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[1] Is the Gujarat government afraid of something? By Fr. Cedric Prakash sj The Milli Gazette Online 23 March 2006 The BJP Government in Gujarat rode to a massive two-thirds majority victory in the Assembly Elections of December 2002. This was mainly due to a meticulously organized pogrom on the Muslim minority of the State which is infamously called the "Gujarat Carnage of 2002". There was another aspect in their Election Manifesto which they propagated far and wide prior to the elections, namely that an anti-Conversion Law would be in place after they came to power. This promise they did keep when on March 26th 2003, (exactly three years to date) they rode rough-shod over a feeble opposition and unanimously> passed. "The Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act 2003". Very ironically, that same day, Haren Pandya, a former Home Minister of Gujarat and a vociferous opponent of Narendra Modi was gunned down in the heart of the city in broad daylight. The truth of his assassination has still not yet emerged but if one listens to Mr. Vitthalbhai Pandya (his father), then one will easily be convinced that the murderers of his son are not the "Muslim terrorists" who are being accused. Very strangely, inspite of passing the Act, till today, the Gujarat Government has not been able to frame the rules needed to govern the implementation of the Act. In its essence, the Act meant "to provide for freedom of religion by prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means and for the matters incidental thereto !". The key clauses of the Act are : » anyone wanting to convert / wanting to convert another, from one religion to another needs to take the prior permission of the District> Magistrate. » whoever contravenes this Act will be punished for a period extending> upto three years and also liable to a fine which may extend to Rs. 50,000. » however, if the person happens to be a minor or woman or a person> belonging to a Schedule Caste or Schedule Tribe, the imprisonment extends upto four years and the fine extends upto Rs. 1,00,000 Once this Act was passed, the Government of Gujarat was not able to answer simple questions. Are there any instances of forced conversion in Gujarat? Has anyone complained? What does "allurement" mean? If for example, a person is promised "a more peaceful life" or a technique in the "art of living", in the acceptance of another religion or way of life - does that amount to "allurement"? And what happens if one would like to embrace Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism or even Buddhism ? Does one need "permission"> for that conversion ? Then come certain draconian aspects of the law: Who is the District Magistrate to sit on judgment on matters related to faith and conscience? How does one decide if "permission " has to be given or not ? What is the time limit by which the DM should give his or her "permission"? What happens if one who is a "believer" would like to become a "non-believer" - an agnostic, an atheist? Does that amount to changing> one's religion ? Why should there be more punishment for a women, dalit, adivasi or minor if they contravene this law? Is it because these groups are lesser than the "brahminized males" of society? On Christmas Day 2005, in a widely publicized debate on one of the TV channels, the Home Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Amit Shah was challenged as to why the rules which are necessary for implementing this law were not being framed. He had absolutely no answer and later on, when the media grilled both, his department and the legal department, each began putting the blame on the other. Very obviously, the level of rhetoric was raised at the Shabri Kumbh Mela in the Dangs from February 11th to 13th 2006 which spewed venom and hate on the Christians. One of the resolutions of this mela was to ensure that there was a national law to ban conversions. A couple of weeks later, in a much publicized meeting of the RSS in Orissa, a similar resolution was adopted. The questions which has to be asked is: why did the NDA, when in power, not enact such a national law? Why do they want the UPA Government> to do so now? Whilst it is true that the law, as it is, is toothless; it is also a fact that it is like a Damocles' sword, with some petty officials misusing it to threaten and intimidate the tribals and the dalits. Jayalalitha in Tamilnadu brought in a similar but less draconian legislation sometime ago, but she had to eat humble pie so very conveniently> and strategically, she withdrew it. The Gujarat Government is in a similar quandary: having passed the legislation, they are just afraid to frame the rules for this law. The fact is that when they do so, they know that it will be challenged. Another question that needs to be asked, "is the Government of Gujarat really afraid that hundreds and thousands of people from the State