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Christian Sorensen: WAIS Unmeasurable Intelligence, William James Sidis

Christian is a Philosopher that comes from Belgium. What identifies him the most and above all is simplicity, for everything is better with “vanilla flavour.” Perhaps, for this reason, his intellectual passion is criticism and irony, in the sense of trying to reveal what “hides behind the mask,” and give birth to the true. For him, ignorance and knowledge never “cross paths.” What he likes the most in his leisure time, is to go for a walk with his wife.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: How did the 185+ (S.D. 15) get calculated for the IQ score for you, as most will assume only reliable scores on mainstream IQ tests sitting between 40 and 160 (S.D. 15)?

Christian Sorensen: It was calculated “in the same way,” and with the same test: “WAIS-R,” as it was calculated the IQ score of “Evangelos Katsioulis,” when he earned “180+ (S.D. 15).” With the only difference, that I earned “at least” five points higher than him. Therefore, on account “of pears and apples,” of justice, and according to “one of the two” most reliable tests, for measurements of general intelligence in the world, the one who should be at “the first place,” on the list of World Genius Directory, “is me and not him.”

Since the question is on the mat, and for responding to “eventual ripping of clothes.” I want to take advantage, and to be clear, that I do not need to justify my IQ with any “silly games,” within the “almost infinite” that are in circulation, as if they were “candy businesses,” pretending to be high range IQ test, nor with the mainstream test that measures general intelligence. First of all, because I find them “silly, pedantic, absurd and misleading,” since at least the former ones, sell “false intelligence,” for making people believe, that they have an “IQ that is not real” or that does not belong to them, so ultimately they only serve to “inflate their ego,” as if they were “aero-static balloon.” And additionally, due to the fact, that my numerous interviews with you Scott, show actually and clearly, as a “fact of evidence,” who is who, since besides not being Wikipedia’s responses, they don’t have any support of bibliography. “Who ever likes it or bothers,” they have been elaborated, arisen and flowed naturally from my own “black box,” which lastly, is an issue that has brought me more displeasure than anything else… In synthesis, and to conclude, the point and “obvious fact” here, is that my general intelligence, is well above 185 (S.D.15), and “period.”

At the same time, I take the opportunity, to communicate that this is the last time I respond to something of this nature, since I feel that has “neither feet nor head,” and to which I have been forced to respond dizzily, throughout my life.

Jacobsen: Speaking of intellectual competitions, but in the realm of history rather than the present, what do you think of the case of Bill Sidis, in general terms?

Sorensen: Apart from the fact, that Sidis fulfills, what I will denominate as the “golden rule of three,” I think that regarding its capacities, is clearly represented “the universality” of these, which ultimately should be expected in relation to us, the unmeasurable geniuses, in other words, the fact that these abilities are “multifocally prodigious.”

Jacobsen: Of all of the people who have been mentioned with a sense of awe to some, semi-mystery to others, tragedy and pity to others, worship to still others, wonder and curiosity to yet another group, etc., what emotions or thoughts come to mind about the overarching narrative of the life of Sidis for you?

Sorensen: That of a man “committed to noble causes,” who was able to make his extraordinary capacities, available to the “most disadvantaged” and “for peace.”

Jacobsen: Any particular points of interest in his life for you, personally?

Sorensen: Sidis’s “atheism and communism.”

Jacobsen: Any points of appreciation and/or general commentary on the historical work on the Americas, on the intelligence level claims, on his ethical principles, or on his cosmology?

Sorensen: I agree with Sidis’s “cosmological” point of view, in relation to that the universe is “infinite and eternal,” and also with its application of “the first thermodynamics” law, which means that energy within the universe, is “neither created nor destroyed.” I personally would add, to its “cosmology,” and regarding “universe energy,” that this energy “does transform” as such.

Jacobsen: Any thoughts on Dr. Boris Sidis’s ideas about upbringing and making an experiment, more or less, of young Billy?

Sorensen: Sidis’s father, implicitly sought to experiment with his son, since he put into practice his knowledge of “abnormal psychology,” and also combined three elements, “affection, knowledge and precocity,” respectively, within the upbringing, which in his time and also currently, arouses “much controversy,” especially regarding the third of them.

Jacobsen: Why do so many in the gifted community look to the Sidis story?

Sorensen: I suppose that because Sidis, is seen as a sort “of oracle,” that arouses “ambivalent feelings” of admiration, in the sense of pretending to identify with him, as well of envy.

Jacobsen: Any lessons that can be drawn from this Sidis narrative?

