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India’s honour rests in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple at Ayodhya

Vivek Sinha
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India’s honour rests in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple at Ayodhya

I vividly remember that Sunday afternoon when I was loitering in the neighborhood along with other children. We were school students then and apart from cricket the other topic of our passionate discussion was the ongoing agitation at Ayodhya. A few minutes into our discussion, we saw a hefty man running towards us. He was panting. Tears were rolling down his cheeks as he repeatedly yelled “Jai Shri Ram”. Before we could react, several others in our locality had joined in and roared back “Jai Shri Ram”. Within minutes almost everybody, including me and my friends, were chanting “Jai Shri Ram” in unison.

This day was 6th December, 1992.

The Babri Structure (that looked like a Mosque) at Ayodhya had been demolished and news spread like wild fire. Conch shells were blowing, sweets were distributed, diyas and candles were being lighted all around.

This was the scene and extent of celebrations at a small colony in Kanpur an industrial town some 220 kilometers from Ayodhya. Remember this was 1992– a different era with no Facebook, WhatsApp or Twitter. Mobile phones were super luxury and 24×7 television news was nowhere. The only mode of communication was landline phones and word of mouth. Yet, news of the demolition of Babri Structure spread like wild fire and instigated hysterical celebrations all across the country. Post the demolition of Babri Structure a few political commentators and historians began calling this structure a Masjid and said that Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6th , 1992. But this Structure was never a Masjid (Mosque). Islam never permits demolishing one religious structure (be it a temple, church or synagogue) to construct a mosque.  

In fact, many historians and commentators like to describe the history of post-independence India as pre-1992 and post-1992. Such was the impact of Ram Janmabhoomi Movement on the lives of Indians. This impact has only grown over time.  

In recent years during my interaction with journalists and political observers, especially from the West, one question almost recurs: “How could a political party (read BJP) whip up mass frenzy on a scale that remains almost unparalleled in post-independence India”?

Well, first things first. The Ram Janmabhoomi Movement was never the brain child of one political party or any of its offshoot. So neither the BJP nor its ideological mentor RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) or the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) can claim sole ownership rights of the Ayodhya movement. None of the people in my colony who were celebrating the demolition of Babri Structure were members of the BJP or VHP or the RSS. 

Let’s go back in history to put things into a perspective.

Mughal invader Babur’s commander-in-chief Mir Baki demolished the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in 1528. The psyche behind temple’s demolition was to prove to the indigenous Hindu population that world order has changed and Babur is the new ruler who is here to take possession of the country, its people, women and their God. Since Ram is an integral part of India’ psyche so demolition of his temple at his birthplace would send a powerful message to the locals, went the thought in the minds of invading army. Yes, Babur did demolish the temple but faced stiff resistance from the then local population to an extent that he was unable to build a grand mosque in its place. It was a hurriedly built “Structure” that resembled a mosque; the minarets, place for ablutions and other essential structures of a mosque were starkly absent. The Mughal invaders paid no heed to the basic Islamic tenet that a temple cannot be demolished to construct a Mosque. 

During Babur’s short rein of four years the then local people fought four battles to regain control of the Ram Janmabhoomi site. The very fact that Babur was unable to build a grand mosque even after being the victor speaks volumes about the resistance he faced from the then Hindu population. And then these fights never stopped. Till 1934 Hindus fought a total of seventy six battles to regain control of the Ram Janmabhoomi site. Be it the rein of Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan or the brutal Aurangzeb at no time did the Hindu population stop battling to re-gain control of the Ram Janmabhoomi site. Since the year 1934, and thereafter India’s independence in 1947, this fight shifted to the court rooms. So, while earlier the battles were bloody and violent with time it has now become judicial. 

For people of India, a temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya is not merely an issue of bricks and mortar. It is an issue of our cultural resurgence and identity, where Lord Ram has a prime place of importance. The movement is an expression of the collective consciousness of the our ethos, our national honor and dignity.

Any interpretation of the Babri Structure, other than that of it being viewed as a monument which celebrates our slavery will clearly indicate that Hindus and all Indians are being asked to live with the feeling of humiliation that Babur wanted to inflict upon us as “conquered people”.