will actually embrace Christianity?" If this is so, why do they not have the courage to ask the one question which they should be asking themselves - "Why are people wanting to convert to another faith?" In the meantime, the Government and its cronies continue to harass the and intimidate Christians,> Muslims and other minorities with a terrifying regularity. They are doing all in their power in order to "justify" a draconian law. The Government has conveniently forgotten that Article 25 of the Constitutions guarantees every single citizen, the freedom to practice, preach and propagate the religion of his/her choice. Defending this Right is the Constitutional mandate of the Chief Minister and his ilk, not any other. March 26th 2003 was indeed a bloody day in the history of Gujarat. Civil society must speak out for justice, freedom and truth in order to guarantee that such days will never be repeated! And, we need to know...Is the Gujarat Government afraid of something? Fr. Cedric Prakash works with PRASHANT, Ahmedabad and may be contacted at sjprashant@gmail.com www.humanrightsindia.in ---------------------------------- [2] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com> Date: Wed Apr 12, 2006 Subject: Indo-US Nuke Deal: Two Recent News Items [The following two news items are fairly interesting. Arguably, the first one more than the latter. A visiting leading US Senator pronounces in the Indian capital that he 'expects' the (still to be clinched) 'deal' " would ultimately be approved without amendments". At this point one can't help recalling Sir John Maynard Keynes, who had pronounced that in the 'long run' we're all dead. Of course not too many of us are expected to 'finally' shut our eyes by the next January. But if the 'deal' fails to get the required nod before the forthcoming November elections to the both houses of the US Congress, things are going to get only more difficult and definitely not easier. (In fact, the peace activists must, for the time being, aim at blocking the 'deal' till the next round of elections.) The second one highlights the rationale for opposing the 'deal' from an Indian "nationalist" perspective as articulated by the national president of the 'Hindu' right wing BJP - the main opposition and second largest party in the Indian parliament. The rightwing "nationalist" opponents are far more frank and forthright as compared to their "leftwing" counterparts. So Mr. Singh doesn't fight shy of telling that his opposition to the 'deal' is based on his perception that it'd limit India's Bomb-making capabilities by banning further explosive tests. The fact of the matter, however, is that India has already carried out six explosive tests - one in 1974 and five in 1998, and needs no further for manufacturing more and more nuclear weapons (based on fissile technology) to deliberately kill massively and indiscriminately. However, if India is planning to graduate to making Hydrogen bomb (based on fusion technology) the continued moratorium, already in place since May 1998, may prove a critical drag despite the contrary claims made by the Indian scientists representing the nuclear establishment. But then, no Hydrogen bomb is really required for the so-called 'deterrence'. In fact, the claim is that that India would never have to use these Bombs. They are only meant to 'deter'. If Kargil war, in 1999, and subsequent Operation Parakram - the ten-month long nerve-wracking eye ball to eye ball confrontation along the international border with neighbouring Pakistan in the immediate aftermath of the armed attack on the parliament building on December 13 2001 have amply established that the Bomb is no 'deterrent' but only 'facilitator' of inter-state tensions, confrontation and war; Rajnath's open claim that the Bomb is meant to be used in anticipated wars against China and Pakistan, with apocalyptic consequences all around, makes complete nonsense of the 'minimum credible deterrence' fig leaf. And make no mistake. Rajnath Singh is no ordinary mortal. He is the national president of the BJP, which had steered India to the explicit, and self-proclaimed, status of a nuclear weapon power. And in India the foreign/nuclear policy is officially claimed to be based on 'national consensus'!] I. