Triangular contest in Delhi: political parties gear up for assembly polls

As the session of the current Kejriwal government expires on February 22, election campaign by the major political parties for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections is in full swing. The Aam Aadmi Party which is the ruling party, has hired Prashant Kishore’s Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC), to manage its election campaign. Few days back Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal announced that I-PAC has come on board with the party. Delhi is set for a triangular electoral contest that will see three parties the ruling AAP, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress fighting it out. While both the BJP and the Congress party do not have strong contenders for the chief ministerial post, Arvind Kejriwal is looking for a third consecutive term as CM.

On Thursday, the election commission held a review meeting to review the preparedness ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections 2020. In the meeting, Delhi CEO, Ranbir Singh gave the status with regard to the electoral rolls, manpower availability, EVMs & VVPATs and training of all the election officials. Ways to increase the number of voter turnouts in the Delhi Assembly polls were also discussed in the meeting.

BJP banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election-winning formula

The Bharatiya Janata Party is banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election-winning formula to take Delhi. PM Modi kicked off the BJP’s campaign at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, where he focused both on national and local issues. The BJP would want a repeat of its 2019 lok sabha election performance, in Delhi, where it won all 7 parliamentary seats with massive margins. However, after the party’s poor performance in Maharashtra, Haryana and just concluded Jharkhand assembly election, this seems an uphill task.

Since December 2017 Gujarat assembly election, BJP has faced anti-incumbency in almost all the State polls. Delhi is the only state in North India where the BJP has not won the Assembly elections for the last 21 years.

Another bigger challenge for the saffron party in Delhi is factionalism. Several MPs are reportedly not very comfortable working under the leadership of Manoj Tiwari. Tiwari, who successfully led the party in MCD and Lok Sabha election, Union Minister and Chandni Chowk MP Dr Harsh Vardhan, West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma, East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir, and Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel are the probable candidates for the BJP’s Delhi face.

Congress has become weak after the demise of Sheila dikshit

While for the Congress party, a vacuum in Delhi Congress has been created after the demise of the former CM Sheila dikshit. So far, the Congress too has not fielded any candidate against Kejriwal. The possible contenders from the Congress party, for the CM post include former Delhi Pradesh Congress chiefs, Ajay Maken and Arvinder Singh Lovely apart from Subhash Chopra, the present chief.

The Congress party is fighting a prestige battle in the city, it ruled for 15 years. However, the party’s higher vote share in 2019 should worry AAP, a party that decimated it in the 2015 Delhi elections by winning 67 out of the 70 seats.

‘Modi for PM, Kejriwal for CM’

At present, the AAP’s vote share is 18.1%, according the results of the 2019 polls – down from 33.1% in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. However, the Delhi voter also maxes out an old proverb about voting differently for assembly and Parliament: ‘Modi for PM, Kejriwal for CM’, is what defines politics in national capital. Arvind Kejriwal has very well understood the mindset of Delhi voters, he knows what the residents want, and as such all the freebies, policies and schemes announced by him make mass appeal which ultimately turn voters in his favor. Moreover, beyond things like bijli, paani, school and clinic, Kejriwal has also adopted ‘Hindutva’ approach.

In order to target the voters, the CM has made everything free including the pilgrimages. The Aam Aadmi Party, enjoys a disproportionate support base specially among the poor and marginalised class, auto and taxi drivers, middle class and the slum clusters. The party has successfully limited its entire political messaging and advertisement to its policy successes in health and education sector.

This strategy has turned voters in its favor as it reminds the core voters of the party’s achievements. Taking into account, the current political scenario in the national capital, one would rightly say that AAP is at an advantage over the other two grand old parties i..e BJP and Congress.

Local issues and party manifesto

In order to win elections, a party’s manifesto should appeal to a greater number of people. Past precedents show that in Delhi, elections are fought on issues. Pollution, clean water, full statehood for Delhi and women safety are few issues which all political parties are likely to raise ahead of upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

BJP’s Poll Debacle: How BJP Failed to Understand the mood of voters

The manifesto of the AAP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, was also based on full statehood for Delhi. Similarly, demand for full statehood had also been a poll promise for BJP and Congress. Moreover, the impact of last minute sops to voters by caliberation of electricity bills and their cancellation are yet to be seen specially because the credit war between BJP and AAP for residents of unauthorised colonies continues.

