Swami Ramdev Ji is back in Delhi to unfurl his flag of mass movement to boost anti-corruption movement including bringing back black money stashed in foreign banks. His humane approach and leadership came to forefront when he went to GB Pant hospital to look up Ms Rajbala, an activist of his anti-corruption movement who was almost killed in the police lathi charge at the Ramlila Maidan on the night of 4th/5th June 2011. She is on life support system and may not survive if the system is taken off. In any case, she is paralysed waist downward and may not be able to walk again. Rajbala is just one proof of police brutality on unarmed and peaceful protesters who were fast asleep when the cruel police attacked them past midnight like barbaric huns.
ANGRY SANYASI SOUNDED CONVINCING
AT THE WELL ATTENDED PRESS CONFERENCE THE SWAMI LED HIS FIERCE ATTACK ON THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND KEPT THE PRESSMEN BUSY WRITING WHATEVER HE SPOKE. IT WAS HIS MIEN, HIS VOICE, HIS LANGUAGE AND HIS PRESENTATION OF FACTS BACKED BY DATA AND STATISTICS THAT MADE THE HERMIT SOUND SO CONVINCING. THE GOVT OF INDIA WAS THROUGHOUT ON THE BACKFOOT.
In any case the still photographs and videos taken by pressmen present on the fateful night were seen the world over by the civil rights activists, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his boss,Ms Sonia Gandhi had no place to hide from the global stare. Later on the Prime Minister just said that the incident was unfortunate but the govt had no alternative open to it. On an analysis of the photographs and statements of eye witnesses, it was crystal clear that the govt was telling lies to cover up misdeeds of its police and administrative officers. Their indiscretions and brutality were committed under instructions of political masters sitting in the North Block.
It is indeed heartening for the democratic organisations and NGOs that the Supreme Court of India has suo motu taken cognizance of the police brutality and barbaric behaviour.
SWAMI RAMDEV UP AND ABOUT
When Swami Ramdev Ji was bundled out of the Ramlila Maidan and his disciples were beaten up badly, women Satyagrahis were molested and attempts were made to rape them, so says the revered Sanyasi but the pseudo-secularists thought that for the Yoga Guru, the game was over. This visit to Delhi on 26th June 11 by Swami RamdevJi proves the point that he might have looked or sounded a little tired and drooping but was not out of the arena. He was alive and kicking and would be back to guide his disciples and resume his Satyagrah with gusto, the movement that had never been abandoned by him or his disciples. There was a wave of joy among the masses after hearing the hermit and finding him in high spirits.
Every citizen knows that the Anti-corruption Movement was just on a low key for a short period of time and would move to the Centre Stage when he reaches there. Indeed, the proposal to carry on with the anti-corruption movement came from no one else but the top echelon leaders of Bharat. It is further heartening to note that cash, in the form of donations is still flowing in and the PM or his minions have not been able to silence the voice of the people against corruption that is denuding Bharat of its wealth and enriching a few anti-national elements and traitors. Swami Ramdev Ji is sanguine that the movement launched by him and the like-minded persons, including women, will bear fruit, notwithstanding devilish designs of some Indians and foreigners who are soaked in Black Money that they have stashed in foreign banks. These men and women who masquerade as patriots are in fact traitors who are out to loot and plunder Bharat more than the Iranian invader, Nadir Shah.
WOMAN FORCE
The anti-corruption movement of Swami Ramdev Ji is getting its sustenance from the common man who cannot be counted and silenced by misusing govt agencies for income tax raids and mid-night knocks by the dirty tricks department. Had the movement been financed by a few money bags from rich business houses, the govt could have coerced them , silenced them and broken the back by economic strangulation. But that is not the case with the Bhrashtachar Mitao aur Kala Dhan wapas Lao Andolan. It is indeed People’s Movement. Moreover, women from all strata of society are with Swami Ramdev Ji in uprooting corruption and bringing the Indian black money back from the foreign banks. Women have felt the pinch more than men of rising prices because of economic corruption. That is why they are prepared to be in the forefront of the movement again, notwithstanding cruelty of the worst order committed by the Police at the Ramlila grounds. The police of our country have shown to the world that they specialise in doing Ravanlila.
Thus Swami Ramdev ji has sounded the bugle and the battle has begun anew. May Parmatma help forces of righteousness and guide them on the path of success. The TRUTH will prevail ultimately. SATYAMEV JAYATE NANRITAM.
By Chitranjan Sawant
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
WIN FRIENDS BUT NEVER BUY FRIENDSHIP
Of late, we Indians appear to be a little desperate to sit in the Security Council of the United Nations and that too at the high table. That means that India should be elected as a permanent member. Right now there are five permanent members from Day One in 1945 and some of them are rather reluctant to let an outsider enter the exclusive and powerful club.
USA,UK,France,USSR(now read Russian Federation),and the People's Republic of China are the permanent members of the Security Council. These countries had fought the Second World War as allies and had defeated the Axis powers, namely Germany, Japan and Italy. There was no question of the defeated powers sitting as arbiters of future disputes. India was still in bondage of UK when the UN charter was approved and implemented. Now in the 21st century the scenario is quite changed. India has been having its independent existence for more than six decades and economically is now a force to reckon with. The future generation of Indians is academically bright and even the President of the United States keeps encouraging American students to study and excel in science and maths lest "hungry Indians"overtake American. Quite a left- handed compliment but still an acknowledgement of India's emergence as a world power in the near future.
FUTURE BECKONS
India has a great future. But what about the present? Well, not much to write home about. India's immediate neighbours like China, Pakistan hate her diplomatically. Nepal used to be close to India once upon a time. Now the story is different. China has replaced India due to its economic and military might. Burma is under China's influence and Sri lanka is still debating. To sum up, one can say that India cannot bank on its neighbours for vote and support to enter the Security Council as a permanent member with the power of Veto.
Immediately after independence in 1947, India made a serious attempt to distance herself from the erstwhile colonial powers like England, France or future powers like USA. India did not wish to join the Communist block either. So, India and other newly independent countries formed a non-aligned bloc so that they have a voice in the comity of nations. Later in the day, when the USSR withered away and only USA ruled the roost, the meaning of non-aligned melted away. Therefore, an urgent requirement for India to be elected to the security council as a permanent member.
In this game of upmanship, India has rivals too. Germany is a leader of Europe and an economic power. She was down at the end of war but not out. Now she lays her claim to the toy. Brazil from the Latin America is not to be overlooked. Pakistan may not compete for the seat but will certainly contrive to do damage to India's candidacy.
All said and done, India stands a good chance in collecting African votes with its philanthropic work. It may take time. Friendship is to be cultivated over a long period. Once any two nations are friends, they will stand together through thick and thin. The friendship between China and Pakistan has been a lasting one and has withstood the test of time. Unfortunately, both the countries harbour ill will for India because of historical reasons.