Sorensen: The capacity of Sidis’s mind, despite its enormous “amplitude and variability,” to “be structured” in an orderly way, and without getting confused. In other words, its ability to mentally organize everything, by “napoleonically placing” each thing in its correct box, without mixing these last between each other.

Jacobsen: Who seems comparable in history to him?

Sorensen: From the point of view of its universalism and extraordinary capacity, “Leonardo Da Vinci.”

Jacobsen: Personally, what parts of the story seem, more or less, factual and extraordinary to you?

Sorensen: Sidis’s extraordinary “earliness,” “humanism,” and regardless of the fact that there is no documented evidence of its intelligence evaluations, the presence of objective facts, that give proof of his unmeasurable genius.

Jacobsen: If he lived longer than 46, what do you think he would have done with his gifts and talents?

Sorensen: I think Sidis would have formed, a “philanthropic intellectual society.”

Jacobsen: If he lived longer than 46, what do you think he would have done with his personal and professional life outside of general uses of gifts and talents?

Sorensen: Probably would have continued to live with his parents or sister, and would have been professionally associated with a university for academic and research purposes.

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Christian.

Sorensen: Thank you for the opportunity, Scott.

Image Credit: Christian Sorensen.

Dharmendra Pradhan tears apart Sonia Gandhi’s politics on petrol-diesel prices

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan lashed out at Congress President Sonia Gandhi for raking up the issue of petroleum prices during times of COVID-19 pandemic when the government has been making efforts to help poor and needy with direct cash transfers. Minister Pradhan, without mincing any words, said that the Narendra Modi-led government directly transfers money into the accounts of poor through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) rather than depositing it into the accounts of “son-in-law” and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

“During the last three months government has directly transferred ₹65,454 crore into the bank accounts of 42 crore poor people through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer). This cash transfer has been done directly into the bank accounts of poor people without any intermediaries. Modi ji’s scheme means distribution to poor, there’s no concept of filling the treasuries,” explained Dharmendra Pradhan.

Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas castigating Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her comments on fuel prices in times of Coronavirus pandemic.

Dharmendra Pradhan castigated Sonia Gandhi that her idea of DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) may be to have transfers done into her son-in-law’s accounts and to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. “Modi ji’s DBT idea is to transfer into the back accounts of poor,” said Dharmendra Pradhan.  

Sonia Gandhi has attacked the Narendra Modi-led government for raising fuel prices twenty two times since the lockdown, wherein the Congress President accused government of “extorting” people, and sought an immediate rollback of the hikes. Sonia Gandhi raked up the issue of fuel price in times of Coronavirus pandemic without knowing how the pandemic has affected economic demand and thrown up unforeseen challenges before the Modi government. Dharmendra Pradhan explained in clear terms that the tax money from petrol and diesel is being spent in providing health cover, employment and economic security to the people whose livelihood have been adversely affected due to prolonged lockdown after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Sonia Gandhi must know that after a nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, 2020 to contain the spread of pandemic a budget of ₹1,70,000 crore was sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana that entailed direct cash transfers into the bank accounts of poor people and farmers. The free ration being provided under this scheme has now been extended by PM Modi till November-end. For three months poor families were also given LPG cylinders for free. In a democracy it’s the right of opposition to criticize government’s actions but playing politics on government schemes meant for the poor only means that Congress President Sonia Gandhi does not want benefits from welfare schemes to reach the poor people, rather she wants to cash upon the pandemic for political mileage.

Dharmendra Pradhan explained that entire global economy is under severe strain due to the pandemic and it has also posed demand issues for petroleum products. The common consumer has not been much affected by recent price hike in petroleum products as their demand had gone down by 70% in April and May before it revived in June after the lockdown was eased. “When a family faces a crisis, then members arrange financial resources to deal with it and the recent hike in oil products should be seen in a similar manner.” 

Dr Allah Nazar praises Baloch freedom fighters for Karachi stock exchange attack

Baloch youth are sacrificing themselves to crush the colonial arrogance of the occupying enemy and not for fame and glory, said Dr Allah Nazar Baloch the prominent pro-independence leader of occupied Balochistan, as he paid tributes to the Baloch freedom fighters martyred in Karachi.

Dr Allah Nazar Baloch while paying his tributes to the freedom fighters martyred in Karachi said that the attack on Karachi Stock Exchange was a warning to Pakistan and China to quit Balochistan. “The Baloch nation has decided to take extreme steps to expel them from Balochistan. The great sacrifices of martyr Salman Hamal, Taslim Baloch, Shehzad Baloch and Siraj Kongar who hail from different parts of Balochistan will always be remembered not only by the Baloch nation in golden words but will also be remembered by all the oppressed nations who fight for their freedom in any part of the world.”