Role of caste and community

Caste and religion would be major factors in the selection of candidates for the coming election. Punjabis and the Baniyas are the two dominant castes in Delhi that constitute nearly 50 per cent of total votes. In December 2018, AAP had accused the BJP of knocking 50 per cent of Delhi’s Baniya voters off the electoral rolls ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In 2015 assembly elections, BJP fielded nine while seven of the AAP’s 70 assembly candidates were from Baniya community. BJP is often considered as a party of upper caste, however the party is believed to have lost support of the trading community in the wake of demonetisation and GST.

This time, the BJP is focusing on a dozen reserved Assembly constituencies in the city to strengthen its chances of returning to power in the national capital. The Scheduled Caste Morcha of the Delhi BJP has been holding public meetings with individual SC’s, since November, to penetrate among voters in view of the Assembly polls due early next year.

Caste, local issues dominate Jharkhand assembly polls

After the Punjabi and Baniya community, the poorvanchali voters will play an important role in Delhi elections. Of the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi, there are at least 10 constituencies where this community plays a decisive role. Vikaspuri, Laxmi Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Kirari, Burari, Badli, Patparganj, Dwarka, Palam and Karawal Nagar constituencies have a large population of poorvanchali voters.

Considered to be a sizable vote bank, these voters are people hailing from the contiguous region of eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar. They make up nearly a third of Delhi’s 20 million population. In 2015, over a dozen members of the legislative assembly were from Purvanchal.

This is also the reason why the BJP has Manoj Tiwari, a Bhojpuri singer-turned-politician, as its Delhi unit president. All political parties are leaving no stone unturned to influence voters of the dominant caste/community and caste will be an important factor in ticket distribution for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

source: https://molitics.in/article/625/triangular-contest-in-delhi-political-parties-gear-up-for-assembly-polls

NPR row: Did Arundhati Roy make an irresponsible statement?

After protests over CAA, NRC continue to make news headlines, this time it’s a fresh row over National Population Register (NPR) and what has highlighted this issue even more is the recent statement made by Arundhati Roy over NPR. Arundhati Roy is a well-known writer, Booker Prize winner and an activist.

In 2015, she had joined the league of writers and filmmakers who had returned their awards as a protest against the growing intolerance in the country. A case was filed against her, in 2010, for sedition for saying Kashmir was not an integral part of India. In her defence, Arundhati claimed that she “spoke about justice for the people of Kashmir who live under one of the most brutal military occupations in the world”.

Roy, a booker prize winner, even accused the Narendra Modi-led government of “promoting Brahmanism” in the name of “Hindu Rashtravad”.

On Wednesday, the writer-activist Arundhati Roy, urged Indians to furnish wrong information to the government when it asks for data for the National Population Register (NPR). Arundhati Roy said, “Whenever the officials come to collect your information for NPR, you can give wrong names like Rabga-Billa or Kungfu-kutta and also give wrong address like 7, Race Course Road.”

Her comments over NPR haven’t gone down well with the BJP leaders. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan slammed the writer and said, “If this is the kind of intellectuals we have in this country, then we should first get a register of these people… Arundhati Roy should be ashamed of herself. If such statements are not betraying the nation, what is?”

Firebrand BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has demanded arrest of the author under National Security Act (NSA). Swamy said that Roy’s comments over NPR amount to sedition and called her a danger for the society.

BJP leader Uma Bharti too, in one of her tweets, slammed the author for using Ranga and Billa names, who were hardcore criminals, instead of men like Ashfaqullah Khan or Ramprasad Bismil.

The Goddess of bizarre statements has drawn criticism for her irresponsible statement, across the political spectrum. This time even the Congress party, which had been opposing the current BJP led govt on issues such as NRC, NPR and CAA, has hit back at author Arundhati Roy, over her remarks on NPR.

Congress media panelist Shama Mohamed in one of his tweets, said, “What nonsense is Arundhati Roy speaking! It’s one thing to ask people to refuse to participate in the NPR, but to ask them to give out incorrect details is completely wrong. Who does she think she is! We don’t need unsolicited advice from someone who insults our Indian Army.”

The National Population Register, introduced by the UPA government in 2010, is a register of citizens in the country that will contain demographic and biometric details. On Tuesday, funds of more than Rs 3,900 crore were approved by the Union cabinet to update the register. On the same day, Amit Shah denied any link between the NPR and the NRC and said their databases could not be used for the other.

Who are Ranga and Billa?

In August 1978, Kuljeet Singh alias Ranga Khus and Jasbir Singh alias Billa, murdered two teenagers (Geeta and Sanjay), children of a senior naval officer, after subjecting them to sadistic torture. The two kidnappers were convicted and sentenced to death. The execution was carried out in 1982.