It may be reiterated that friendship can never be bought as it is not available on shelf in the international market. An attempt to do so will expose the players at the shoddy game and bring a bad name to both.
India may be able to shell out some money to the needy African countries but in this sphere too will find it difficult to compete with China. Indeed China is already a permanent member of the Security Council and will, therefore, not be interested in running for the election. However, China may be interested in canvassing for a rival of India just to ensure that India does not make it to the goal. After all, China and India are rivals in Asia and a gain for India may be construed as a loss for China. China can always count on the loyalty of Pakistan in showing India the door.
Where does India go from here? India may count on the support of rivals of Germany, Brazil and not forgetting Japan. Japan is an economic power to reckon with and as an ally of America’s, it has their support and backing. But it does not help India in any way.
India has to make a place for itself. India has to stand on its own feet. It means that the country needs a good governance, security and prosperity. With a view to achieving the noble aim as listed heretofore, corruption must be banished from Bharat that is India and the black money stashed in foreign banks must be brought back and utilised in making motherland strong, secure and prosperous.
When India has her own standing in the comity of nations, it will be able to garner support of other nations who need India’s leadership. Under the changed scenario, India may not find it difficult to get elected to the Security Council as a permanent member with the right to exercise power of Veto. Let us wait for the congenial environment when the day dawns and the morning dailies shriek with the headlines and the electronic media puts forth Breaking News “ India elected to Security Council”.
By Chitranjan Sawant
USA,UK,France,USSR(now read Russian Federation),and the People's Republic of China are the permanent members of the Security Council. These countries had fought the Second World War as allies and had defeated the Axis powers, namely Germany, Japan and Italy. There was no question of the defeated powers sitting as arbiters of future disputes. India was still in bondage of UK when the UN charter was approved and implemented. Now in the 21st century the scenario is quite changed. India has been having its independent existence for more than six decades and economically is now a force to reckon with. The future generation of Indians is academically bright and even the President of the United States keeps encouraging American students to study and excel in science and maths lest "hungry Indians"overtake American. Quite a left- handed compliment but still an acknowledgement of India's emergence as a world power in the near future.
FUTURE BECKONS
India has a great future. But what about the present? Well, not much to write home about. India's immediate neighbours like China, Pakistan hate her diplomatically. Nepal used to be close to India once upon a time. Now the story is different. China has replaced India due to its economic and military might. Burma is under China's influence and Sri lanka is still debating. To sum up, one can say that India cannot bank on its neighbours for vote and support to enter the Security Council as a permanent member with the power of Veto.
Immediately after independence in 1947, India made a serious attempt to distance herself from the erstwhile colonial powers like England, France or future powers like USA. India did not wish to join the Communist block either. So, India and other newly independent countries formed a non-aligned bloc so that they have a voice in the comity of nations. Later in the day, when the USSR withered away and only USA ruled the roost, the meaning of non-aligned melted away. Therefore, an urgent requirement for India to be elected to the security council as a permanent member.
In this game of upmanship, India has rivals too. Germany is a leader of Europe and an economic power. She was down at the end of war but not out. Now she lays her claim to the toy. Brazil from the Latin America is not to be overlooked. Pakistan may not compete for the seat but will certainly contrive to do damage to India's candidacy.
All said and done, India stands a good chance in collecting African votes with its philanthropic work. It may take time. Friendship is to be cultivated over a long period. Once any two nations are friends, they will stand together through thick and thin. The friendship between China and Pakistan has been a lasting one and has withstood the test of time. Unfortunately, both the countries harbour ill will for India because of historical reasons.
It may be reiterated that friendship can never be bought as it is not available on shelf in the international market. An attempt to do so will expose the players at the shoddy game and bring a bad name to both.
India may be able to shell out some money to the needy African countries but in this sphere too will find it difficult to compete with China. Indeed China is already a permanent member of the Security Council and will, therefore, not be interested in running for the election. However, China may be interested in canvassing for a rival of India just to ensure that India does not make it to the goal. After all, China and India are rivals in Asia and a gain for India may be construed as a loss for China. China can always count on the loyalty of Pakistan in showing India the door.
Where does India go from here? India may count on the support of rivals of Germany, Brazil and not forgetting Japan. Japan is an economic power to reckon with and as an ally of America’s, it has their support and backing. But it does not help India in any way.
India has to make a place for itself. India has to stand on its own feet. It means that the country needs a good governance, security and prosperity. With a view to achieving the noble aim as listed heretofore, corruption must be banished from Bharat that is India and the black money stashed in foreign banks must be brought back and utilised in making motherland strong, secure and prosperous.
When India has her own standing in the comity of nations, it will be able to garner support of other nations who need India’s leadership. Under the changed scenario, India may not find it difficult to get elected to the Security Council as a permanent member with the right to exercise power of Veto. Let us wait for the congenial environment when the day dawns and the morning dailies shriek with the headlines and the electronic media puts forth Breaking News “ India elected to Security Council”.
By Chitranjan Sawant
BRAHMPUTRA BONE OF CONTENTION
The Chinese are not listening to the Indians and going their own way in making a dam across the Brahmputra river in Tibet. Yarlung Zangbo is the Tibetan and Chinese name of the mighty Brahmputra before it enters India and flows through Assam. It is understood that the idea of diverting waters of that mighty river northward to irrigate the arid region was initially put forward by Chairman Mao Tse-tung himself. The seed took six decades to germinate. It has caused international tension post-germination. It is indeed a serious matter and cannot be brushed under the table. We cannot go to sleep hoping that the problem would solve itself. Care has to be taken that the present issue does not cause international tension that may escalate into a shooting war.
INDIA OPPOSES MILDLY
No less a person than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had, during a state visit to China in 2006, requested the hosts not to proceed further with the plan as that would divert 30 percent to 50 percent water northwards and may cause some Indian territory to go dry and lose paddy cultivation and green forest cover. The Chinese had promised to examine the issue with all seriousness that it deserved. However, the Chinese engineers had proceeded with the dam construction work as per plan. The construction of dam across the Brahmputra river, known as Zangmu dam, in the Shannan Prefecture of the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China has been going on full steam. Not only that, the Indian proposal to reduce the height of the dam from the present 3,370 meters was put in cold storage by the Chinese government in Beijing and continues to be there unactioned.
To add insult to injury of the Indians, the Chinese government plans to build four smaller dams besides the present big one. The Chinese plan is to milk the Brahmputra as much as possible before the river leaves the Tibetan plateau and enters the territory of Bharat.
In the long run, it is feared, the big and small dams would adversely affect the eco-system on the southern slopes of the Himalayas on the Indian side. Right now the Chinese engineers and ecologists are not bothered about shortage of drinking water for an ever-increasing population of India. The illegal immigration from Bangladesh into the Brahmputra valley has caused economic and ecological problems even now. With the passage of time, it may be exacerbated.