He said that China is a modern day imperialist and an aggressive power. China has made a long term hegemonic plan to use Gwadar as a launching pad by turning Balochistan into an undeclared colony to dominate the world. “Pakistan has cheaply mortgaged Baloch lands to China. China’s presence in Balochistan has become a threat not only to the Baloch national survival but it poses a danger to the entire world. We believe that the world is still unaware of China’s intentions and that the Baloch are the only ones fighting the modern imperialist monster. The attack on the base of Chinese moneylenders in Karachi after the attack on the Chinese base in Gwadar is a continuation of the attacks on its strategic assets. The Baloch will continue it, no matter what the cost,” Dr Allah Nazar explained with a firm determination.

Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, Chief of Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and revered leader of Balochistan's Freedom Struggle against Pakistan.
Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, Chief of Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and revered leader of Balochistan’s Freedom Struggle against Pakistan.

Dr Allah Nazar Baloch further added that for some Balochistan may be a part of Pakistan but for us, Balochistan is our motherland. “We will not hesitate to sacrifice our lives for its sanctity, national identity and freedom. Pakistan not only occupies our land but has also leased our land to China under the guise of projects like CPEC. Agreements with China on Balochistan are concealed from the Baloch nation and they are so dangerous that Pakistan is not even able to present those agreements in front of its own parliament and senate. The fate of Balochistan is being negotiated with Chinese imperialists through the military generals in the GHQ, Rawalpindi. Nevertheless, if anyone insists on calling it development and economic projects for Balochistan, we consider them as partners in crime with the enemy.”

Dr Allah Nazar Baloch explained that the basis of violence comes from occupation and all the roots of violence are implicit in the occupation of Balochistan. “We learn the lessons of revolutionary war from the thoughts of personalities like Che Guevara and Ho Chi Minh and the Baloch national traditions. Today, few so-called intellectuals are critical of our revolutionary war, and according to them our attacks justify Pakistani violence. They do not see the tears of Hasiba and Seema whose innocent relatives continue to be forcibly disappeared for years. During which attacks were their loved ones caught red-handed by the state army and thrown in secret detentions? Why don’t they notice the fact that Pakistan and China have made a practical decision to wipe out the Baloch nation from Balochistan?” He added: “Pakistan’s barbarism and violence have been going on for seventy years now. Pakistan’s atrocities and barbarism, the tears of Baloch daughters on the streets are increasing the intensity of our war. These tears are to be avenged on Pakistan and its allies. I am well aware that Pakistan will increase Baloch genocide by using such attacks, but it will not be able to wipe us out.”

Dr Allah Nazar Baloch reiterated that the Baloch nation is fighting a revolutionary war. “The young who are treasures of their mothers do not go on an attack just for fame or due to madness but to convey the message of their oppression to the world and to break the pride of the enemy. They certainly hope that the Baloch nation will not let their sacrifice to go in vain. The attack on the moneylender’s base in Karachi is a link to this. The caravan shall continue. We must remember that we are numerically, militarily and technologically weaker against the enemy. Guerrilla warfare, among other factors, is an important weapon for the weak. This is the legacy of revolutionaries all over the world and the Baloch youth will contribute to this legacy.”

CFI – Cash Prize Increase to Show Magical Powers

Center for Inquiry has been a consistent and powerful bulwark against pseudoscience and supernatural powers claims in the history of the United States in particular and some other parts of the world in general. Many in the humanist, generally, and the secular humanist, particularly, community owe them a great debt and, in fact, are a part of the organizations in its orbit if not directly with it.

One extended grouping of the Center for Inquiry is the Center for Inquiry Investigations Group. An interesting cash prize proposal building off the legacy of the James Randi Educational Foundation. The prize comes to an astonishing $250,000. I believe in USD. The prize money, previously, was $100,000. So, certainly, this ups the ante on the entire endeavour.

It is a financial backing to a challenge to prove occult, paranormal, and supernatural abilities or powers. Based on the reportage of the Center for Inquiry Investigations Group, akin to the findings of the James Randi Educational Foundation, zero challengers have succeeded in passing the challenge of the group. Yet, we find an astonishing number continuing to proclaim superpowers, special powers, supernatural powers, and the like. Others have never been properly tested in a modern scientific setting to provide sufficient proof of the concept. No empirical evidence on this level.