The Ranga-Billa comment made by Roy has created a stir in the country. Internet users trolled Arundhati Roy for her recent remark. However, this is not the first time Ranga and Billa’s name has been used. In 2019, even Congress leader P Chidambaram’s counsel while seeking bail in the INX Media money laundering case had brought up names of Ranga and Billa.

At home, though, Arundhati is ridiculed as a terrorist sympathiser, a Naxalite, a communist, and secessionist. The lady never skips any opportunity to take an anti-govt stand, whenever the Indian govt comes under scanner. Though, questioning the Government is not at all an easy task as it requires a lot of sacrifice and courage, but criticism just for the sake of criticizing is also not an appreciable thing to do. It is unacceptable for an author like Arundhati Roy, who enjoys such a high stature, to say such things in public.

The writer-activist should be cautious with the usage of her words. It is highly required for our politicians, activists, intellectuals and writers to first think before they speak out anything in public. Criticism should be constructive and this should not be confused with any kind of manipulation. One should always question the Govt of the day in a healthy democracy, and in a country like India we as citizens are empowered enough to accept and oppose any decision of our elected representatives.

CAB: हिंदू पाकिस्तान बनने की राह पर भारत!

source: https://www.molitics.in/article/624/npr-row-did-arundhati-Roy-make-an-irresponsible-statement

How civil society, opposition & students responded to the CAA

Amidst growing uproar over the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country, the police on Saturday, arrested the Bhim army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, outside the Jama Masjid in Delhi. Though Azad was denied a permission to protest, he was spotted in a huge crowd which gathered in front of Jama Masjid after the Friday prayers. During the protest the dalit leader was seen holding the photograph of B R Ambedkar. Slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ rang out from the steps of Jama Masjid.

Recent crackdown by police officers on peaceful protesters is uncalled for in a healthy democracy. Earlier to this several protests and the subsequent arrest of the protesters took place in the National Capital region.

Days have passed, however, the anger against the contentious law doesn’t seem to calm down. On Friday, eleven persons were killed in several clashes between protestors and police in parts of Uttar Pradesh. Several other States which include Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Gujarat remained hotbed for protests against the CAA.

After incidents of violence were reported in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Thursday, said that his govt will take ‘revenge’ on those involved in violence over the amended Citizenship act by auctioning their properties to compensate for the losses. Whether, this warning will act as a deterrent for those protesting against the act, is yet to be seen.

The current situation in our country compels us to ask whether the Govt has failed in discharging it’s duties and is this govts failure that scores of students are forced to come on streets to protest against the controversial bill, which is believed to be against the Indian Constitution.

One cannot deny the fact that from day one, the Modi govt was aware of the fact that the CAB once passed will lead to widespread protests in the country. However, to its failure it did not take any precautionary measures to ensure proper law and order situation in the Country. Debates over whether the CAA is an attempt by BJP to build ‘Hindu Rashtra’ have already taken place and nothing more can be said or written about the same.

Opposition is also at blame since it miserably failed to show some responsibility towards maintaing peace of the land, irresponsible/inciting speech given by our elected representatives worsened the situation further. Coming to the students role on the whole issue, it is always appreciable that the youths of our country are enlightened enough to raise their voice, whenever they feel that the Govt is misleading them.

However, the way the studenst of Jamia Milia University have protested and indulged in a large scale violence has no place in a civilized society. Students setting ablaze the buses and two wheelers and resorting to stone pelting on security persons is highly condemnable. The matter is now lying before the Supreme Court and it is now the Court that will decide the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The apex court has scheduled January 22, as the date to conduct hearing on nearly 60 petitions challenging the Act. Nonetheless, law and order should be maintained at all costs and no one should be allowed to take law in its hands.

source: https://molitics.in/article/622/how-civil-society-opposition-students-responded-to-the-caa

After SC refuses stay on implementation of CAA, All eyes set on next hearing

After a lot of hue and cry and widespread protests across the country over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Supreme Court on Wednesday, refused to stay implementation of CAA and has scheduled January 22 to hear 59 pleas.

The bench issued notice to the Centre on the batch of pleas seeking stay on the operation of the law as well as on the main petition challenging the constitutional validity of the contentious law.

The amended citizenship bill which excludes migrants of the Muslim community from availing citizenship benefits in India, has continued to dominate headlines since past few days. Past precedents show, when a bill is passed in both the houses of parliament and gets SC’s nod, no State can refuse it’s implementation, no matter how much they oppose it and how many supporters they have backing their decision.