It would be in the interest of all interested parties to sit around the table and talk sense so that the posterity does not curse us. The Chinese government in Beijing may be persuaded to stop construction and increase ecological process. India’s protest to Beijing government has rather been a mild one. Unlike some other countries in the region, India has been keen on settling the dispute peacefully sitting and chatting around the table. Of course, some critics of the Government of India have termed it as a weak-kneed policy of the South Block where major and important offices of the Ministry of External Affairs are located.
IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?
We may recall the tough negotiations that India and China used to have during the India-China boundary dispute days. Prime Minister Chou En=lai of China and Pt Jawaharlal Nehru of India had a number of rounds of talks. The Chinese side always wore a smile but what was going on in the heart of hearts, that was known to the concerned individuals alone.
While negotiations were going on under the nose of Pundit Nehru, the Chinese government in Beijing had ordered mobilisation of troops and their regrouping, if required. It was in October 1962 that the Chinese army launched a massive attack and the “ill armed, ill clad and ill trained” Indian Jawans were ordered to move to the borders of China (read Tibet). The Indian troops did their duty and no one questioned the wrong decisions made by some commanders. India was annihilated. Of course, there was a silver lining to this defeat. India acquired weapons and equipment required for modern warfare and reorganised training to suit the battlefields located in the high Himalayas. Light equipment holding mountain divisions gained mobility in hills and infantry divisions were earmarked for plains only. 1962 war taught the Indian army many lessons that held them in good stead in 1971 in an all out war with Pakistan. India won a decisive victory and Pakistan was dismembered. India helped in the birth of Bangladesh.
Coming back to the Chinese skill of negotiating across the table, one finds that they hold their cards too close to the chest. Getting intelligence reports from the Chinese troops is a hard nut to crack. Be it peace, be it war, be it plain negotiations, the language barrier is difficult to bust. Unless our intelligence units and personnel learn Chinese-Mandarin, it may be difficult to adduce first hand information about their troops, their location and their plan of action. In the pre-1962 days the ground situation was just similar to what it is today. The Chinese diplomats, soldiers, civilians are as polite today as they were in Chou-Nehru days of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai. There was a tremendous difference between the word and the deed of the Chinese negotiators. Their history tells us that the Han Chinese have not changed in their thought, action or simple behaviour.
OPTIONS OPEN
The dams on the Brahmputra river may cause problems to the next generation of the Indians. India cannot afford to go to war against China. India cannot afford to forego unfettered use of water of the river that flows in Tibet as much as in India. India may have to negotiate with the Chinese counterparts and not think of lodging a complaint with the United Nations. There are a number of international treaties and examples of international usage of water of a river that flows through two or more countries. The international conventions have laid down traditional proportions for the use of water of a river that flows through two or more countries.
It is an international convention that the country located at the source of a river will not make use of entire water of the river but let the country located in the lower region also make use of the river water. In other words, the country of higher reaches will leave sufficient water in the river for the use of the country of lower reaches.
Indeed it would be in the interest of both India and China to negotiate and settle the dispute by mutual accommodation rather than run to the International Court of Justice and get bogged down in litigation lasting generations. Of course, it should be done in the spirit of “Give and Take” so that no party feels aggrieved. Both go home and live like good neighbours hereafter.
By Chitranjan Sawant
INDIA OPPOSES MILDLY
No less a person than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had, during a state visit to China in 2006, requested the hosts not to proceed further with the plan as that would divert 30 percent to 50 percent water northwards and may cause some Indian territory to go dry and lose paddy cultivation and green forest cover. The Chinese had promised to examine the issue with all seriousness that it deserved. However, the Chinese engineers had proceeded with the dam construction work as per plan. The construction of dam across the Brahmputra river, known as Zangmu dam, in the Shannan Prefecture of the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China has been going on full steam. Not only that, the Indian proposal to reduce the height of the dam from the present 3,370 meters was put in cold storage by the Chinese government in Beijing and continues to be there unactioned.
To add insult to injury of the Indians, the Chinese government plans to build four smaller dams besides the present big one. The Chinese plan is to milk the Brahmputra as much as possible before the river leaves the Tibetan plateau and enters the territory of Bharat.
In the long run, it is feared, the big and small dams would adversely affect the eco-system on the southern slopes of the Himalayas on the Indian side. Right now the Chinese engineers and ecologists are not bothered about shortage of drinking water for an ever-increasing population of India. The illegal immigration from Bangladesh into the Brahmputra valley has caused economic and ecological problems even now. With the passage of time, it may be exacerbated.
It would be in the interest of all interested parties to sit around the table and talk sense so that the posterity does not curse us. The Chinese government in Beijing may be persuaded to stop construction and increase ecological process. India’s protest to Beijing government has rather been a mild one. Unlike some other countries in the region, India has been keen on settling the dispute peacefully sitting and chatting around the table. Of course, some critics of the Government of India have termed it as a weak-kneed policy of the South Block where major and important offices of the Ministry of External Affairs are located.
IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?
We may recall the tough negotiations that India and China used to have during the India-China boundary dispute days. Prime Minister Chou En=lai of China and Pt Jawaharlal Nehru of India had a number of rounds of talks. The Chinese side always wore a smile but what was going on in the heart of hearts, that was known to the concerned individuals alone.
While negotiations were going on under the nose of Pundit Nehru, the Chinese government in Beijing had ordered mobilisation of troops and their regrouping, if required. It was in October 1962 that the Chinese army launched a massive attack and the “ill armed, ill clad and ill trained” Indian Jawans were ordered to move to the borders of China (read Tibet). The Indian troops did their duty and no one questioned the wrong decisions made by some commanders. India was annihilated. Of course, there was a silver lining to this defeat. India acquired weapons and equipment required for modern warfare and reorganised training to suit the battlefields located in the high Himalayas. Light equipment holding mountain divisions gained mobility in hills and infantry divisions were earmarked for plains only. 1962 war taught the Indian army many lessons that held them in good stead in 1971 in an all out war with Pakistan. India won a decisive victory and Pakistan was dismembered. India helped in the birth of Bangladesh.
Coming back to the Chinese skill of negotiating across the table, one finds that they hold their cards too close to the chest. Getting intelligence reports from the Chinese troops is a hard nut to crack. Be it peace, be it war, be it plain negotiations, the language barrier is difficult to bust. Unless our intelligence units and personnel learn Chinese-Mandarin, it may be difficult to adduce first hand information about their troops, their location and their plan of action. In the pre-1962 days the ground situation was just similar to what it is today. The Chinese diplomats, soldiers, civilians are as polite today as they were in Chou-Nehru days of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai. There was a tremendous difference between the word and the deed of the Chinese negotiators. Their history tells us that the Han Chinese have not changed in their thought, action or simple behaviour.