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1826613 US likely to pass India nuclear deal: senator Reuters Apr 10, 2006 — NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress was likely to pass a landmark nuclear energy deal with India, but the vote might be delayed until January after the American midterm elections, a leading senator said on Monday. Chuck Hagel, chairman of the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Sub-Committee, told a news conference in the Indian capital he expected the deal would ultimately be approved without amendments. "It's conceivable that this would have to be put off until the beginning of the next Congress which would be January next year," he said, adding that he hoped for a vote before the end of the year. "I'm confident that Congress will vote for it." The nuclear civil cooperation deal, agreed on a visit to India by President George W. Bush last month, would allow New Delhi to buy foreign nuclear technology for the first time in 30 years, despite its refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But the deal must be approved by the U.S. Congress, where it has met significant opposition. Indian lobbyists say that some Democrats, who have raised objections to the deal, could be playing for time. Although they favor stronger relations between the two countries, the Democrats are reluctant to hand Bush a foreign policy coup so close to the November elections, lobbyists say. One sticking point has been India's insistence that it will continue to do business with Iran, a country accused by Washington of sponsoring terrorism. Senator Hagel said that questions about India's relationship with Iran were legitimate, but they would not become a condition of the United States accepting the deal. "The President of the U.S. signed an agreement with the Prime Minister of India — that is what we are evaluating. No additions, no subtractions, no amendments," he said. Senator Hagel, a Republican, would not say what his own initial reservations about the deal were, but said they had since been addressed. "I think strategically it represents one of the most thoughtful new approaches to foreign policy in maybe 25 years," he said of the deal. Senator Hagel is on a six-day visit to South Asia, and expects to visit Mumbai, as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan. II. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1486133.cms Scrap Indo-US nuclear deal: Rajnath [ Tuesday, April 11, 2006 05:35:36 pmIANS ] RANCHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the civil nuclear deal with the US must be scrapped in the national interest as the pact was an insult to India. "The Indo-US nuclear deal is an insult to the country and it is also very complicated. The deal has created confusion in the minds of the people and scientists of the country," Singh told reporters. Singh's month-long, cross-country 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra' entered Jharkhand on Monday. The BJP leader said: "The deal will put a blanket ban on further nuclear tests. It would not be good for the security of the country given the fact that India had to go to wars with China and Pakistan." "The Indo-US nuclear deal will meet only six percent of the shortfall of nuclear fuel. It is also different from the one with China. "China can get nuclear fuel despite making nuclear bombs but India cannot," said Singh, adding: "India is a sovereign country and it should decide on its nuclear and other needs independently." He also expressed concern over the "nexus" emerging among Maoist rebels of India and Nepal and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). "The ISI has established several bases in the country. India should be vociferous on declaring Pakistan a state which is supporting terrorism," Singh said. He expressed his deep condolences for those charred to death in a fire tragedy in Uttar Pradesh' Meerut Monday evening. Along with other BJP leaders, Singh left for Meerut on Tuesday but would be back here April 13 to resume his campaign. ----------------------------------- [3] From: "sanjeev nayyar" <exploreindia@vsnl.net> Date: Wed Apr 12, 2006 Subject: Re: [indiathinkersnet] SIGN PETITION ON GOA COMMUNAL VIOLENCE Yogi why was the violence caused, surely yr friends would have told yu reasons, eg construcion of an illegal mosque. with [prem sanjeev From: yogi sikand To: saldwr@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 Subject: [indiathinkersnet] SIGN PETITION ON GOA COMMUNAL VIOLENCE ------------------------- [4] From: "editor@countercurrents.org" <editor@countercurrents.org> Date: Wed Apr 12, 2006 Subject: CC News Lettter 12/04- Nepal Protests Hello Kindly forward this newsletter to your friends and encourage them to join this mailing list. http://www.countercurrents.org/subscribe.htm In Solidarity Binu Protests Erupt Against Nepal’s King Gyanendra By W.A. Sunil and K. Ratnayake http://www.countercurrents.org/nepal-ratnayake120406.htm Popular protests and a general strike continued in Nepal for a sixth day yesterday as thousands of demonstrators continued to defy a curfew and a ban on political rallies and to demand an end to the autocratic rule of King Gyanendra Democracy From Below By Rana Bose http://www.countercurrents.org/bose120406.htm Democracy from below is replacing democracy from above. The world is witnessing, in Nepal and Venezuela, a phenomena that is rare. Two different types of popular and pragmatic uprisings in a post-doctrinal era http://www.countercurrents.org/donate.htm ----------------------------- |
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