Now where does this leave the country’s Muslim population? Since it was never a mosque the Babri Structure was never a holy place for Muslims and there is absolutely no need for them to own up the barbarism of Babur and others like him. A little bit of historical research proves that present day Indian Muslims are converts from Hinduism and it is their forefathers who died fighting the marauding army of the likes of Babur. Later on, their families were forced to convert to Islam by the invading Mughal army. The right way for Indian Muslims is to distance themselves from such acts of vandalism and barbarism of the past.

In 1857, the year when India fought its first war of independence against British colonialism, Amir Ali the local Muslim leader from Ayodhya announced that Muslims must hand over the Babri Structure to their Hindu brethren. Unfortunately, rebels lost the 1857 war and British army hanged Amir Ali and his associate leader Ramcharan Das from a tamarind tree on March 18, 1858. For several years this tamarind tree was worshiped by both Hindus and the Muslims. The developing camaraderie between Hindus and Muslims worried British colonial rulers. Soon they uprooted the tamarind tree that was turning into a rallying point for the indigenous population. Sadly, this portion of history is skipped in present day narrative.

Elsewhere also there has been several precedents of such acts. When the Germans are asked to apologize for the crimes of Hitler, they never hesitate to do so, clearly indicating that they do not own Nazism.

In 1918 in Warsaw, at the end of first Russian occupation of Poland, one of the first things that Polish people did was to bring down the Russian Orthodox Christian Cathedral that was built by Russians in the center of the town. This was done despite the fact that Poles are Christians and Jesus Christ was worshiped in that Cathedral. The Poles demolished the Cathedral built by Russians only because they viewed the Cathedral not as a place of worship, rather as a structure that reminded them of their slavery.

The Babri Structure was a similar construction that reminded India of the savagery and so its demolition was celebrated all across the country. A grand temple at the birth place of Lord Ram will instill a sense of pride for Indians in their rich cultural heritage and correct the historical wrong.

Pak Army’s barbaric violence continues in Balochistan: Dil Murad Baloch

News Intervention Bureau
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Pak Army’s barbaric violence continues in Balochistan: Dil Murad Baloch

Baloch National Movement (BNM) Central Information Secretary Dil Murad Baloch issued the monthly report of October 2019 in which he stated that Pakistani forces continue to commit atrocities in occupied Balochistan. The state-sponsored death squads are inflicting innumerable atrocities under the umbrella of the Pakistan Army. The situation of Balochistan is in the worst condition and the Baloch nation is looking towards the international community for help.

The report states that the Pakistani Army conducted 28 military operations in the month of October and 30 people “disappeared”. Also, 25 dead bodies were discovered during this month, of which 8 were killed by Pakistani security forces and one person was killed by the death squads. Two elderly persons and two women were killed in Ormara. The women were killed in front of their children, whereas the two elderly men were shifted into the military camps, where they were tortured to death. Later, their dead bodies were dumped in Ormara. One person was killed by security forces who was previously released from the torture cell. The exact causes of the death of other 16 people remains unknown. The security forces also looted more than 100 houses during military operations in different areas of Balochistan.

Further, around 17 people were released from the torture cells of security forces. Among them one person was abducted in 2015, two went missing from 2016, three more people had gone missing in 2017, one was missing from 2018 and the other ten people were whisked away in 2019 by the security forces.

The Information Secretary of Baloch National Movement also mentioned the scandal of the University of Balochistan where university authorities in league with the Frontier Corps (FC) installed surveillance and hidden cameras and recorded candid videos of students to blackmail them. It was a well-organized plan by authorities of Pakistan government. These videos were used to blackmail hundreds of Baloch female students.

Khalil Baloch, the Chairman of Baloch National Movement has already expressed his worries about this incident, saying that it was an attack on our national dignity and honor which wounded our collective soul. Baloch nation will remember this for centuries to come and will take historical revenge for it from the state of Pakistan.

Dil Murad Baloch stated that in October, Panjgur, Awaran, and few other areas were under the constant attack of Pakistani security forces. Pakistan has turned Balochistan into an altar. Due to these atrocities by Pakistani security forces a humanitarian crisis has evolved in Balochistan.

