16 - 31 March 2020 The Asian Independent

8 16-03-2020 to 31-03-2020 ASIA
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
The Govt. must take note
of Ambedkarite’s Concern
and stop further harassment
of Dr. Teltumbede : Bali
L.R. Balley, an associate of Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and
presently Chief Advisor of
All India Samata Sainik Dal
(Regd.) an organisation
founded by Dr. Ambedkar
has issued the statement that
Dr. Anand Teltumbde, coming
from a poorest of the
poor family of landless
labourers, has earned laurels
in academic passing from
elite institutions like VNIT,
IIM, Ahmedabad and earned
his doctoral degree in the
frontier science of Cybernetics. He ranks among the best educated
persons. He has an impeccable unblemished corporate career of 4
decades. As a socially sensitive intellectual Dr. Teltumbde always
took cudgel for oppressed humanity and also earned the name
among the foremost civil rights activists in the country.
He had been member of the Maharashtra-based Committee for
Protection of Democratic Rights
(CPDR) for years and was elected as
its General Secretary since 2016
even when he was outside
Maharashtra. Such a person has been
implicated in the fabricated case of
Elgar Parishad, which he did not
even attend. When he was illegally
arrested by the Police, there was a
wave of protests across the world at
unprecedented scale. The process of
Elgar Parishad case has amply
revealed the fabrication of case. The
L.R. Balley, an associate of
Baba Saheb Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar and presently
Chief Advisor of All India
Samata Sainik Dal (Regd.)
case that stood on the confiscated
digital devices, which in absence of
the hash values remained wide open
to be manipulated by the police must
have been dismissed at the inception
itself. But under the plea that it
would be dealt with at the time of
trail and misusing the provisions of the draconian law like UAPA
which does not allow anticipatory bail, the innocent persons are
held in jail for years.
It may be noted that unlike other accused in this infamous case,
nothing has been recovered from him and he stands already interrogated
over two days at the instance of the High Court. However,
the case is persisted with extreme amoral zeal.
Dr. Anand Teltumbde is a part of Ambedkar family and perhaps
therefore the BJP Govt., at the Centre has targetted him to silence
Ambedkarites who have been raising their voice on the undemocratic
rather tyrannical activities of the Govt. This attitude of the
Govt. will be resented.
The Govt. must take note of Ambedkarite’s Concern and stop
further harassment of Dr. Teltumbede.
(L.R. Balley)
Chief Advisor, All India Samata Sainik Dal (Regd.)
Mobile : 98723-21664
Impact of Indian culture and cinema is
tremendous in Indonesia. It also shows how
inclusion can build an extremely coordial
society which is beneficial for all. Years ago,
I was informed in an indigenous people’s
area that Islam as well as Hiinduism came to
Indonesia from India. Everytime, I go there
and feel proud of the heritage they maintain.
Respect for India’s pluralism and history is
great. The cab drivers at the airport will ask
you so many questions about IT, Banguluru
and Delhi. The Indian cinema is quite popular
and show is Shahrukh Khan and his
‘kuchh kuchh hota hai’. I am amazed to hear
these lines from a large number of
Indonesian on my different visits to this
island nation. One driver who took me to
several places actually talked to me his love
for song ‘ kabhi kabhi mere dil me khayal
aata hai’.
What was amazing that yesterday the
driver who took me to the airport was knowledgeable.
He knew about a few Hindustani
words such as shukriya etc and said to me
that he is fond of old Hindi music particularly
the songs of Mohammad Rafi and Lata
Mangeshkar. ‘ I love them’, he said, the man
who was in his sixties. Sir, you are fortunate
that you had a great prime minister Jawahar
Lal Nehru. What a man he was, said the man
that Indians are great people as all religion
coexists there. Sir, I love Taj Mahal, he said
and I told him we have the wonderful words
because of our combined cultural heritage.
We have Mughals, we had Christians,
Buddhists, Hindus and everybody lived in
this country, fought together and lived
together as well as created a cultural mosaic
which remain unparalleled in the world.
And Indonesian Islam was inclusive and
provided a new model even for the Islamic
nations where religion could embrace the
cultural diversity of the region. It is the common
feature in Indonesia for men and
women have Hindu sounding names even
when they are Muslims. Dewi is commonly
used with women like the Hindu women use
Devi in India. Ramayana, Rama, Bali and
other features of Hinduism are quite popular
here. It is a country where all varieties of
food is available whether beef or pork and it
How the NPR-NRC would operate?
* A very likely scenario*:
I. At the NPR/Census stage, no
paper will be asked for.
(Though one’ll have to refer to in
order to provide the Aadhaar no.,
details of passport/driving
licence etc.)