After the CAB got presidential assent, flare-ups in premier educational institutions and north-eastern states resulted in law and order problem in the country. There was news regarding the brutalities of police, provocative speeches by our elected political leaders and student unrest. Delhi’s Jamia University and Aligarh Muslim University were among those who witnessed massive protests. Nevertheless, the agitations will soon pass, no matter how strongly the protesters are protesting, the reality lies with the fact that the CAA has fulfilled all the formalities which are required for any bill to become an Act.

The only one institution that can stop CAA is the Supreme Court. Among those who filed petitons against the controversial act in the Supreme Court are Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Trinamool Congress MP (TMC) Mahua Moitra, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Tripura’s erstwhile ruling family scion Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), All Assam Students Union (AASU) and others.

The Bharatiya Janta Party has made it very clear that nothing can stop it from the implementation of this act. Recently, at a rally Amit Shah said, “Come what may, the Modi Govt will ensure that these refugees get Indian citizenship and live as Indians with honour.” Shah also used an oft-repeated justification for the CAA and maintained that because partition was done on the basis of religion and the minorities who are in Islamic states are suffering, that is why the amended citizenship act plans to give citizenship to minorities from other countries.

Given the current scenario, now all eyes are set on Jan 22, the day Supreme Court has scheduled to hear 59 pleas, filed by those opposing the CAA.

For more detail see other articles:

CAA Stir, How Citizens are resisting the controversial act

Why is there an uproar over Citizenship Amendment Bill?

CAB: हिंदू पाकिस्तान बनने की राह पर भारत!

source: https://molitics.in/article/620/after-SC-refuses-stay-on-implementation-of-caa-all-eyes-set-on-next-hearing

CAB: India on its way to becoming a Hindu Pakistan!

CAB: हिंदू पाकिस्तान बनने की राह पर भारत!

“ये तो सीधे-सीधे असम में वोटबैंक की राजनीति करने के लिए और पूरे देश में हिंदुओं का मसीहा बनने के लिए इस देश के संविधान के साथ खिलवाड़ है।” United Against Hate के द्वारा NRC और CAB के विरोध में आयोजित एक कार्यक्रम में योगेंद्र यादव ने आगे बोला कि “सरकार की तरफ से कहते हैं कि ये बिल पाकिस्तान, बांग्लादेश और अफगानिस्तान में अल्पसंख्यकों को बचाने के लिए है। मैं कहता हूँ कि बिल्कुल कीजिए। बेशक इन देशों में अल्पसंख्यकों के साथ अन्याय हुआ है लेकिन केवल हिंदुओं के साथ नहीं हुआ है। और लोगों के साथ भी अन्याय हुआ है।“

क्या है बिल में?

संसद के दोनों सदनों, लोकसभा और राज्यसभा में CAB (नागरिकता संशोधन विधेयक) पास हो गया है। इस विधेयक के जरिए 64 वर्ष पूर्व के नागरिकता एक्ट में संशोधन किया गया। एक्ट के अनुसार बांग्लादेश, अफ़गानिस्तान और पाकिस्तान से भारत आए हुए शरणार्थियों, जो ग़ैर मुस्लिम हैं को नागरिकता दी जाएगी। सरलीकरण के जरिए नागरिकता के लिए निश्चित 12 वर्ष की अवधि को घटाकर 6 वर्ष कर दिया गया है। इस बिल का असम में भारी विरोध हो रहा है। असम के लोग सड़कों पर हैं और राज्य में तनाव की स्थिति है।

क्या है पेंच?

सोशल मीडिया पर कहा जा रहा है कि घुसपैठियों की पहचान और उनके खिलाफ कार्यवाही ज़रूरी है। लेकिन असम में पहले NRC और उसके बाद CAB ये साबित करता है कि सरकार का उद्देश्य केवल घुसपैठियों की पहचान और उनके खिलाफ कार्यवाही नहीं बल्कि बहुसंख्यकों को ध्रुवीकृत करके सत्ता को सहेजे रखना है। एक्टिविस्ट उमर ख़ालिद कहते हैं कि “NRC की प्रक्रिया सुप्रीम कोर्ट की निगरानी में हुई। 19 लाख लोग इस सूची में नहीं आ पाए। इनमें से ज्यादातर हिंदू थे। आँकड़े सरकार की अपेक्षा के अनुरूप नहीं होने की वजह से सरकार ने ऐलान किया कि असम में दोबारा NRC की सूची बनवाई जाएगी। इसके बाद CAB के जरिए सरकार खुलेतौर पर कह रही है कि जो मुसलमान नहीं हैं उनको नागरिकता दे दी जाएगी जबकि मुस्लिमों को घुसपैठिया क़रार दे दिया जाएगा, जो ख़तरनाक है।”