He states that a few months ago the video of an elderly person Hassan son of Shay Sheru of Rach, Ormara turned viral on the internet. In that video, the man can be seen complaining about the death squads of Pakistan Army which have turned life unbearable and he appeals for help. As a result of this viral video Pakistani Army abducted Hassan Sheru and another old man Lal Mohammad Razai and killed them. Pakistani forces took them to the army camp where they were inhumanly tortured and killed. Among the dead women, one was also pregnant and the other had a three-month-old baby. Despite this tragic event, no one raised voice to condemn this hapless incident. This event is not a single event. It reflects the entire picture of Balochistan and the humanitarian situation over here.

Dil Murad Baloch stated that the incident at the University of Balochistan, the tragedy of Ormara, the long-standing naked military aggression across Balochistan are sufficient to prove that Pakistan has crossed all limits of atrocities and are committing genocide across the Baloch nation. In order to maintain its hegemonic control on Balochistan, Pakistan keeps on increasing the frequency and intensity of such incidents. But the historical facts tell otherwise, that the nations cannot be defeated and held slaves forever. Baloch nation is ready for sacrifices in all shapes and forms. Similarly, these atrocities of Pakistan will further motivate the Baloch nation to gain their national freedom by setting a new example of sacrifices.

He added that the silence of the international community is enough to teach us that the Baloch nation has to single-handedly fight their own war and secure freedom on their own abilities. “We have no complaint against Pakistani civil society and human rights organizations but the silence of international bodies and humanitarian organizations raises several questions. They have been tight-lipped on the humanitarian crisis in Balochistan and had refused to condemn the atrocities, due to which Pakistan has been exacerbating its war crimes across the length and width of Balochistan,” added Dil Murad Baloch.

He further added that the Baloch National Movement has been publishing and making public the documented reports and bringing them before the international organizations, but till date, no cemented action has taken against Pakistani atrocities. The time is ripe that the United Nations and International Human rights organizations should send their fact-finding mission in Balochistan to analyse the ground realities.

‘Ranj’ to have its Delhi premiere at Woodpecker International Film Festival (WIFF)

News Intervention Bureau
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‘Ranj’ to have its Delhi premiere at Woodpecker International Film Festival (WIFF)

Sunit Sinha’s debut feature film Ranj (Slow Burn) will have its Delhi premiere at the upcoming Woodpecker International Film Festival (WIFF) on November 30 at Siri Fort Auditorium.  Globally acclaimed for its focus on popularizing issue-based cinema, WIFF will be organizing its seventh annual edition this year from November 29 to December 1, 2019. Sixty-seven films from 16 countries have been officially selected for screening in this year’s festival.

Ranj (Slow burn) is the story of Amanpreet, a youth from a village in Punjab, who is forced to migrate to New Delhi, for livelihood. But he is not wired for city life. He yearns for all that he has left behind- his days without a care; and Geetu, his bride-to-be. He constantly struggles with the unfamiliar way of life. He appears painfully disoriented. Employed at an automobile tools shop, while Amanpreet’s co-workers jump at every opportunity to humiliate him, his boss constantly threatens to fire him.

His harassed work-life, the pressures of the impending marriage and pennilessness drive him to total despair. He roams the streets in pitiable silence and guilt like a cursed loner. He soon cracks. Amanpreet engages in a murderous assault and self-destructs the very life he set out to build. Now an uncertain fate looms large. Will he survive the city? Can he make peace with himself?

The 80-minute long film is directed by Sunit Sinha. He is an independent filmmaker, and a practising theatre artiste for over two and a half decades. In the mid-90s, he essayed major character roles in TV Series such as UTV’s Trikaal, Nimbus Television’s Farz, Sippy Films’ Gaatha, and Hansal Mehta’s debut feature film, Jayate (1998). Sinha has written and directed several notable plays for Actor Factor Theatre Company, including Khudgudi, Taxi, The Red Corridor, and Three. As a filmmaker, his short fiction films Pratihinsa (2014), and Subah Ke Pehle (2015) have won acclaim at international film festivals.

Swara Bhasker in trouble for abusing child actor; complaint filed with NCPCR

News Intervention Bureau
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Swara Bhasker in trouble for abusing child actor; complaint filed with NCPCR

Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker is in some serious trouble, following her comments in a chat show. Swara in an appearance with stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra on Hotstar’s chat show Son of Abish, hosted by ex-All India Bakchod (AIB) comedian Abish Mathew, had opened up on her experience of shooting for a soap commercial. She had revealed how she was expecting a soap advertisement like the stars, but was surprised to find that she has to shoot with a four-year-old child. While recounting the incident that happened during her advertisement days, she referred to the child artiste she was then working with as ch***ya and kam**na.