James Underdown, the Executive Director and the Founder of the Center for Inquiry West (Los Angeles) stated, “We’ve been waiting for twenty years now for someone to come along and blow our minds, and while many have tried, no one has proven they can actually do what they say they can do… Maybe all the real superpowered folks were just waiting for us to raise the stakes. Hopefully a quarter million bucks will do it.”

Granted, it is a lot of money. It can raise some questions a to why so few takers/testers to earn such money. In addition to the quarter of a million dollars for an individual who can provide evidence of the paranormal or supernatural claims, there is, as well, a $5,000 prize money for the individual who can make the referral of an individual who can show the magical powers. (I believe “magical” is the appropriate colloquial term here.)

With files from Center for Inquiry.

Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

NCSE – Improvements on Evolution Via Natural Selection Education

Evolution via natural selection remains the singular foundation for the biological sciences and, presumably, the medical sciences by extension. Without an appropriate education in these matters and full comprehension and complete acceptance of its implications, a pupil or an aspiring biology or medical sciences student will be left worse off than educational peers.

With an NCSE/Penn State national survey, they have been looking into the “pedagogically appropriate treatment of evolution in state science standards,” according to the National Center for Science Education’s (NCSE) Glenn Branch, deputy director.

With the want of improvement in the standards of education across the United States of America, as we speak, three states are beginning to revise the state science standards: Texas, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.

Branch stated, “More than half a million students take a biology course in the public schools of Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas every year, to say nothing of the millions of students across the country whose textbooks might be affected by the content of the Texas standards.”

In “Teaching evolution in U.S. public schools: A continuing challenge,” by Eric Plutzer, Glenn Branch, and Ann Reid, one can find further details on the particular survey in question.  With the low rates of adherence to the foundations of the life sciences, the United States will continue to punch below its weight and remain a powerful while less than possible nation in terms of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

With files from the National Center for Science Education.

Photo by Eugene Zhyvchik on Unsplash

NCSE: New Jersey Revising Educational Standards

Some more positive work coming out of the National Center for Science Education or the NCSE with its Deputy Director, Glenn Branch, pointing out the situation in New Jersey.

With some of the issues in a poverty of critical thinking, at times, within the United States, some good events are more than welcome. The state board of education of New Jersey adopted the revisions of some education standards for the entire state.

These will be incorporating climate change in “a systematic and coordinated way.” Branch explained how every teacher within the public school system of New Jersey would be “encouraged” to discuss climate change in a proper context, educational environment.

Branch said, “…New Jersey’s climate is already changing… and it is to the state’s credit that its education standards are changing in response. But it will be necessary for the state to ensure that these latter changes have their intended effect by funding education appropriately: meeting the greenhouse effect with the greenback dollar.”

These kinds of educational advances can help work on the unfortunate scientific illiteracy in the United States as a leading scientific nation, as with other nations harbour large swathes of scientific illiteracy.

Whether consequential knowledge such as evolution via natural selection for biological sciences and medical sciences, or climate change for actionables on an urgent problem, or not, scientific illiteracy is an ongoing issue and state-by-state changes to educational curricula as a service to the next generations is greatly appreciated.

With files from the National Center for Science Education.

Photo by Saketh Garuda on Unsplash

Conscripted Chinese soldiers no match to battle-ready Indian military

Almost one third of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is made up of conscripted soldiers who are forced to serve in the military for two years and then retired. PLA’s conscripted soldiers hardly undergo the rigorous military training.

Ladakh continues to make headlines. Galwan Valley remains tense. And India continues to remain on high alert as it fortifies combat positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to preempt any further Chinese misadventure. As far as territorial controls are concerned, there has been absolutely no change in the LAC positions despite both India and China building up their troop strengths. The two armies are in combat positions yet no shots are being fired. But China has begun its psychological warfare.

A large section of fifth columnists ensconced at plum positions across India are working overtime to create a fear psychosis about China’s military build up across the LAC. These fifth columnists make ample use of Photoshop images to prove that China has eaten up a few kilometres of Indian Territory in the Galwan Valley. This is far from truth. The fact remains that on June 15 the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) launched an unprovoked attack on Indian soldiers in an anticipation to see their backs, instead, the Indian soldiers hunted down the Chinese. In that fierce battle, more than 35 PLA soldiers were slaughtered by Indian soldiers thereby severely denting the image about PLA’s invincibility. China has since got into a damage control mode, and what better way than to wage psychological war against India.