बिल की संवैधानिक वैधता

CAB की संवैधानिक वैधता भी सवालों के दायरे में है। संविधान का अनुच्छेद 14 कहता है कि राज्य, भारत के राज्यक्षेत्र में किसी व्यक्ति को कानून के समक्ष समता से या कानून के समान संरक्षण से वंचित नहीं करेगा.’ 1954 के केदारनाथ बजौरिया बनाम स्टेट ऑफ वेस्ट बंगाल के केस में सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने कहा कि संविधान का अनुच्छेद 14 राज्य को समूहों के वर्गीकरण से नहीं रोकता, बशर्ते वह वर्गीकरण –

उचित हो
तर्कसंगत उद्देश्यों की पूर्ति के लिए लक्षित हो
उसमें मनमानापन न हो।

CAB के जरिए जिस तर्कसंगत उद्देश्य पूर्ति का दावा अमित शाह कर रहे हैं, वह है – पड़ोसी देशों में जिन लोगों के साथ अन्याय हुआ है, अगर वो भारत में शरण चाहते हैं तो भारत उनको नागरिकता देगा। यह उद्देश्य भारत के मानवतावादी सिद्धांतों और विवेकानंद की शिक्षाओं से मेल खाता है लेकिन सरकार ने इस बिल में नागरिकता देने के लिए धर्म की शर्त रखी है। यह शर्त, इस तर्कसंगत उद्देश्य को सांप्रदायिक और राजनीति से प्रेरित बनाता है। जिसके कारण यह बिल तर्कसंगत उद्देश्यों की पूर्ति के लिए लक्षित नहीं रह जाता।

टू नेशन थ्योरी का समर्थन कैसे कर रहा है बिल?

अमित शाह ने लोकसभा में बिल पेश करते हुए कहा कि इसकी ज़रूरत इसलिए पड़ी क्योंकि कांग्रेस ने धर्म आधारित बँटवारा करवाया था। लेकिन गृहमंत्री भूल गए कि जिस टू नेशन थ्योरी के अनुसार देश बँटा उसके हिमायती RSS विचारक सावरकर थे। स्वराज इंडिया के प्रवक्ता अनुपम ने बताया, ”सिंध की असेंबली पहली असेंबली थी, जिसमें पाकिस्तान बनाने का औपचारिक संकल्प पेश हुआ। इस असेंबली में हिंदू महासभा और मुस्लिम लीग के गठबंधन की सरकार थी। मुस्लिम लीग के चीफ थे ज़िन्ना औऱ हिंदू महासभा के चीफ़ थे सावरकर।”

NRC और CAB के बाद क्या?

NRC और CAB के बाद क्या? अनुपम कहते हैं कि “चलिए मान लेते हैं कि जो लोग NRC की सूची में नहीं आ पाते, सरकार उन्हें डिटेंशन सेंटर में डाल देगी। इन सेंटर्स में भी लोगों पर खर्च तो आएगा ही। मान लेते हैं वो खर्च 1000 रुपये प्रति माह है। केवल असम में 19 लाख लोग NRC की सूची में नहीं आ पाए। इन आंकड़ो को पूरे देश पर लागू किया जाए तो क्या सरकार देश के संपूर्ण आर्थिक बजट को NRC पर खर्च कर देगी?” उमर ख़ालिद कहते हैं कि “क्या सरकार समाज के एक बड़े तबके को saddistic pleasure के लिए उत्पीड़ित करना चाहती है?”

गाँधी और अंबेडकर के सिद्धांतों के खिलाफ है बिल

ये भी एक विडंबना है कि जिस विचारधारा को मानते हुए बीजेपी राजनीति करती रही है, उस विचारधारा को स्वीकार्य बिल पेश करते हुए भी उसका नाम गृहमंत्री नहीं ले पाए। NRC और CAB का विरोध कर रहे लोगों ने इसका कारण बताते हुए कहा कि, पता अमित शाह को भी है कि अहिंसा और प्यार का सिद्धांत भारत की मिट्टी में घुली हुई है। योगेंद्र यादव कहते हैं कि ”देश को हिदू-मुस्लिम में बाँटने की जो कोशिश है, उसके खिलाफ इस देश की मिट्टी है, उसके खिलाफ इस देश का संविधान है, उसके खिलाफ महात्मा गाँधी की विरासत है।”