During the episode, Swara mentioned that children can be evil sometimes, proceeding to add that one child she had worked with a while back had called her aunty and that had irked her. Mocking how the child called her an ‘aunty’, she used an abusive word for the child, apart from words like ‘kameena’, ‘menace’ and ‘evil.’ Social media had gone on an uproar for her comment. Since the episode of the chat show came out, Swara has been trending on Twitter.

Later, several complaints were also filed against her. An NGO called Legal Rights Protection Forum has filed a complaint against Swara for her actions. The official Twitter handle of the NGO recently tweeted, “Filed complaint with NCPCR against an actress named Swara Bhasker for her racist & discriminating comments against children of southern part of India during a TV show. Sought strict action against actress & directions to remove content from all its online accounts.”

A Bharatiya Janata Party leader named Akash Joshi also registered a complaint with the NCPCR. Sharing a photograph of the complaint he filed, he wrote on Twitter that he would not rest till Swara Bhasker was put behind bars. In the letter, he urged the authorities to take strict action against the Veerey Di Wedding actor. He also urged that action be taken against the others in the video for encouraging her behaviour.

Islamic Scholar Tarek Fatah calls upon Canada to support India on Kashmir

Tarek Fatah
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Islamic Scholar Tarek Fatah calls upon Canada to support India on Kashmir

To mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Monday, the former leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev warned that ongoing tensions among nuclear weapon-owning countries have put the world at “colossal” risk.

While the aging Gorbachev focused his attention on the tensions between U.S. and Russia, insisting that the two countries remained in a “chilly war,” 10 scientists from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists agreed on Oct. 31 that the world did face a nuclear calamity. However, they said the danger of such a war was elsewhere — between India and Pakistan.

The scientists wrote that the direct effects of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan would kill 50 to 125 million: “The ramifications for Indian and Pakistani society would be major and long lasting…. But the climatic effects of the smoke produced by an India-Pakistan nuclear war would not be confined to the subcontinent, or even to Asia. Those effects would be enormous and global in scope.”

And if we in Canada feel such a calamity will not interrupt our hockey or baseball games, the Atomic Scientists conclude that “A nuclear winter would halt agriculture around the world and produce famine for billions of people.”

And before someone says we must limit immigration to keep third world problems from creeping into our borders, let me remind them:

Firstly, we do not live in a Ziploc bag where we can lock-in the freshness.

Secondly, radiation and nuclear clouds need no visas to travel from the Himalayas to the Rockies.

The threat of nuclear war was first raised by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan at the UN General Assembly, where he threatened India and the World: “If a conventional war starts between the two countries … anything could happen. But supposing a country [Pakistan] seven times smaller than its neighbour [India] is faced with the choice either you surrender, or you fight for your freedom till death? “What will we do? I ask myself this question … and we will fight … and when a nuclear-armed country fights to the end, it will have consequences far beyond the borders.”

And if such crude nuclear sabre-rattling at the UN was not enough, Imran Khan’s war mongering ministers kept raising the ante. One of them threatened to launch missiles at any country siding with India. “If tensions with India rises on Kashmir, Pakistan will be compelled to go to war. Hence, those countries backing India, and not Pakistan, (over Kashmir) will be considered as our enemy and a missile will be fired at India and those nations supporting it,” said the Minister for Kashmir affairs.

During the Cold War, the concept of MAD — Mutually Assured Destruction — kept the Warsaw Pact and NATO from being flippant about making nuclear threats. But the Pakistan factor and its “Islamic Bomb” throws a curve ball few strategists in the West understand.

While the rest of the world — from atheists to Catholics; Hindus to Jews and millions in between — strive to make the most of the gift of life, too many Muslim children are indoctrinated to believe that life begins after death, and that the earth is a mere transit lounge where the eradication of Hindustan and Hindus is a sacred duty of the Muslims of the Indian Subcontinent as outlined in the prophesized “Ghazwa-e-Hind” (the duty to carry out the Prophet’s war on India).

Silly as it may sound to the Western reader, no Islamic leader has as yet denounced this upcoming war to end all of civilization.