Interestingly, Galwan Valley remains out of bound for all civilians including the journalists. India has been reiterating time and again that there has been no change in areas under its control. Curiously, this fifth columnist ‘coterie’ has been working overtime to dole out Photoshop satellite images of PLA tents, bunkers and camps at the LAC in order to prove that Chinese men have encroached inside Indian Territory, while the Indian Army continues to sleep. This modus operandi intends to create a fear psychosis in the minds of Indians while covering up for the shortcomings of China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army).

This psychological warfare is critical for China as it covers up the chinks in their armour. Almost 30% ‘soldiers’ in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) comprises of conscripted manpower, who are forced to serve in the military for two years and then retired. This effectively means that the PLA is continuously walking through a revolving door and around one third of the Chinese military is always on its exit route. The manpower serving PLA under compulsion merely adds to the headcount as they hardly undergo the rigours of military training and yet they are posted in combat positions. China’s conscripted herd is hardly a match to battle hardened and professional Indian Army. Moreover these conscripted youth brought up in cushy environment have never had any experience of real war. Almost for their entire term within PLA these conscripted soldiers wield guns in front of civilian populations. There’s a sea of difference when uniformed men wield guns at civilians and when faced with battle hardened soldiers. This differential turned the scales against PLA on June 15 during the battle at Galwan Valley, when Indian soldiers despite being severely outnumbered hunted down the Chinese, broke bones and smashed their skulls.

PLA’s remaining two third soldiers who have donned the battle fatigues know that they are mere cogs in the gambit of Communist Party of China who can be sacrificed at the whims of ‘high command’. A soldier’s passion to sacrifice himself for the nation is clearly missing in People’s Liberation Army where the uniformed men are only headcounts who are used as cannon fodder for communist party’s agenda of grabbing land and expanding its borders. In comparison, Indian military is largely rustic where able bodied men from across the nation willingly join ranks, undergo tough training and are brimming with nationalism. The People’s Liberation Army, in contrast, serves more as the private army of China’s Communist Party rather than for China as a nation.

Feeling of nationalism can be a major differentiator between warring armies when soldiers have to choose between life and death within a fraction of second. Even during the June 15 battle, every Indian soldier knew that if they die in their line of duty they will be remembered as heroes, their martyrdom celebrated, bodies will receive state honours and their family members will be honoured by the Indian society. And India did honour the twenty soldiers martyred on June 15, who were cremated with full state honours.

Sepoy Chandan Kumar being cremated with full military honours at his village Gyanpura in Bhojpur, Bihar. Sepoy Chandan Kumar was martyred during the June 15 battle with PLA at Galwan Valley

Nothing of this sort has happened in China. The Communist Party of China has not even officially acknowledged the names of PLA soldiers killed on June 15. The ‘Dragon’ is too embarrassed to publicly acknowledge that despite being armed with barbed wires, knuckles and nail-studded batons they were hunted down by Indians. Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, is still abuzz with angry comments from the family members of slain PLA soldiers who had expected some official honour and a recognition that their kin had sacrificed their lives for the country. But then this was not forthcoming, simply because in the worldview of communist China, a human life holds no value. And here lies the difference of approach between the Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army.

China’s Economic woes

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, China’s economic troubles have been worsening. China’s macro-economic numbers reveal the abyss that it has fallen into.

China counts 900 million people as its active workforce, of which close to 80 million are unemployed today. China also needs to create 11 million newer jobs every year to gainfully engage the fresh workforce. Around 40% Chinese population– almost 600 million people– earn an average of 1000 yuan (Rs 10,600) per month, which is subsistence level income. China’s per capita income has declined by 4% in January-March quarter of 2020 when compared with same period a year ago.

China’s three growth engines also point towards underlying problems within its economy. Consider this: Consumer spending in China has plunged by 19%, exports are down 13%, and fixed asset investments have dipped by 16%. And it doesn’t end here. Roughly 200 million jobs in China come from businesses connected to foreign trade. As China gets into trade brawl with the US and big corporations shift their production bases out of China, most of these jobs could just vanish. All of this is making Chinese population restless and angry, very angry.

Unemployed youth with their job applications in China. (Representative photo)

President Xi Jinping is aware of these troubles and communist party mandarins have sniffed the groundswell of public resentment. However, rather than take constructive steps to steer China’s economy towards course correction they have resorted to censor dissenting news and redirect anger on the ground towards aggressive nationalism. This is what explains China’s breach of trust with Hong Kong, its bravado with Taiwan, the ongoing Ladakh standoff with India and the latest tussle with Japan over Senkaku Islands in the Pacific.