मौजूदा सरकार के नेतृत्व में महात्मा गाँधी की इस विरासत को तोड़ने के काम प्रत्यक्ष और अप्रत्यक्ष तौर पर हो रहे हैं। विरोध कर रहे तारिक़ जमाल कहते हैं, “अनुच्छेद 370 को बिना किसी प्रासंगिक विमर्श के हटा देना, अप्रत्यक्ष तौर पर चुनावी राजनीति से मुस्लिमों का बहिष्कार, धर्म की आड़ में भीड़ द्वारा लोगों की हत्याओं पर सरकार की ख़ामोशी और देश के बहुसंख्यक समाज में अल्पसंख्यकों के खिलाफ पैदा किया जा रहा माहौल इन्हीं प्रयासों के तहत किए जा रहे हैं।” राजनैतिक/सामाजिक दलों के लोगों के द्वारा खुलेआम गाँधी के हत्यारे गोड्से का महिमामंडन और गाँधी के विरुद्ध टिप्पणियाँ इन्हीं प्रयासों के तहत हैं।

स्वराज इंडिया के अनुपम NRC और CAB को सामाजिक मुद्दों और पहलुओं से जोड़कर भी देखते हैं। वो कहते हैं, ”दिनोंदिन भुखमरी और गरीबी बढ़ रही है। बेरोज़गारी दर रोज़ नई ऊँचाई छू रही है। किसान परेशान हैं। इन असल मुद्दों को चर्चाओं से बाहर रखने के लिए सरकार CAB जैसा सांप्रदायिक कानून ला रही है। ये जानते हैं कि हिंदू औऱ मुस्लिमों में बढ़ता फ़ासला ही इनकी कुर्सी की ताकत को मजबूत करेगा।” आंदोलन में शामिल एक युवा कार्यकर्ता ने कहा कि बीजेपी सरकार की कार्यवाहियों को देखकर लगता है कि वो हर कीमत पर मुस्लिमों को दोयम दर्ज़े का नागरिक बनाकर रख देना चाहती है।

लोगों को करना होगा विरोध!

एक दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण तथ्य यह भी है कि राजनैतिक विपक्ष उतनी मजबूती से सरकार की मुख़ालिफ़त नहीं कर पाया है। न तो उसमें सड़कों पर उतरने का हौसला दिखा न ही लोगों को इकट्ठा करने की क्षमता ही दिख पाई। इन हालातों में संघर्ष की पूरी ज़िम्मेदारी लोगों पर आ गई है। तमाम सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं ने कहा कि लोगों को अपनी लड़ाई खुद लड़नी पड़ेगी। राजनैतिक अगुआ का इंतज़ार किए बग़ैर सड़कों पर संघर्ष का शंखनाद जल्दी से जल्दी करना होगा।

CAB यह तय करेगा कि हमारा देश गाँधी, बुद्ध और अंबेडकर के सिद्धांतों पर चलेगा या हिंदू पाकिस्तान बन जाएगा। CAB यह भी तय करेगा कि आज़ादी के 72 सालों बाद क्या गाँधी के सिद्धांत ज़िन्ना की ज़िद के आगे घुटने टेक देंगे।

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Why is there an uproar over Citizenship Amendment Bill?

What actually is CAB, Citizenship Amendment Bill?

The Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019, seeks to give citizenship rights to non-muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Bill seeks to amend the definition of illegal immigrants for Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian immigrants from these three countries who have lived in India without documentation.

The Bill has already been passed in Lower house of Parliament, though a lot of hue and cry was made by the opposition parties and social activists over its passage. If the bill is successfully passed in the Rajya Sabha, it will fast track the citizenship process as the duration will be reduced from 11 years to just six years.

Debates over the introduction of this Bill are making rounds on social media as few say it is against the interest of the minority Muslim community. However, Bhartiya Janta Party is firm on its stand as it maintains that its part of the party manifesto.

Does BJP have the required numbers for the successful passage of CAB in the Upper House?

Based on the stand taken by various parties in Lok Sabha, it appears that the ruling party will have a narrow lead in Rajya Sabha. The parties which are likely to support BJP and their respective strength in the upper house goes like this: BJP (83), AIADMK (11), JD-U (6), SAD (3), AGP (1), BPF (1), LJP (1), PMK (1), RPI (1), Nominated (3), Independents (4).

The sum totals to 115, which suggests BJP will secure the support of these political parties in the Rajya Sabha.

With 5 seats lying vacant, the strength of the house is 240 and thus the halfway mark is 120.