Pakistan has now joined hands with Turkey and Malaysia to form a Muslim nationalist entente of men in suits outside the Saudi or Iranian spheres of influence. Canada should be on the side of India in this war of civilizations centred around Kashmir.

(This column was first published in Toronto Sun)

Kashmir’s transformation is momentous and righteous, but challenges exist

Jaibans Singh
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Kashmir’s transformation is momentous and righteous, but challenges exist

On October 31st, as the Diwali festivities culminated, our nation embarked on a historic and path breaking transformation. The state of Jammu and Kashmir emerged with a new Avatar of two union territories. The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir comprises of 22 districts including areas of Muzaffarabad and Mirpur. The union territory of Ladakh comprises two districts of Kargil and Leh that includes the Pakistan Occupied territories of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Indian Union is now formed of 28 states and nine union territories as against 29 states and seven union territories earlier.

Thus the parliamentary legislation of August 5th, for re-organisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories has been implemented. Also, the repressive provisions of Article 370 that have kept the state deprived of basic democratic rights have cease to be effective.

Across the nation, there was an environment of breathless anticipation with regard to this historic transformation. It was the favourite topic of discussion in congregations and was widely commented upon by the media. Social media was also abuzz with opinions and comments. The peaceful and seamless implementation of this dispensation has come as a big relief; it also gives hope of an era of peace and prosperity being ushered in.

The run up to the great day, from August 5th when the legislation was passed to the present, has been quite disappointing for all those who were opposed to this historic correction of India’s constitutional status. Such elements, within the country and out of it, who did not wish to see this transformation come by, have not been able to galvanise the kind of public disruption and international support that they desperately desired. This, by itself, is a clear indication of the uprightness of the action being taken and its legal justification in the eyes of the nation and the international community.

In real terms the change will have no negative impact on any region or segment of the society across the state. On the other hand, it will correct many wrongs that were being perpetrated under the garb of the misconceived special status granted by Article 370. Those like the refugees who came from Pakistan during partition and chose to settle in J&K and those of the Valmiki Samaaj who have been in J&K for generations on end will get great relief on being given complete citizenship. The biggest beneficiaries will be the women who will get complete property rights hitherto-fore being denied to them. The list of benefits that will come by due to the new constitutional order is long; the naysayers are completely devoid of any credible argument. 

Most significantly, with this change coming by, a historic wrong that was sticking out as an aberration to the core principles of democracy and freedom enshrined in our constitution, will be set right.

There is, however, little space for felicitations and back-slapping. The very existence of forces aligned against this absolutely righteous action is now at stake, for which reason, they will leave no stone unturned in defeating this noble cause. These forces are strong, determined and vicious; they cannot be taken lightly.

The manner in which Pakistan is fluttering about is a true indication of the things to come. The country has lost out in all avenues that it leveraged to offset the move. It failed in its diplomatic effort, it failed in its efforts to instigate the locals into open revolt and it failed in engineering violence through its terrorist base in Kashmir. Yet, it is not ready to give up!

The unsuccessful attempt to smuggle weapons and warlike stores meant for Kashmir through drones in Punjab and the recent attempt at large scale infiltration from terrorist launch pads in the Jura, Athmuqam and Kundalsahi in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) shows that Pakistan is not likely to relent from trying out all means to seize the initiative again.

The obtuse and graceless twitter attack on Indian political leadership, military leadership and media by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR)–the propaganda wing of the Pakistan Army, post the failed infiltration attempt is another clear indication of the total frustration being felt by the military hierarchy of Pakistan at its own impotence. These Pakistani Generals have inflated egos and a strong self-view and they are unlikely to take things lying down.

It is very important to remain absolutely vigilant for repeated onslaughts by the enemy. The bottom line is that we need to remain ever vigilant for a massive military and security backlash.

For more than a millennium Kashmir has remained a vassal state of Afghans, Mughals and the Sikhs among others. The landlocked nature of the region and its small size precludes the option of surviving on its own. The merger with India provides this region its first opportunity in millenniums for a free existence as part of a democratic dispensation. There is no reason for the region to not accept and enjoy such a gift of freedom and democracy. It is time for the Kashmiri people to realise that their aspiration for freedom can be met only by remaining aligned with the Indian Union. They, therefore, need to reject the falsehoods and perfidies of those who wish to control their very life and existence. The other options include succumbing to the suzerainty of Russia, China or Pakistan; in fact, proxy control by the United States or Britain is also a distinct possibility.