Ironically, China is not succeeding on any of these fronts. And in order to stay afloat China has initiated “wolf warrior” diplomacy through its foreign office that has unleashed sharp attacks on anybody and everybody who doesn’t toe China’s line. It’s sad that a section of Indian media and self-proclaimed ‘experts’ have become enablers for China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy.

Photoshop satellite pictures of PLA tents, bunkers and Chinese military presence in Galwan Valley and other parts of LAC is leaked to this section of pliable cabal and then a well concerted attack ensues. The sole purpose of this exercise is to mould the narrative in China’s favour and create a fear psychosis within India about Chinese invincibility.

Revealing details of India’s troop deployment will only help China

In combat zones the lines of conflict are often blurred. Indian population needs to rest assured that martyrdom of twenty Indian soldiers and their fierce fight back wherein they slaughtered at least 35-40 PLA soldiers has not been in vain. There is no fresh Chinese transgression post the Galwan clash on June 15.

Indian Army battalions and tanks continue to be deployed along the LAC in Ladakh. India’s troop mobilisation is taking place in accordance with threat perceptions along the LAC. India’s fighter aircraft are on high alert. We need to trust our armed forces. They are in combat positions. They have not gone to the LAC for a picnic!

Geostrategy and combat readiness must be secret. Every military strategy and military movement cannot and must not be discussed in public. Pressurizing the Indian government to reveal finer details of our military strategy will only help China. Writing detailed accounts of our troop deployment will only help China. Indian needs to bury the ghosts of 1962. Barely five years after 1962, Indian Army slaughtered around 900 Chinese soldiers at the Nathu La and Cho La battle in Sikkim and chased away the intruding PLA to its base. China knows it cannot wage a direct fight with India but it will indulge in psychological warfare.

In the coming days China will step up its efforts to spread rumours about Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. This is dragon’s psychological war. Sadly, all those fifth columnists, self-proclaimed ‘defense experts’ and communists will side with China in this psychological war. In 1962 they sided with China, and they will do so again.

Franklin Templeton draws flak abroad, nudge at home

Fined heavily by three global regulators in Canada, Hong Kong, Korea for more than a year for serious regulatory violations, Franklin Templeton is sitting pretty over a Rs 28,000 crore alleged scam in India. So far, it has faced a simple nudge from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The market regulator, according to reports reaching the Indian Capital, has fined Franklin Templeton Rs 10 lakh and extended the time limit for forensic audit by auditor Chokshi & Chokshi.

The move has, expectedly, rattled the country’s financial markets.

The FT group is facing several serious litigations and strong proceedings for illegally winding up six schemes in India. As many as 40,000 investors have got an estimated Rs 28,000 crore stuck because of the group’s decision to wind up the schemes that experts claim violate regulatory guidelines.

Reports circulated by Washington says the FT group has — for long — indulged in regulatory breaches and shoddy practices for which global regulators fined it heavily. The matter has been reported to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), since Franklin Templeton is headquartered in Washington DC. As such, the US SEC has also reprimanded Franklin Templeton several times in the past.

As per the US SEC Report of 2019, three global regulators, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), Korea, the Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong, and the Ontario Securities Commission, Canada, have severely castigated and fined the Franklin Templeton group for serious regulatory violations over the past decade.

But in India, the group has escaped unscatched.

As per the earlier timeline, Choksi & Choksi, a chartered accountant and forensic audit firm was to complete the investigation by the first week of July. Now, the same report will be submitted by the first week of August, 2020. 

People whose investments are stuck with FT feel a low fine by SEBI and delay in forensic audit by the auditor could send “strong and wrong signals” to those whose cash is stuck with those schemes FT wants to dilute.

At stake is a whopping Rs 28,000 crore of 40,000 investors. 

FT had initiated an e-voting process to seek unitholders’ nod to wind up the schemes. Initially, the e-voting process was scheduled to be held between June 9 and 11, 2020. However, the process was delayed after certain investors approached various high courts (HCs) against the fund house.

The petitioners said voting should not be allowed until the audit report is made public so that investors can make an informed choice. A SEBI council had argued before the Gujarat HC that the forensic audit report was for internal information of the regulator and cannot be a ground to delay the voting. The court had still granted a stay on the voting process till the forensic audit report was made available in public domain.

On June 20, 2020 the Supreme Court directed that all matters related to winding up of FT MF schemes be heard in the Karnataka High Court. Franklin Templeton had prayed before the apex court to vacate Gujarat HC’s stay on e–voting. The SC, however, didn’t intervene in Gujarat HC’s stay order on the e-voting process.