Parties opposing the Bill :

UPA: Congress (46), DMK (5), IUML (1), Kerala Congress (1), NCP (4), RJD (4), MDMK (1), Nominated (1). Total: 63

Non-UPA parties opposing the Bill: TMC (13), SP (9), TRS (6), CPM (5), CPI (1), BSP (4), AAP (3), PDP (2). Total: 43

Thus, parties opposing the Bill have 106 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. Besides, two Independent MPs – MP Veerendra Kumar and Ritabrata Banerjee – are also more likely to go against the Bill. This takes the number of those opposing the Bill to 108, which is 12 less than the halfway mark.

source: https://www.molitics.in/article/615/Why-is-there-an-uproar-over-Citizenship-Amendment-Bill

Onion price likely to fall over next few days

Onions remain the butt of jokes nationwide, the good news is that the onion prices have begun declining since Tuesday. The price sharply dropped in Coimbatore on Tuesday, as the wholesale price of onions was Rs 80 to Rs.90 per Kg, as against Rs.150 per Kg just four days back. In Wayanad, the price dropped to Rs.140 a kilo from Rs.155 on Monday.
Onion prices fell by Rs 5-15 per kg in the wholesale market till Monday.

As demand for the bulb has dropped and supplies are likely to increase further prices may come down further, said an APMC official.

Reason for price rise
Onion prices had soared to a record level in the last few days owing to the poor climatic conditions in key producing states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

After the sudden upsurge in prices of onion, people had started making all sorts of funny jokes on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and in our day to day conversations. Goan capital Panaji saw onions sold at Rs. 165, the highest rate in the country, whereas, the commodity was most affordable in Jhansi i..e Rs. 40 per Kg.

What Nirmala Sitharaman said in Lok Sabha
Amidst all this, several politicians made irresponsible statements when they were asked about the soaring onion prices. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started making headlines again after she said she belongs to a family that doesn’t eat much onion and garlic. Just after this statement surfaced, #SayItLikeNirmalaTai started trending and a meme fest began on various social media platforms.

Effective measures needed to deal with food inflation
The rise in onion prices have left Indian citizens teary-eyed. With the rise in the unemployment rate, low GDP, surge in prices of essential commodities and a drop in GDP, one is forced to think if all is well with the Indian economy! Onion prices have toppled Governments in the past, it is high time that rather than diverting the issue of price rise, the BJP Govt undertakes effective measures to bring inflation under its control.

For more articles, follow:

Constitution and Democracy! Are we really following the boundaries?

Phases of Indo-Pak conflict over Kashmir Issue !

Amid the Chest Thumping Politics Over Odd-Even

source: https://www.molitics.in/article/616/onion-price-likely-to-fall-over-next-few-days

Constitution and Democracy! Are we really following the boundaries?

Democracy, a system which is adapted to give the power in the public’s hand by selecting their representatives amongst themselves and forming a governing body soothing their calls and needs. Opportunely, India is worldwide known as the ‘Biggest Democracy‘ of the world. But is it? While doubting the fact I have no questions on it being the ‘Biggest ‘ but my thoughts are forcing me to ponder over it’s functioning as a ‘Democracy’. As every Democracy has its Constitution which gives its citizens at least the fundamental rights irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, race or gender. No matter what kind of democracy a country works on, be it presidential or parliamentary, the power is in the ‘hands of the people’.

But the recent reports of ‘World Press Freedom Index’ ranks India at 140 amongst 180 countries, which says it all about the suppression of the voice and brings the shame to the country by maligning the image of the ‘Biggest Democracy’.

Leaving the power in people’s hands means a strong follow up of basic human rights and other constitutional boundaries, analyzed through the eye lens of the ‘media’. Media is the voice of people and has the whole sole responsibility of analyzing the government’s steps with the eagle’s eye. Democracy may be very powerful in its terms and conditions but is not fully efficient in working without media, especially the free press. But this reality is a matter of threat for our country because the harsh reality hits hard targetting the authenticity of media roles and the appropriate implementation of fundamental rights in India. Though the Indian Constitution does not imply any term ‘Freedom of Press’ but it combines it with “Article 19(1)” i.e. Right to speech in the constitution, which enhances its importance as it protects the voice of every individual.

The vigorous working of media is the effort that keeps the space for a constitution and maintains the difference between ‘Democracy’ and ‘Republic’. The World Press Freedom Index is not the only sign where we can notice this change. It is clearly visible the way people of J&K were house arrest, the way government is formed in Maharashtra or the way government has turned deaf ears towards the protests made by people over the closure of PMC Bank or Job losses. Moreover, there is a long-simmering crisis of credibility in the Indian news media, which was clearly seen in the distance Modi has created with media since his first tenure.