Every Indian is a part of the process designed to strengthen the integration of the country and uphold its democratic values that are respected the world over. To this extent, the people of the country stand firm with their fellow citizens in J&K and Ladakh. The challenges and the difficulties envisaged are, by no means, inhibiting the determination of the government and the people of India, including citizens of J&K to ensure the success of the initiative and usher a new era of peace, prosperity and absolute freedom.

Congress can emerge sans Gandhis, indicate Haryana, Maharashtra polls

Shivaji Sarkar
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Congress can emerge sans Gandhis, indicate Haryana, Maharashtra polls

The Haryana and Maharashtra election results speak that Congress can do without the Gandhis, regional parties have their sheen and dominant castes have strong minds and clear strategies. More importantly the results have shown that the economy certainly is in the minds of voters. Even a villager is now weary of the sinking banks, NBFCs, the financial sector and agrarian woes.

The results also surprised pollsters – the survey companies. They are completely off the mark. The reason is obvious. They are in business of TRP and not disseminating news. Any observer can predict poll results with 98 to 99% accuracy if he travels through constituencies, meets people, just not leaders, talk to them, have data and is devoid of bias or a tilt. The pollsters instead are for quick money.                

The voter is discerning. They want parties and their governments to deliver to their needs. They want them to provide jobs, proper wages, right prices to farmers and just not doles of a yearly Rs 6,000 pension with strings attached.

Rising charges and eroding security for bank deposits —  ridiculous Rs 1 lakh ‘insurance” in case there is a crisis-like situation as we saw in the case of PMC Bank have hit the voters.

The voters also do not want to part with their 10 or 15-year-old vehicles, a draconian rule that is not followed anywhere in the world, including the advanced economies such as US and UK. If governments are apathetic, retribution of the people is natural. The message is clear – government cannot work against the interest of the people on pseudo-environment issues.

The present polls also indicate that public memory is not so short that voters forget their daily woes, increasing cost of living, problems of complicated taxes, tolls, fess and arrogance of their representatives. No wonder eight of 10 cabinet ministers lose in Haryana. Maharashtra also saw eight ministers losing.

Many who lost now rue distancing themselves from the people – voters. 

The World Bank Ease of Doing Business (EDB) index shows an improvement in ranking to 63 from 77 among 190 countries. But people seem to read beyond. India has done poorly in EDB on four heads – enforcing contracts, registering properly, starting business and paying taxes. The latest scores do not show any change. On enforcing contracts, India retains its 163rd rank, on registering property 154th; lowly on starting business at 136; as for paying (capability) taxes 115.

This reflects high stamp duties and goods and services tax (GST) for many items. Besides, it shows that resources required for starting businesses are still not easily accessible.

The BJP came to power on pro-people promises. It has to recall all those and act accordingly. Frequent polls are a measure to keep the faltering rulers on track. It has to rethink on shrill slogans and nationalistic projections.

The embarrassment over the hunger index does not help. Poverty technically might have come down but disparity has increased. In many cases, the so-called middle class is just on the edge of poverty. Getting elected and empowered is fine but making mockery of the abysmal conditions of the people may cost dear.

Voters show that they can vote differently in the assembly and parliamentary elections. The euphoria over national issues like abrogation of Article 370, 35-A, Balakot and nationalism, will not last forever. People finally want leaders to address local issues like jobs, connectivity of villages, farm distress and healthcare.

The issue in poll everywhere has been the basics of economy and overall well-being. That is the winning formula for any political party.

U-Special International Campus Film Festival concludes with screening at Lady Irwin College

News Intervention Bureau
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U-Special International Campus Film Festival concludes with screening at Lady Irwin College

It’s curtains down for the biggest campus film festival in India, after a stupendous run in several colleges across Delhi. The 3rd edition of U-Special International Campus Film Festival was organised from September 23rd till Nov 5th, 2019. A youth centric festival, it was organised across campuses by a group of 30 Campus Ambassadors from Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS), affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.

The festival saw the screening of 41 student films from 17 countries. Campuses and Institutions where screenings were organised included Delhi School of Journalism (DSJ), MERI College, Lingayas Lalita Devi Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication, Zakir Hussain College, Institute of Home Economics, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, and Lady Irwin College.