NSS: Greek Mandatory Declaration of Religion is Human Rights Violation

A mandatory declaration of religion is being challenged by the National Secular Society as a breach of human rights.

In Greece, there is a claimed requirement for parents having to declare religion on the child’s birth certificate. This has been challenged by the National Secular Society (NSS) at the European Court of Human Rights.

NSS reported, “In Papanikolaou v Greece, the ECHR is considering whether the obligation violates article nine of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to freedom of religion and belief.”

Based on the submission to the ECHR, it has been argued by the NSS the obligation goes against Article 8 and Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. They deal with the right to respect for private and family life and the freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and state:

ARTICLE 8

Right to respect for private and family life

1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

ARTICLE 9

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

The NSS submission complained the obligation stands as contrary to the convention and unnecessarily divulges sensitive personal data in violation of the rights of the child and of the rights of the parent.

The complaint continued to remark on the nature of treating members of a particular faith as somehow a bloc or a “cohesive group”; whereas, the reality with every belief or social attitudinal group remains statistical and distributed more than anything. People differ.

With the freedom of religion or belief, as per the European Convention on Human Rights and the complaint from the NSS, it is an individual right, not a group right and, therefore, cannot be treated as a singular right of a group.

“The [NSS] argued that the requirement goes against both the plain words of the relevant articles of the ECHR and relevant case law. In previous cases the ECHR has ruled that requiring individuals to reveal their personal beliefs violates article nine,” the NSS reported, “It has also established that disclosure of information about personal religious and philosophical convictions may engage article eight, as such convictions concern some of the most intimate aspects of private life.”

Panayote Dimitras of the Greek Helsinki Monitor “greatly appreciated” the efforts of intervention of the NSS at the ECHR. The issues raised by the NSS will be ‘adding crucial arguments’ to the points raised by the Greek Helsinki Monitor too.

NSS chief executive Stephen Evans stated:

We’ve intervened in this case to uphold the principle that nobody should be required to reveal their personal beliefs, which can often be a very sensitive issue, without very good reason.

There’s no good reason why the Greek state should need to know the religion of a newborn child’s parents, so the court should ensure it upholds the right to freedom of belief and the right to privacy.

With files from the National Secular Society.

Photo by Ricky Turner on Unsplash

India cannot resolve every dispute by dialogues, it’s time for defensive-offence

Chinese intrusion in Eastern Ladakh is a pre-meditated plan with close relevance to the ominous situation developing in South Asia. China’s threatening postures and dubious moves are a threat to peace in the region. China’s ambition is to dominate the Asian Continent militarily and economically. Nibbling at the borders of her neighbours is China’s history. India is facing this menace along 7,000 km Himalayan border with China just because of Nehru putting an end to the strategic buffer of Tibet.

Pressure from the international community is growing in China for an investigation into the leakage and global spread of Coronavirus. World leaders have begun to concede that President Trump did not guffaw against the WHO. The US is not alone in demanding a balance of trade with China. Japan, Australia and India are equally serious. But the withdrawal of production units from China has to be undertaken under technical advice.

Indo-Pacific region is again in focus. Sporadic movement of Chinese naval ships in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and Beijing’s recent warnings to Australia against supporting an inquiry into the origins and spread out of the pandemic, demand that the Far Eastern strategy of the American policy planners and also of the major democracies of the world might necessitate upgrading of respective strategies.

China understands that stable democracies will ultimately insist on and work towards just and equitable economic order. Intermittent show of Chinese warships in the Chinese Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean and the sinking of a Vietnamese vessel is a loud message.

China seems to have slowed down the pace of its Belt and Road narrative. It will impact the overall strategy of China regarding the Gilgit-Baltistan region where Beijing wants to have a strong military base in Skardu. Islamabad is reported to have agreed to facilitate it. Kargil is not too far away from Skardu and the road link did exist during the days of the Maharajas of J&K. 

Knowledgeable sources reported that China has been eyeing a foothold in the Wakhan corridor also close to the Afghan mainland. At the same time, Beijing has been impressing upon Pakistan to formalize the legal status of Gilgit-Baltistan region because the area is disputed. That is what made Pakistan Supreme Court recommend annexation of the region to the Pakistan mainland. The Supreme Court took no cognizance of the anti-Pakistan struggle undertaken by the nationalist elements in Gilgit and Baltistan.