OPTIONS OPEN
The dams on the Brahmputra river may cause problems to the next generation of the Indians. India cannot afford to go to war against China. India cannot afford to forego unfettered use of water of the river that flows in Tibet as much as in India. India may have to negotiate with the Chinese counterparts and not think of lodging a complaint with the United Nations. There are a number of international treaties and examples of international usage of water of a river that flows through two or more countries. The international conventions have laid down traditional proportions for the use of water of a river that flows through two or more countries.
It is an international convention that the country located at the source of a river will not make use of entire water of the river but let the country located in the lower region also make use of the river water. In other words, the country of higher reaches will leave sufficient water in the river for the use of the country of lower reaches.
Indeed it would be in the interest of both India and China to negotiate and settle the dispute by mutual accommodation rather than run to the International Court of Justice and get bogged down in litigation lasting generations. Of course, it should be done in the spirit of “Give and Take” so that no party feels aggrieved. Both go home and live like good neighbours hereafter.
By Chitranjan Sawant
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Why UPA questioning only about Baba Ram Dev’s assets?
The struggle against corruption and black money is getting wide support from all sections of society. It gives an alarm bell to those in authority who fear to take action against the defaulters. It is the general assessment of the common man that the ruling establishment does not want to take action or publish the details of persons who deposited huge black money in foreign countries. Now it has become their strategy to divide the movement by giving false allegations against the leaders who are spear -heading the anti corruption movement. The corrupt politicians and their media friends are most critical about Yoga Guru Baba Ra Dev ji as they fear that Ramdev ji has got wide support base cutting across party lines, hence the action plans of Ramdev ji made them sleepless and nervous. So they targeted him from all corners. The major allegation against him is that his Trust and other charitable institutions have an asset of more than 1000 crores! They also argue that religious leaders should not take up political issues.
Now the questions arising from the minds of common man is that what is wrong in mobilizing public funds for social service and welfare activities for the fellow citizens in a lawful manner. In India almost all social movements and spiritual organisations/institutions have their own Trusts (charitable or otherwise). It is also a fact that many such Trusts have thousands of crores of rupees! It was in the recent news that Sathya Sai seva Trust have more than 40000 crore. Sathya Sai Seva Trust is doing a commendable social service across the world and it is nothing wrong in having a huge fund for their wide spread social activities for helping the poor and needy. The same is in the case of institutions like Ramakrishna Matt, Matha Amrithanandamayi Matt, Chinmaya Mission etc. The other religious counterparts also have many such Trusts and their assets may have thousands of crores. The Christian missionary organizations and their Muslim counterparts are getting huge foreign fund for their propagation/conversion work.
It is not astonishing that now the corrupt politicians and their media friends are questioning only about Baba Ram Dev’s assets! The reason seems to be that Ram Dev ji dared to raise the issue of impact of black money stashed at foreign countries. The multi national companies and the drug mafia concerned about the call of Swamy Ramdev to boycott their products like coco cola and English medicines. The general public realized that yoga and ayurveda treatment are more beneficial for them in terms of relief, health and expenses. Baba Ramdev ji educated the masses about power of ancient Indian science in his country - wide yoga camps. The Supreme Court has asked the UPA Govt in a recent directive to clarify their stand and action plan on bringing black money. The successful sathyagraha by Sri.Anna Hazare for bringing a Lokpal Bill also made problem for the ruling establishment as many of its own cabinet colleagues and party men like Mr. Suresh Kalmadi are behind bars and facing criminal charges of corruption.
The UPA really worried about Swamy Ram Dev’s sathyagraha in this juncture as he got wide net work of followers and institutions all over the world. This seems to be the reason behind for the UPA to rush their four cabinet ministers to receive him in the Airport and dissuade him from his proposed agitation. On course of their negotiations with him, they realized that swami ji is adamant in his demands so some trouble shooters advised them to take a stern stand against him. They were awaiting a reason to crush his movement. The presence of Sadhvi Ritambara in Baba’s agitation platform was sufficient for them to renounce Baba as a Sangh Parivar supporter and order the mid night police action on 4th June. There were many Muslim and other religious cleric shared the platform of Baba Ramdev on this agitation apart from few hindu sants and sadhvis!
The UPA dispensation find everything connected to nationalism, patriotic songs, photo of Bharat Matha etc. are related to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliates and anyone who is using these will be declared as RSS men. They consider that it is easy to divide the people by false allegation of RSS image! Baba Ram Dev and Anna Hazare do not belong to RSS or its affiliated organizations. The view on core national issues like black money, corruption etc. might have similarities in nationalistic organizations and individuals. One more arguments are now hearing in the media that Sants and spiritual leaders should restrain from political movements and concentrate only on their religious field. When the politicians are failing to take action on general cause, it is the duty of spiritual leaders to advise them and educate the masses. In our freedom movement we have seen many religious leaders actively participated in it and motivated the people. The Bankim Chandra Chatterji’s famous novel Anand Math (our national song ‘Vande mataram’ is in it) gives the story of struggle by sanyasins against the alien rule! Arya Missionary and martyr Swamy Shradhanand was very much active in Politics (including Indian National Congress).
Now it is understood that the corrupt politicians and their god fathers in media and in general will make obstacles in the anti-corruption movement. Kanchi Sankaracharya Sri. Jayendra Saraswathi was implicated in many cases by then ruling establishment when he raised voice of hindu cause in Tamil Nadu. Now the turn is for Swamy Ram Dev who is genuinely raising the national issue of Black money and corruption. Art of Living Acharya Sri Sri Ravishankar and other Sants who visited Ram Dev ji in Dehradun Hospital may also be victimized if they support Baba’s movement against corruption. The late Sathya Sai Baba who said to have more than 40000 crore asset in his Trust also would have faced similar situation if he could have taken up such issues. The Christian/muslim organizations who gets huge foreign fund are also likely to face such situation so they are cleverly avoiding such matters and concentrating on propagation/conversion works which is their main agenda.
Finally now let us see the promoters of our importantThe struggle against corruption and black money is getting wide support from all sections of society. It gives an alarm bell to those in authority who fear to take action against the defaulters. It is the general assessment of the common man that the ruling establishment does not want to take action or publish the details of persons who deposited huge black money in foreign countries. Now it has become their strategy to divide the movement by giving false allegations against the leaders who are spear -heading the anti corruption movement. The corrupt politicians and their media friends are most critical about Yoga Guru Baba Ra Dev ji as they fear that Ramdev ji has got wide support base cutting across party lines, hence the action plans of Ramdev ji made them sleepless and nervous. So they targeted him from all corners. The major allegation against him is that his Trust and other charitable institutions have an asset of more than 1000 crores! They also argue that religious leaders should not take up political issues.