II. Based on info collected, and *not
collected* (for whatever reasons),
the list of “doubtful citizens”
wil be prepared.
III. *Those on this “list” will have to
“prove” their “citizenship”
before the concerned authorities
to their “saisfaction”*.
It’d, as of now, be entirely up to
the concerned officials what constitutes
an “adequate proof” and
what is not.
*One should not expect even a
semblance of any uniformity*.
*It’d be all “discretion”*, unless
How Indian culture
influenced an inclusive
Indonesian identity
(through court directive or) otherwise
forced.
IV. Under that scenario, individual
boycott is just no option.
It’d straightaway send one to the
“doubtful list” and the nightmare
that is to follow.
However, “boycott” by very
high-profile individuals could be
quite helpful.
V. *The only option is to try to
ensure that the NPR-Census does
not at all take place (over considerably
large patches of area)*.
VI. As long as the census operation
is not explicitly disentangled
from the NPR, it has also got to
be similarly opposed.
(The merging of the two, apparently,
runs counter to the Section
15 of the Census Act, 1948.)
VII. Those who’ll, eventually, be
unable to “prove” would turn
“stateless”, with all the consequences
to follow.
– Sukla
does not become an issue of hatred. Most of
the Batik, the traditional art of Indonesia has
symbolism of Hindu Gods and goddesses
and people enjoy reading and knowing about
them.
On an evening, sitting with friend from
diverse Asian countries, a friend active in the
peasant struggle of Yogyakarta actually surprised
me when he spoke about Bhagat
Singh and his idealism. I was amazed that
this man knew so much about Indian movements
and culture. He even raised the slogan
Inquilaab Jindabad and Laal Salam.
Politically as well as
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
social and human rights activist
Economically, both Indonesia and
Malaysia have shown how inclusion help
and strengthen the local economy. The
Hindus and other communities are closely
established in these countries. In fact, the big
businesses are also in the hands of Hindus. In
Bali, we saw, how Indonesia preserved its
Hinduness as it is the only state in Indonesia
which has Hindu majority.
While we do not like to give any one
access to our country, feeling as if every one
is dying to ‘settle’ here, Indonesia has opened
up its door. How great it make you when at
the airport, you are not even required visa and
you can get through the immigration easily.
And it is not merely for India, we found people
from various other countries including
Nepal and Bangladesh. It help to open up
your regime and not to look down upon every
one. Appreciation of your culture does not
mean they are inferior but we have to remember
how and why people respected India. Yes,
the respect for India is because of the values
that our founding fathers gave to us of secularism,
of scientific temperament,of social
justice, inclusion and respect for diversity.
We are being respected because of a solid
foundation of our republic was laid down by
the man who is despised most by the Sangh
Parivar, namely Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Today, whenever we are outside India,
people speak about Narendra Modi and his
government and about people of India in a
very disturbing way. We have to inform them
that these are the democratic system and a
phase which will pass out. Can you imagine
what would have been our position if
Hindutva had emerged powerful during the
freedom movement, a counter to Mohammad
Ali Jinnah’s call for a separate Islamic state.
Our institutions would have collapsed long
back and our standing in front of the world
community would have become the same as
the Pakistanis face it today because of the
obsession of the leaders to include religion
everywhere. Today, Pakistani state is trying
to look secular yet it is inherently communal
and the damage is done because of its past.
Today, attempt to improve country’s
image does not wash the sins of past
flirtation with religion and maltreatment
to minorities.
India must learn this. India is
respected in the world because of our
secular constitution and politics of
inclusion and Hindutva has already damaged
our image as a country believing in democratic
values and inclusion. The street masters
must underwtand that the governance is not a
street game of one upmanship but there are
international dimensions also. The world saw
the Delhi’s planned violence against Muslims
whether you call it pogrom or not but there is
not even an iota of truth that this was well
planned and the world watched the horror and
unspeakable brutalities on our own citizens
through their TV channels. So bhakts may
rejoice the fakenews factories of India but
world watch through their own analysis.
The Good will of the past will not remain
the same for long and therefore it is best for
the government to control its foul mouths
and focus on inclusive governance. We know
this is asking too much but it is important for
people at least to not to heed the rumours and
stand with citizens of the country irrespective
of their caste , religion and regional
identities. The protection of idea of an inclusive
secular humanist republican democratic
India is now at the hands of its people and we
hope and I hope, I am not hopelessly hopeful
that this hope will bring us together and
return our good old days. Koi lauta de mere
bete hue din…
Vidya Bhushan Rawat is a social and
human rights activist. He blogs at
www.manukhsi.blogspot.com twitter
@freetohumanity
Email: vbrawat@gmail.com