Prominent universities which had their films in the festival includes Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, Sri Aurobindo Centre of Arts & Communication, University of the West of England – UWE Bristol, National Institute of Design, Symbiosis Centre for Media & Communication (SCMC), Whistling Woods International, Kyoto University, Sussex County Technical School, Central Washington University, Scottsdale Community College, School of Art and Design Kassel, Curtin University, University of Portsmouth, Marmara University, DePaul – College of Computing and Digital Media, New York Film Academy, University of Gothenburg, Napier University, University of Music and Performing Arts, EICAR, The International Film and Television School of Paris, Beijing Film Academy, Istanbul Sehir University and Iranian Youth Cinema Society.

It is worth noting that U-Special International Campus film festival is India’s only global campus film festival, promoting student films. The festival was launched in 2016 by Kirorimal College alumni and journalist Rao Narender Yadav, to provide a credible platform to student filmmakers from all across the globe. According to Rao, “This fest is a creative platform for the next generation of filmmakers to tell their stories, inspire hope and provoke change through filmmaking. Providing an exciting opportunity to various genres of young filmmakers this fest is poised to become the largest congregation of young minds in India.”

“U-Special remains one of the most unique film festivals globally with its focus entirely on the creative work done by college students through the audio-visual medium. Films from several prominent Indian and International universities and institutions were screened this year giving a good opportunity to students to understand the kind of creative trends emerging globally,” he further added.

The festival director acknowledged and expressed his gratitude to the students, faculty and management of Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS), particularly Prof. Sidharth Mishra, Adjunct Professor, Media Studies for making this year’s edition a grand success.

Myanmar: India secures release of Indian Nationals abducted by Arakan Army

News Intervention Bureau
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Myanmar: India secures release of Indian Nationals abducted by Arakan Army

Timely intervention by Government of India has ensured release of five abducted Indian nationals, a Member of Myanmar Parliament and four other Myanmar nationals from Arakan Army in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, in the early hours of November 4, 2019.

On November 3, these five Indian nationals, along with a Member of Myanmar Parliament, two local transporters and two speedboat operators were abducted by Arakan Army on way from Paletwa in Chin State to Kyauktaw in Rakhine state in Myanmar.  The abducted Indians were currently engaged in building the Kaladan road project in Myanmar.

Unfortunately, one of the Indian national died in custody of Arakan Army due to heart attack.  According to information available, he was a chronic diabetes patient. The released Indian nationals, alongwith the dead body of the deceased, have reached Sittwe and will be leaving for Yangon today for onward journey to India.

During the last one decade, militant ethnic separatism has been on the rise among indigenous Buddhists in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The Arakan Army was set up in 2009.

Air Pollution Emergency: PMO directly monitoring measures taken to improve situation in Delhi/NCR

News Intervention Bureau
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Air Pollution Emergency: PMO directly monitoring measures taken to improve situation in Delhi/NCR

With Delhi again turning in to a gas chamber, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has now decided to directly get involved. The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, P.K Mishra is reviewing the measures taken by the States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi to tackle air pollution. Mishra has sought to know the details of additional measures taken to check fresh cases of fire and stubble burning in these States during the last 24 hours.

The Chief Secretary, Punjab stated that he is personally monitoring the situation with Deputy Commissioners of various districts where hotspots have been identified. He added that FIRs are also being registered for violation of The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The State Government is taking strict action by enforcing the necessary fines for incidents of violation of the said Act.

The Chief Secretary, Haryana stated that the Chief Minister has directed all concerned to reduce the cases of stubble burning in the State at the earliest.  She mentioned that the teams are in the field round the clock to control the cases of air pollution.

The Chief Secretary, Delhi stated that water sprinkling has been intensified, and identified hotspots and corridors are being focussed upon to improve the situation. Open dumping of garbage in the city has been stopped and maximum fine is being imposed and collected from the violators of these norms.

India Meteorological Department indicated that weather conditions are likely to remain favourable over the next few days.

The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of pre-emptive action, as necessary. He said there is need to establish a mechanism for immediate action. He appreciated the efforts being taken by all concerned and mentioned that after taking short-term measures, a system will be put in place for a permanent long-term solution.

The Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister P. K. Sinha, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Secretary, Agriculture, Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, Director General of India Meteorological Department and Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi along with other senior officials, were part of the deliberations.

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