In J&K, removal of Article 370 was appreciable but the unconstitutional way the government had opted, has not only curbed the media’s rights but has added on to the feeling of indifference and insecurity in them. For the whole 2 months, the situation was no less than that of emergency 1984. Media powers were not curbed at once in the case but have been hindered since long by the government, either the channels are government favored or the journalists are censored for coming at the upfront level. Starting from abandoning Karan Thapar after Modi’s interview in 2007, to alienating Punya Prasun Bajpai for referencing PM Narendra Modi in his criticism of government policies during his prime-time show Masterstroke and Abhisar Sharma taken off air for 15 days after taking PM’s name on his show ‘Aaj Ki Badi Khabar’ in a shootout case in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district, there lies a series of such incidences.

Such follow-ups seem to be abusive towards the ideology of Democracy and threatening in the case if we still think that we are the ‘Biggest Democracy’ in the world.

source: https://www.molitics.in/article/612/Democracy-Curbed-media-supression-of-fundamental-rights

Defecation in the tent, eating in the verandah; Story of CRPF jawans

तंबू में शौच, बरामदे में खाना; CRPF जवानों की कहानी

महाराष्ट्र चुनावों की कहानी के शुरुआती अध्याय की इतिश्री लगभग हो चुकी है। झारखंड में शुरुआत होने वाली है। चुनावों के बेहतर संचालन के लिए सीआरपीएफ के जवानों को डिप्लॉय किया गया है। उसी सीआरपीएफ के जवान जिसको आजकल की राजनीति में खूब भुनाया जाता है।

आतंकवादियों और नक्सलियों से भी कम ध्यान सुरक्षाकर्मियों के मानवाधिकार पर

मुमकिन है झारखंड चुनावों में भी जवानों के नाम का ट्रंप कार्ड चले। लेकिन झारखंड में जवानों की वास्तविक हालत क्या है, ये जाना जा सकता है मुख्य चुनाव आयुक्त को सीआरपीएफ कमांडेंट के द्वारा भेजी गई एक शिकायत से। कमांडेंट राहुल सोलंकी ने लिखा कि जवानों के मानवाधिकार को आतंकवादियों के मानवाधिकारों से भी कम गंभीरता से लिया जाता है।

राहुल सोलंकी ने चिट्ठी में आगे लिखा कि चुनावी ड्यूटी पर जिन जवानों की तैनाती हुई उनके रहने और खाने पीने का इंतज़ाम बेहद बुरा है। वो लिखते हैं कि अधिकारियों द्वारा जवानों के प्रति ऐसा रवैया उनकी गरिमा के साथ खिलवाड़ है। शिकायत के बाबत सीआरपीएफ के एक प्रवक्ता ने कहा कि बहुत सी चीज़े दुरुस्त की जा चुकी हैं। लेकिन द क्विंट के मुताबिक प्रवक्ता के दावे झूठे हैं।

प्लास्टिक और बाँस के तंबुओं में शौच को मजबूर हैं जवान

चुनावी ड्यूटी पर तैनात जवानों को एक स्कूल में ठहराया गया है। स्कूल में 600 छात्र-छात्राएँ पढ़ते हैं। लेकिन पूरे स्कूल में दो शौचालय हैं। ख़ैर सामान्य पुलिस ने रिज़र्व पुलिस बल का सहयोग किया और काली पॉलीथीन और बाँस के सहारे घेराबंदी करके अस्थायी टॉयलेट्स बनाए। कमांडेंट सोलंकी का कहना है कि प्रदेश भर में सीआरपीएफ के 3000 जवान तैनात हैं। ज्यादातर जवान इसी तरह के शौचालय का प्रयोग कर रहे हैं।

उत्तर प्रदेश में बिजली कर्मचारियों को किसने लूटा ??

अगर 1 रूपया दिल्ली से निकलता है तो 15 पैसा गांव में पहुँचता है – भ्रष्टाचार किस कदर देश में फैल चुका है उसको समझाने के लिए ये शब्द थे हमारे पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री राजीव गाँधी के।

इस भ्रष्टाचार का एक बार फिर सबूत मिला उत्तर प्रदेश में । और इस बार चर्चा का कारण बने बिजली कर्मचारी। दरअसल यहाँ पर करीब 45 हजार बिजली विभाग के कर्मचारियों ने अपने पीएफ के 2268 करोड़ रुपये निजी संस्था में फंस जाने के विरोध में 18 और 19 नवंबर को अपने कार्य का बहिष्कार किया।

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Category: Political Issues Articles