Now the questions arising from the minds of common man is that what is wrong in mobilizing public funds for social service and welfare activities for the fellow citizens in a lawful manner. In India almost all social movements and spiritual organisations/institutions have their own Trusts (charitable or otherwise). It is also a fact that many such Trusts have thousands of crores of rupees! It was in the recent news that Sathya Sai seva Trust have more than 40000 crore. Sathya Sai Seva Trust is doing a commendable social service across the world and it is nothing wrong in having a huge fund for their wide spread social activities for helping the poor and needy. The same is in the case of institutions like Ramakrishna Matt, Matha Amrithanandamayi Matt, Chinmaya Mission etc. The other religious counterparts also have many such Trusts and their assets may have thousands of crores. The Christian missionary organizations and their Muslim counterparts are getting huge foreign fund for their propagation/conversion work.
It is not astonishing that now the corrupt politicians and their media friends are questioning only about Baba Ram Dev’s assets! The reason seems to be that Ram Dev ji dared to raise the issue of impact of black money stashed at foreign countries. The multi national companies and the drug mafia concerned about the call of Swamy Ramdev to boycott their products like coco cola and English medicines. The general public realized that yoga and ayurveda treatment are more beneficial for them in terms of relief, health and expenses. Baba Ramdev ji educated the masses about power of ancient Indian science in his country - wide yoga camps. The Supreme Court has asked the UPA Govt in a recent directive to clarify their stand and action plan on bringing black money. The successful sathyagraha by Sri.Anna Hazare for bringing a Lokpal Bill also made problem for the ruling establishment as many of its own cabinet colleagues and party men like Mr. Suresh Kalmadi are behind bars and facing criminal charges of corruption.
The UPA really worried about Swamy Ram Dev’s sathyagraha in this juncture as he got wide net work of followers and institutions all over the world. This seems to be the reason behind for the UPA to rush their four cabinet ministers to receive him in the Airport and dissuade him from his proposed agitation. On course of their negotiations with him, they realized that swami ji is adamant in his demands so some trouble shooters advised them to take a stern stand against him. They were awaiting a reason to crush his movement. The presence of Sadhvi Ritambara in Baba’s agitation platform was sufficient for them to renounce Baba as a Sangh Parivar supporter and order the mid night police action on 4th June. There were many Muslim and other religious cleric shared the platform of Baba Ramdev on this agitation apart from few hindu sants and sadhvis!
The UPA dispensation find everything connected to nationalism, patriotic songs, photo of Bharat Matha etc. are related to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliates and anyone who is using these will be declared as RSS men. They consider that it is easy to divide the people by false allegation of RSS image! Baba Ram Dev and Anna Hazare do not belong to RSS or its affiliated organizations. The view on core national issues like black money, corruption etc. might have similarities in nationalistic organizations and individuals. One more arguments are now hearing in the media that Sants and spiritual leaders should restrain from political movements and concentrate only on their religious field. When the politicians are failing to take action on general cause, it is the duty of spiritual leaders to advise them and educate the masses. In our freedom movement we have seen many religious leaders actively participated in it and motivated the people. The Bankim Chandra Chatterji’s famous novel Anand Math (our national song ‘Vande mataram’ is in it) gives the story of struggle by sanyasins against the alien rule! Arya Missionary and martyr Swamy Shradhanand was very much active in Politics (including Indian National Congress).
Now it is understood that the corrupt politicians and their god fathers in media and in general will make obstacles in the anti-corruption movement. Kanchi Sankaracharya Sri. Jayendra Saraswathi was implicated in many cases by then ruling establishment when he raised voice of hindu cause in Tamil Nadu. Now the turn is for Swamy Ram Dev who is genuinely raising the national issue of Black money and corruption. Art of Living Acharya Sri Sri Ravishankar and other Sants who visited Ram Dev ji in Dehradun Hospital may also be victimized if they support Baba’s movement against corruption. The late Sathya Sai Baba who said to have more than 40000 crore asset in his Trust also would have faced similar situation if he could have taken up such issues. The Christian/muslim organizations who gets huge foreign fund are also likely to face such situation so they are cleverly avoiding such matters and concentrating on propagation/conversion works which is their main agenda.
Finally now let us see the promoters of our important national electronic/print media. See this link http://www.india-forum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/2209-nexus-between-entities-influencing-india/ to know the true colours of our main media personalities! The following data is also gathered from various internet sites/articles.
Name of Media Promoters
NDTV : Getting Financial support from Gospel of Charity
of Spain
CNN IBN : Financial support by Southern Baptist Church and
it has branch in all over the world. Its HQ is in
America. This church spends 800 million dollar
for its channel expansion
Times Group : Times of India, Mid Day, Navabharath Times, Star
Dust, Femina, Vijay Times, Vijay Karnatak, Times
Now (24 x 7 news channel) these are the main
media of this group ant its ownership is with
Bennet and Colman. 80% of its financial
assistance is from World Christian Council and
20% from an Englishman and a person
who is close to the family of Robertion Minto
Sonia Gandhi
Star TV : The owner is from Australia and they gets support
from Peters Pontifical Church of Melbourne
Hindistan Times Group : Earlier it was under the Birla Group and now it
is working with Times Group
The Hindu : One of the oldest English news paper and now being
supported by Joshusha Society of Bern in
Switzerland. Mr. N Ram,the editor-in-chief is
very much close to CPI (M) and is one of
the founding members of its student wing SFI.
The Statesman : Controlled by Communists
Asian Age and Deccan Chronicle : Controlled by a company in Saudi Arabia
Now, “we” the people of India should wake up. We never got
independence with Freedom and Swaraj. We got only Independence
without freedom and swaraj and even that is in danger now.
Airse! Awake!
Now the questions arising from the minds of common man is that what is wrong in mobilizing public funds for social service and welfare activities for the fellow citizens in a lawful manner. In India almost all social movements and spiritual organisations/institutions have their own Trusts (charitable or otherwise). It is also a fact that many such Trusts have thousands of crores of rupees! It was in the recent news that Sathya Sai seva Trust have more than 40000 crore. Sathya Sai Seva Trust is doing a commendable social service across the world and it is nothing wrong in having a huge fund for their wide spread social activities for helping the poor and needy. The same is in the case of institutions like Ramakrishna Matt, Matha Amrithanandamayi Matt, Chinmaya Mission etc. The other religious counterparts also have many such Trusts and their assets may have thousands of crores. The Christian missionary organizations and their Muslim counterparts are getting huge foreign fund for their propagation/conversion work.