After India scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir State on August 5, 2019 owing to increase in sedition activities of separatists in Kashmir and their blatant camaraderie with Pakistani agencies, Pakistan embarked on a virulent anti-Hindu and anti-India propaganda on a large scale. It tried to influence even the UN subsidiaries like the UNHRC. The Chairman of UNHRC Session 42 and the Chairman of the UNHRC both issued statements criticizing India. They did not say a word about the vast terrorist network spread out by such Pakistan-based terrorist groups as have been designated by the UN itself and are active in Kashmir. India rejected the report as biased and based on false reports. It is to be noted that the US has already withdrawn from the membership of the UN Human Rights Council alleging that it has been politicized and has lost its sanctity.

With Pakistan ganging up with some of the non-Semitic Islamic states like Turkey, Malaysia and Iran, the group began criticizing liberal and pragmatic Arab states friendly towards India for not making OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) an effective tool to take some strong anti-India position on Kashmir. They are struggling to remove Saudi Arabia from its pivotal position among the Islamic countries and bring in a new structure that would work against democracy and liberalism in Islam.

In the background of these developments in which China and Pakistan have been working in tandem, India demanded Pakistan to vacate its illegal occupation of Gilgit-Baltistan areas. Indian media gave a big hype to India’s intention of retrieving the part of the original State of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.

Pakistani media played up the threat and the opposition parties in Pakistan questioned the rationality of Pakistan Army and intelligence agencies abetting insurgency in Kashmir but negligent about the impending threat of India planning to recover the lost territory in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. Rawalpindi felt rattled and the Prime Minister Imran Khan, to save his skin, went about crying wolf. “We will give India a befitting reply if she makes any adventure of attacking Pakistan” became the refrain of Imran Khan’s lifeless vitriolic. China and Pakistan both had a reason to feel frustrated on being informed by respective intelligence sources that Indian military brass was working on some plan.

Raising and legitimizing the jihadist legions as the frontline of its defence strategy against India, relentlessly facilitating infiltration into Kashmir of armed jihadists, massively brainwashing ordinary Kashmiris and propagating through electronic media, barrages of anti-India hatred among them on the religious count and the Kashmir separatists and ambivalent Kashmiri Muslim leadership not missing any opportunity of subversion, and the tailpiece of Gupkar Memorandum, forced the NDA government to meet the situation according to its merits. The roots of the State Reorganization Act of 2019 have to be searched in this emerging scenario.

China thrice vetoed Security Council’s attempt of designating Masood Azhar, the Chief of the Pakistani terrorist organization Jaish-e-Muhammad. China was lending outright support to Pakistani terrorists carrying out subversion in Kashmir.

For India, the time has come to act and liberate the part of the original State of Jammu and Kashmir from the illegal occupation of Pakistan since 1947. Pakistan had turned down the Security Council’s two important resolutions on J&K which left India free to follow a course of its choice. Hence is born the idea of exploiting the strategic importance of Gilgit and Baltistan in the new scheme of Inner Asian strategy.

Alarmed by India’s plan of retaking the territory illegally occupied by  Pakistan and also nearly 5,000 sq km of Shaksgam region in Chilas ceded by Pakistan to China, the two adversaries jointly planned the double-pronged strategy of PLA making an incursion into the Eastern Ladakh and Pakistani Rangers intensifying firing and shelling on Indian posts along the LoC including civilian habitats. As the situation in Ladakh became grim, Pakistan called a crucial meeting of her Corps Commanders presided over by the army chief and attended, among others, by the three services chiefs and the ISI chief. Dawn of 17th June reported, “Services chiefs on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the preparedness of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to counter India’s sinister designs after receiving a rarely combined briefing on occupied Kashmir and other regional issues at the headquarters of the premier intelligence agency.” PM Imran Khan twice visited the ISI headquarters for intelligence briefings on the security threats. The paper disclosed that the Pakistani foreign minister was scheduled to visit Beijing in a couple of days obviously to brief the Chinese about the ground situation. Tension along the LoC in J&K has escalated with Pakistani Rangers opening more fronts for pounding Indian posts.

Now we find that Ladakh standoff has implications far beyond the shadow of the Himalayas. We need to change the discourse of resolving issues with two arch-rivals through only dialogue. It is not a bilateral issue that India is confronted with. What is in the throes of danger is not just the Indian nation but the very concept of democracy, freedom and human dignity. Therefore, for India, it is of utmost importance to depart from the traditional policy of running after an elusive peace. Our security narrative must change and we must accept the eternal truth that power flows through the barrel of the gun.