Seminar in JMI University
We remember what the pupil of Jamia Millia Islamia University did in December 2019. Buses were set on fire; stones were pelted on the police forces and slogans like 'La IlalhaIllallah' were raised and the law was taken in hand in the name of CAA protest. The students announced 'I believe in Allah, Not Democracy'. That scenario angered our many patriotic Muslim brothers and sisters for mixing religion in a political protest rally. On 15th December, 21, the same group organized a seminar titled 'State Repression, Witch-Hunting & Resistance' at Delhi Press Club with an attendance of around 70-80 people. A few selected people were invited to speak on and one of them was Akhtarista Ansari, ex-student of JMI. In her speech, she said anti-CAA protests were simultaneously held in other universities but the voice of Jamia Millia Islamia University was suppressed because Muslims study there, but notably she hid the fact that the Jamia mob burnt buses, pelted stones and caused damage to public properties. Also, the crowd turned into the religious crowd, which did not happen in other universities. These people always play the victim card once they are caught in the fault line. In the same seminar and the same speaker hailed Sharjeel Imam (the person who wanted to cut off the Northeast from India) as a hero and described him as one who showed the way of success to farmers' protest. Interestingly, Hiren Gohain too had echoed similar lines when Sharjeel Iman was arrested under UAPA. In the same seminar, another anti-national Umar Khalid was praised and compared to Great Man Mahatma Gandhi.
It has become a habit of a section on the group to air anti-India statements and when they are arrested, they cry 'atrocities on Muslims, Dalits, etc' they know how and when to play the secular card. Recently, a comedian Munawar Faruqui cracked derogatory jokes on the Godhra episode but when he was arrested, he like all anti-national elements played the victim card and cried that his civil liberty of right to expression is violated. Unless and until these people are dealt with an iron fist, they will keep breeding more such elements.
Julie Bhuyan,
Gaurisagar.
Human RightsCommission
Human Rights Commission, an international body meant to protect the rights of the common people against atrocities. But of late unfortunately it is observed that the roles played by Human Rights Commission are unsatisfactory and biased. The recent observation made by the body in regards to the Gorukhuti eviction episode is a glaring example in this regard. While making this observation, the universal body seems to be unaware and ignorant about the security of the sons of the soil who now are fighting for their existence against an unarmed invasion by people of doubtful nationality and integrity. The roles played by HRC in JK during the exodus of Kashmiri pandits from their motherland and the recent reign of terrors unleashed by TMC in WB before and during the last Assembly election has made us believe that HRC in our nation has not served its real purposes at all and are biased due to reasons known to all bonafide Indians. Human Rights Commission raise doubts about the police encounters when some dreaded criminals are shot, wounded or killed but do they have any record about the crimes committed by those dreaded criminals against the helpless common people like rape, kidnapping, drug trafficking, land grabbing, dacoity etc. to name a few. It appears as if for sheer publicity HRC has become biased. By being biased against police action they are demoralizing the morale of our police. Who lives by the gun will die by the gun.
Dr Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati.
Please spare EC from petty party politics
Keeping in view the well proved strong integrity of the Election Commission of India the spokesperson of the Congress should have refrained from making such observations which have no base and had been made on speculation only. We are well aware that the cabinet has passed the bills of major electoral reforms and which are to be passed by the parliament. There is pandemonium in the both Houses of Parliament. There is a need to adopt the constructive approach so that the bills may be passed in Parliament. After the passing of bills, new voters can register themselves at four dates of a year. At present, any person who completes eighteen years on January 1 can register as a voter but if he/she completes eighteen years on January 2 then has to wait for January 1 of next year, and after passing of bill new voters can register themselves on four dates which are January 1 April 1 July 1 October 1. Second, the Bill is related to voluntary interlinking of Aadhar cards with voter cards which can prove very beneficial. The third point is related to the Enhancement of the expenditure limit of candidates contesting elections for assembly and parliament. A special committee was set up by the poll panel to reassess the existing expenditure limit for election candidates given the increase in the number of elections and rise in cost inflation index among other factors and the expenditure limit for candidates contesting the Lok Sabha elections could soon be revised significantly. A similar increment in the expenditure limit for candidates contesting the assembly polls which is expected to be around Rs 35 to Rs 38 lakh could be brought in. The expenditure limit as specified under Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961 and any change requires the Law Ministry's approval and due notification. In this way, any discussion should not be read from a political angle. No one should issue an unconfirmed and unsubstantiated statement that may impact the highly reputed and unbiased institution. I had been nominated district Icon for PwD for Assembly elections to be held in February-March 2022. I request the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as well as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha that the above bills passed by the cabinet are also passed in both houses of parliament.
Yash Pal Ralhan,
Jalandhar 144003
Sardar Patel
December 15 marks the 71st death anniversary of the nation's great unifier Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Famously known as the Iron Man of India, Sardar Patel is remembered and credited for his political wisdom and efforts to integrate the princely states into the Union of India. He persuaded the princes of 565 states by proposing favourable terms for the merger including the creation of privy purses for the rulers' descendants and encouraged them to act out of patriotism. In 1917, Patel's course of life changed after he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. He strictly adhered to Gandhi's satyagraha to further India's fight and struggle against the British Raj. Patel was the leading candidate for the 1945–46 presidency of the Indian National Congress, but Gandhi intervened and supported the election of Jawaharlal Nehru. As president of the Congress, Nehru was invited by the British viceroy to form the interim government. Thus, in the normal course of events, Patel would have been the first Prime Minister of India. Nevertheless, his enduring fame still rests on his achievement of the peaceful integration of the princely Indian states and the political unification of India.
Ranganathan Sivakumar
Madipakkam
Chennai – 600 091