It is not astonishing that now the corrupt politicians and their media friends are questioning only about Baba Ram Dev’s assets! The reason seems to be that Ram Dev ji dared to raise the issue of impact of black money stashed at foreign countries. The multi national companies and the drug mafia concerned about the call of Swamy Ramdev to boycott their products like coco cola and English medicines. The general public realized that yoga and ayurveda treatment are more beneficial for them in terms of relief, health and expenses. Baba Ramdev ji educated the masses about power of ancient Indian science in his country - wide yoga camps. The Supreme Court has asked the UPA Govt in a recent directive to clarify their stand and action plan on bringing black money. The successful sathyagraha by Sri.Anna Hazare for bringing a Lokpal Bill also made problem for the ruling establishment as many of its own cabinet colleagues and party men like Mr. Suresh Kalmadi are behind bars and facing criminal charges of corruption.
The UPA really worried about Swamy Ram Dev’s sathyagraha in this juncture as he got wide net work of followers and institutions all over the world. This seems to be the reason behind for the UPA to rush their four cabinet ministers to receive him in the Airport and dissuade him from his proposed agitation. On course of their negotiations with him, they realized that swami ji is adamant in his demands so some trouble shooters advised them to take a stern stand against him. They were awaiting a reason to crush his movement. The presence of Sadhvi Ritambara in Baba’s agitation platform was sufficient for them to renounce Baba as a Sangh Parivar supporter and order the mid night police action on 4th June. There were many Muslim and other religious cleric shared the platform of Baba Ramdev on this agitation apart from few hindu sants and sadhvis!
The UPA dispensation find everything connected to nationalism, patriotic songs, photo of Bharat Matha etc. are related to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliates and anyone who is using these will be declared as RSS men. They consider that it is easy to divide the people by false allegation of RSS image! Baba Ram Dev and Anna Hazare do not belong to RSS or its affiliated organizations. The view on core national issues like black money, corruption etc. might have similarities in nationalistic organizations and individuals. One more arguments are now hearing in the media that Sants and spiritual leaders should restrain from political movements and concentrate only on their religious field. When the politicians are failing to take action on general cause, it is the duty of spiritual leaders to advise them and educate the masses. In our freedom movement we have seen many religious leaders actively participated in it and motivated the people. The Bankim Chandra Chatterji’s famous novel Anand Math (our national song ‘Vande mataram’ is in it) gives the story of struggle by sanyasins against the alien rule! Arya Missionary and martyr Swamy Shradhanand was very much active in Politics (including Indian National Congress).
Now it is understood that the corrupt politicians and their god fathers in media and in general will make obstacles in the anti-corruption movement. Kanchi Sankaracharya Sri. Jayendra Saraswathi was implicated in many cases by then ruling establishment when he raised voice of hindu cause in Tamil Nadu. Now the turn is for Swamy Ram Dev who is genuinely raising the national issue of Black money and corruption. Art of Living Acharya Sri Sri Ravishankar and other Sants who visited Ram Dev ji in Dehradun Hospital may also be victimized if they support Baba’s movement against corruption. The late Sathya Sai Baba who said to have more than 40000 crore asset in his Trust also would have faced similar situation if he could have taken up such issues. The Christian/muslim organizations who gets huge foreign fund are also likely to face such situation so they are cleverly avoiding such matters and concentrating on propagation/conversion works which is their main agenda.
Finally now let us see the promoters of our importantThe struggle against corruption and black money is getting wide support from all sections of society. It gives an alarm bell to those in authority who fear to take action against the defaulters. It is the general assessment of the common man that the ruling establishment does not want to take action or publish the details of persons who deposited huge black money in foreign countries. Now it has become their strategy to divide the movement by giving false allegations against the leaders who are spear -heading the anti corruption movement. The corrupt politicians and their media friends are most critical about Yoga Guru Baba Ra Dev ji as they fear that Ramdev ji has got wide support base cutting across party lines, hence the action plans of Ramdev ji made them sleepless and nervous. So they targeted him from all corners. The major allegation against him is that his Trust and other charitable institutions have an asset of more than 1000 crores! They also argue that religious leaders should not take up political issues.
Now the questions arising from the minds of common man is that what is wrong in mobilizing public funds for social service and welfare activities for the fellow citizens in a lawful manner. In India almost all social movements and spiritual organisations/institutions have their own Trusts (charitable or otherwise). It is also a fact that many such Trusts have thousands of crores of rupees! It was in the recent news that Sathya Sai seva Trust have more than 40000 crore. Sathya Sai Seva Trust is doing a commendable social service across the world and it is nothing wrong in having a huge fund for their wide spread social activities for helping the poor and needy. The same is in the case of institutions like Ramakrishna Matt, Matha Amrithanandamayi Matt, Chinmaya Mission etc. The other religious counterparts also have many such Trusts and their assets may have thousands of crores. The Christian missionary organizations and their Muslim counterparts are getting huge foreign fund for their propagation/conversion work.
It is not astonishing that now the corrupt politicians and their media friends are questioning only about Baba Ram Dev’s assets! The reason seems to be that Ram Dev ji dared to raise the issue of impact of black money stashed at foreign countries. The multi national companies and the drug mafia concerned about the call of Swamy Ramdev to boycott their products like coco cola and English medicines. The general public realized that yoga and ayurveda treatment are more beneficial for them in terms of relief, health and expenses. Baba Ramdev ji educated the masses about power of ancient Indian science in his country - wide yoga camps. The Supreme Court has asked the UPA Govt in a recent directive to clarify their stand and action plan on bringing black money. The successful sathyagraha by Sri.Anna Hazare for bringing a Lokpal Bill also made problem for the ruling establishment as many of its own cabinet colleagues and party men like Mr. Suresh Kalmadi are behind bars and facing criminal charges of corruption.
The UPA really worried about Swamy Ram Dev’s sathyagraha in this juncture as he got wide net work of followers and institutions all over the world. This seems to be the reason behind for the UPA to rush their four cabinet ministers to receive him in the Airport and dissuade him from his proposed agitation. On course of their negotiations with him, they realized that swami ji is adamant in his demands so some trouble shooters advised them to take a stern stand against him. They were awaiting a reason to crush his movement. The presence of Sadhvi Ritambara in Baba’s agitation platform was sufficient for them to renounce Baba as a Sangh Parivar supporter and order the mid night police action on 4th June. There were many Muslim and other religious cleric shared the platform of Baba Ramdev on this agitation apart from few hindu sants and sadhvis!
The UPA dispensation find everything connected to nationalism, patriotic songs, photo of Bharat Matha etc. are related to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliates and anyone who is using these will be declared as RSS men. They consider that it is easy to divide the people by false allegation of RSS image! Baba Ram Dev and Anna Hazare do not belong to RSS or its affiliated organizations. The view on core national issues like black money, corruption etc. might have similarities in nationalistic organizations and individuals. One more arguments are now hearing in the media that Sants and spiritual leaders should restrain from political movements and concentrate only on their religious field. When the politicians are failing to take action on general cause, it is the duty of spiritual leaders to advise them and educate the masses. In our freedom movement we have seen many religious leaders actively participated in it and motivated the people. The Bankim Chandra Chatterji’s famous novel Anand Math (our national song ‘Vande mataram’ is in it) gives the story of struggle by sanyasins against the alien rule! Arya Missionary and martyr Swamy Shradhanand was very much active in Politics (including Indian National Congress).
