restrict freedom of minorities and to fuel suspicious that non-Hindus are unpartriotic. Whatever the BJP's predelictions it is time it asked Mr Sudershan to shut up. He is sowing the seeds of serious communal discord. In a country than swears by "sarvadharma sambhav" it's shocking to find Sudershan getting away with his message of hate. If his message at Nagpur, was about "indigenistauon of the church" with foreign links to counter anti-national and subversive activities of the existing church, his speech at Agra was in the nature of an ideological exposition in which he, in effect, said that while the minorities were free to worship they could not build an identity on the basis of religion. The most provocative part of his speech suggested that the minority communities could have a "sense of belonging" only when they integrated themselves with the culture of the land, which is the RSS way of saying "identify yourself with Hindu culture." To equate patriotism with the culture of the majority community strikes at the very root of what Nehru called "unity in diversity" and the secular foundation of the Indian polity. Mr Sudershan is neither the Indian equivalent of the Pope nor even is he a Shankaracharya. He heads a bigoted neo-Fascisit organisation which, for reasons well known, has come into prominence these past few years after the BJP's political ascendancy. It is preposterous for him to suggest that the majority community has an exclusive right, as it were, one patriotism and nationalist sentiment. But then one must be fair to the BJP, the political front of the RSS. It has always maintained that if it has not pursued the key elements of its political agenda it is only because it does not have a majority in the Lok Sabha. Even the moderate Atal Bihari Vajpayee had no hesitation in telling the VHP sponsored meeting at Staten Island in New York recently that once the BJP gets the majority in the House it will build the India of its dreams which obviously includes construction at Ayodhya of Ram Temple, the abrogation of Article 370 and the enactment of a common civil code. So even as Sudershan and his ilk continue to deliver their "mind-altering blows", of Dr Smith's description, to our heads, we must ensure that they are not allowed to permanently impair our growth as a tolerant secular society. As the doctor has said permanent in impairment can lead not only to brain damage but even death. The RSS quacks must be asked lay off, never mind their "cultural" arrogance. |
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Indo- Russian front on global terrorism- II By V D Chopra In the beginning of the 21st century the oil wealth of the Central Asia Republics has assumed a new importance and, therefore, rise of terrorism and religious fundamentalism in this region cannot be delinked from this factor. In January 1979, Zbigniew Brezinski, the Assistant to the US President for National Security Affairs, even instructed the relevant departments to arrange for an intensive study of Islam and its political role in the world and prepare a detailed report on the situation in a number of Muslim countries and the relevant religious movements in them. Thus, at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s the problems in Islam came to figure prominently in the activities of the US and other Western countries. In India, the rise of Hindu revivalism also entered a new phase in this period. Historically speaking, it is during the cold war period that revivalist movement gained ascendancy. This is proof enough that to disintegrate the Soviet Union, revivalist movements were used as an important instrument. It is a strange coincidence that during the cold war period, the revivalist movements in India as well as in some of the Muslim countries became powerful. The demand for Khalistan and the secessionist movements in Jammu and Kashmir and in some other parts of India gained momentum in this period. The assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi should also be seen in this context. It is true that the West European liberal democratic circles, including political leaders, have expressed concern over these religious revivalist movements. In the United States too, conflicting assessments are being voiced about this trend, though there is a powerful section which advocates 'third party' interventions in regional conflicts, including religious conflicts. Yet one thing is certain. Such movements are receiving encouragement, help and assistance from abroad. Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia are facing violent threats from militant Islamists. Some of the leaders of these countries are convinced that certain Muslim countries- according to them Iran and Sudan directly, and Afghanistan and Pakistan indirectly- have been fanning the fires of militancy and extremism In recent developments in Chechnya too the same forces are operating. The 'foreign hand' in Jammu and Kashmir is to well known and needs no recapitulation. This brings into focus how religious revivalism has become the single biggest destabilising factor in the Nation-State building process in the very big and most populated countries of the world. No new international order in the post-cold war era can be brought into being without taking into account this factor. Western and American models cannot be mechanically transplanted in these countries and the question of human rights should not be seen in isolation. In the 80s of the 20th century, Pakistan became a 'frontline' State and spring-board of organising terrorism in Afghanistan by training, financing and equipping Mujahideen- Islamic holy warriors. It was liberally financed and supplied sophisticated arms by the United States, other Western countries and conservative regimes like Saudi Arabia. This process continued even after the withdrawal of the Soviet troops. This is how the Taliban became the most important factor in the internal situation of Afghanistan. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Pakistan and Afghanistan have become a launching pad for organised terrorism and secessionism in the whole of Eurasia. The situation has become so dangerous that even the American ruling elite has begun to feel its pinch. The most dangerous outcome of rise of terrorism and secessionism in Eurasia is that now a nexus has developed between the terrorists, drug mafia, illegal arms suppliers and criminals. That too under the cover of what is called 'religious revivalism'. It is in this context that India and Russia's stand on global terrorism and their decision to coordinate their efforts assume an international significance. This development can become a pacesetter in changing the political climate in Eurasia.- CNF |
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