Now it is understood that the corrupt politicians and their god fathers in media and in general will make obstacles in the anti-corruption movement. Kanchi Sankaracharya Sri. Jayendra Saraswathi was implicated in many cases by then ruling establishment when he raised voice of hindu cause in Tamil Nadu. Now the turn is for Swamy Ram Dev who is genuinely raising the national issue of Black money and corruption. Art of Living Acharya Sri Sri Ravishankar and other Sants who visited Ram Dev ji in Dehradun Hospital may also be victimized if they support Baba’s movement against corruption. The late Sathya Sai Baba who said to have more than 40000 crore asset in his Trust also would have faced similar situation if he could have taken up such issues. The Christian/muslim organizations who gets huge foreign fund are also likely to face such situation so they are cleverly avoiding such matters and concentrating on propagation/conversion works which is their main agenda.
Finally now let us see the promoters of our important national electronic/print media. See this link http://www.india-forum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/2209-nexus-between-entities-influencing-india/ to know the true colours of our main media personalities! The following data is also gathered from various internet sites/articles.
Name of Media Promoters
NDTV : Getting Financial support from Gospel of Charity
of Spain
CNN IBN : Financial support by Southern Baptist Church and
it has branch in all over the world. Its HQ is in
America. This church spends 800 million dollar
for its channel expansion
Times Group : Times of India, Mid Day, Navabharath Times, Star
Dust, Femina, Vijay Times, Vijay Karnatak, Times
Now (24 x 7 news channel) these are the main
media of this group ant its ownership is with
Bennet and Colman. 80% of its financial
assistance is from World Christian Council and
20% from an Englishman and a person
who is close to the family of Robertion Minto
Sonia Gandhi
Star TV : The owner is from Australia and they gets support
from Peters Pontifical Church of Melbourne
Hindistan Times Group : Earlier it was under the Birla Group and now it
is working with Times Group
The Hindu : One of the oldest English news paper and now being
supported by Joshusha Society of Bern in
Switzerland. Mr. N Ram,the editor-in-chief is
very much close to CPI (M) and is one of
the founding members of its student wing SFI.
The Statesman : Controlled by Communists
Asian Age and Deccan Chronicle : Controlled by a company in Saudi Arabia
Now, “we” the people of India should wake up. We never got
independence with Freedom and Swaraj. We got only Independence
without freedom and swaraj and even that is in danger now.
Airse! Awake!
Monday, June 6, 2011
BARBARIAN CONGRESS GOVT ASSAULTS PEACEFUL PEOPLE
Ramlila Maidan has never seen such a big crowd of one hundred thousand men, women and children as on 4th June 2011 who assembled voluntarily in support of Swami Ramdev Ji, the international Yoga Guru. Presently Swami Ramdev Ji is in the midst of a mass movement to put peaceful pressure on the Government of India to do away with corruption and bring back to India the black money stashed in foreign banks by financial offenders. The ascetic Guru just represents common man’s feelings of not supporting the govt that is notorious for having the maximum number of corrupt ministers ever. The corrupt cabinet is presided over by a meek man who is controlled by the President of the ruling Congress party. The lady President was born and brought up in Italy and has little understanding of the cultural ethos of Bharat.
GOVT ON TENTERHOOKS
Before Swami Ramdev Ji launched the BHRASHTACHAR Mitao Abhiyan, another social activist of sound credentials had launched a Satyagrah on similar lines that was largely supported by the white-collar workers of the govt. That movement was a roaring success but the govt kept on dilly-dallying with the finalisation of a plan draft to finalise the changes in the Constitution of India to give power to people. It took a fairly long time to approve the nomination of five ministers and five members of the civil society. The committee so formed to root out corruption and draft constitution anew to run the country smoothly. Anna Hazare, most active social activist and a fearless campaigner wished to proceed with the names received but someone ot the other objectiong to the inclusion of so and so and the exclusion of so and so.
The said committee has yet to take off. Anna Hazare had rightly informed Swami Ji that Kapil Sibal is a past master of playing dilatory tactics. On retrospection, Swami Ramdev Ji finds how true to the cause Anna Hazare was.
The large number of people, especially from the rural areas who joined Swami Ramdev Jio’s movement, really made the concerned ministers nervous. Moreover when Swami Ramdev Ji sat on the UPVAS or Fasting campaign, as many as one lac people did do. About a million men and women had chosen to cast their lot with that of Swami Ramdev JI. To keep the Satyagrah men and women occupied throughout the day, bhajans, pravachans, poetry recitation were taken recourse to.
The unflinching support of the common man to the cause of beating Bhrashtachar 0ut and eliminating it from the day-to-day life of the citizenry, got all the media attention, both print and electronics, that it needed. All these factors made Smt Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the UPA so nervous that she advised the Prime Minister to crack the whip on the protestors. The Delhi Police did it in a very ham-handed way and apparently beat the bull in the China shop hollow. The matured men of the Chinese govt felt scarcd that the immature govt of India could not be trusted for letting poor people have a slice a day. The knee jerk solution of a Congress-led cabinet really put the lives of common people across the Himalayas in jeopardy. Thus one of the many fall outs of the Jallianwala type of police high handedness was developing a lack of faith and trust in the currency notes of the Chinese government.
At home, the Congree-led govt demonstrated that butter- oriented administration, now on, now off, could not be entrusted with a serious-natured job. Both India and China had to bite the dust on the international forum where they lost credence. The BBC international news, now more famous and reliable in its impartiality than ever before in reporting, caught the bull by the horn and called a spade a spade. Frank and fearless reporting of that shameful event, has given the Manmohan government a stain and a stink that “all perfumes of Arabia may not sweeten Manmohan’s hands.
INSTABILITY IN PURSUING POLICIES
A couple of days before Swami Ramdev Ji arrived at the Dehra Dun airport, It was thought that he is the man who had brought a solution that would be panacea of all ills. Swami Ramdev Ji was received at the airport by four cabinet ministers who bent backwards to placate him. The talks lasted a couple of hours and all concerned were convinced that in this parley permanent solutions may be found. On looking back it is found that the Government of India was never serious in making an attempt to find a solution as her own party men and government ministers had a lot to explain about their bank balance.
Since the government of India was not serious in finding a solution to the twin problems of Black money and return of the Indian black money stashed in foreign banks, they had little option but to order a crack down on Swami Ramdev Ji and his followers and devotees sitting on a Satyagrah in the Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. It was done a little after midnight when the whole world slept except the nocturnal creatures like Ministers, Prime Minister and Congress President. They used brute force on peaceful people and separated mothers from their children, husbands from wives and luggage from owners. Poor people, victims of the Police atrocities had nowhere to go to at that hour of night in a metropolis that is notorious as the most unsafe city in the world.
FUTURE COURSE
The central govt did not have enough courage to keep Swami Ramdev in its custody for long. He was released near the Palam airport soon after being taken into custody and flown to Dehra Dun, capital of Uttarakhand where his Ashram, Patanjali Yogpeeth is located. The common men and women who sat on Satyagrah along with the internationally known Sanyasi were scattered all over the place. The Pandal erected by the Bharat Swabhiman was dismantled by those people who have no pride in their own country. Those who have stashed ill gotten wealth in foreign banks are absolutely not interested in bringing that Black money back. Apparently, the Satyagrah for the noble cause will go on, irrespective of the fact whether the noble Swami is permitted to be back in the national capital or not.
TRUTH is on the side of the Swami. He is waging a war against the high and mighty corrupt people. There may be initial reverses in the campaigne but the eventual victory in rooting out Corruption and bringing Black money back from foreign banks will be his.It was Maharana Pratap Jayanti when the Bhrashtachar Mitao Abhiyan was launched on 4th June 2011. Like the fiercely independent-minded Maharana of Mewar’s ultimate victory against the cruel and oppressive Moghuls, Swami Ramdev’ Movement for Eradication of Corruption will eventually succeed. The beneficiary of the great fight of Light over Darkness” will indeed be the COMMON MAN.
By Brigadier(Retd) Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
GOVT ON TENTERHOOKS
Before Swami Ramdev Ji launched the BHRASHTACHAR Mitao Abhiyan, another social activist of sound credentials had launched a Satyagrah on similar lines that was largely supported by the white-collar workers of the govt. That movement was a roaring success but the govt kept on dilly-dallying with the finalisation of a plan draft to finalise the changes in the Constitution of India to give power to people. It took a fairly long time to approve the nomination of five ministers and five members of the civil society. The committee so formed to root out corruption and draft constitution anew to run the country smoothly. Anna Hazare, most active social activist and a fearless campaigner wished to proceed with the names received but someone ot the other objectiong to the inclusion of so and so and the exclusion of so and so.
The said committee has yet to take off. Anna Hazare had rightly informed Swami Ji that Kapil Sibal is a past master of playing dilatory tactics. On retrospection, Swami Ramdev Ji finds how true to the cause Anna Hazare was.
The large number of people, especially from the rural areas who joined Swami Ramdev Jio’s movement, really made the concerned ministers nervous. Moreover when Swami Ramdev Ji sat on the UPVAS or Fasting campaign, as many as one lac people did do. About a million men and women had chosen to cast their lot with that of Swami Ramdev JI. To keep the Satyagrah men and women occupied throughout the day, bhajans, pravachans, poetry recitation were taken recourse to.
The unflinching support of the common man to the cause of beating Bhrashtachar 0ut and eliminating it from the day-to-day life of the citizenry, got all the media attention, both print and electronics, that it needed. All these factors made Smt Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the UPA so nervous that she advised the Prime Minister to crack the whip on the protestors. The Delhi Police did it in a very ham-handed way and apparently beat the bull in the China shop hollow. The matured men of the Chinese govt felt scarcd that the immature govt of India could not be trusted for letting poor people have a slice a day. The knee jerk solution of a Congress-led cabinet really put the lives of common people across the Himalayas in jeopardy. Thus one of the many fall outs of the Jallianwala type of police high handedness was developing a lack of faith and trust in the currency notes of the Chinese government.
At home, the Congree-led govt demonstrated that butter- oriented administration, now on, now off, could not be entrusted with a serious-natured job. Both India and China had to bite the dust on the international forum where they lost credence. The BBC international news, now more famous and reliable in its impartiality than ever before in reporting, caught the bull by the horn and called a spade a spade. Frank and fearless reporting of that shameful event, has given the Manmohan government a stain and a stink that “all perfumes of Arabia may not sweeten Manmohan’s hands.
INSTABILITY IN PURSUING POLICIES
A couple of days before Swami Ramdev Ji arrived at the Dehra Dun airport, It was thought that he is the man who had brought a solution that would be panacea of all ills. Swami Ramdev Ji was received at the airport by four cabinet ministers who bent backwards to placate him. The talks lasted a couple of hours and all concerned were convinced that in this parley permanent solutions may be found. On looking back it is found that the Government of India was never serious in making an attempt to find a solution as her own party men and government ministers had a lot to explain about their bank balance.
Since the government of India was not serious in finding a solution to the twin problems of Black money and return of the Indian black money stashed in foreign banks, they had little option but to order a crack down on Swami Ramdev Ji and his followers and devotees sitting on a Satyagrah in the Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. It was done a little after midnight when the whole world slept except the nocturnal creatures like Ministers, Prime Minister and Congress President. They used brute force on peaceful people and separated mothers from their children, husbands from wives and luggage from owners. Poor people, victims of the Police atrocities had nowhere to go to at that hour of night in a metropolis that is notorious as the most unsafe city in the world.
FUTURE COURSE
The central govt did not have enough courage to keep Swami Ramdev in its custody for long. He was released near the Palam airport soon after being taken into custody and flown to Dehra Dun, capital of Uttarakhand where his Ashram, Patanjali Yogpeeth is located. The common men and women who sat on Satyagrah along with the internationally known Sanyasi were scattered all over the place. The Pandal erected by the Bharat Swabhiman was dismantled by those people who have no pride in their own country. Those who have stashed ill gotten wealth in foreign banks are absolutely not interested in bringing that Black money back. Apparently, the Satyagrah for the noble cause will go on, irrespective of the fact whether the noble Swami is permitted to be back in the national capital or not.
TRUTH is on the side of the Swami. He is waging a war against the high and mighty corrupt people. There may be initial reverses in the campaigne but the eventual victory in rooting out Corruption and bringing Black money back from foreign banks will be his.It was Maharana Pratap Jayanti when the Bhrashtachar Mitao Abhiyan was launched on 4th June 2011. Like the fiercely independent-minded Maharana of Mewar’s ultimate victory against the cruel and oppressive Moghuls, Swami Ramdev’ Movement for Eradication of Corruption will eventually succeed. The beneficiary of the great fight of Light over Darkness” will indeed be the COMMON MAN.
By Brigadier(Retd) Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Sunday, May 29, 2011
योग से भारत स्वाभिमान
ओ3म्
महर्षि पतंजलि का अष्टांग योग मानव समाज का उत्थान सहस्त्रों वर्षों से कर रहा है। 21वी शताब्दी के आरंभ में इस दिशा में एक महान परिवर्तन हुआ। योगासन और प्राणायाम के क्षेत्र में भारत और भारत से बाहर सात समुद्र पार, इंग्लैंड, अमेरिका, रूस और चीन आदि देशों में प्राणायाम लोकप्रिय होने लगा। इस क्रांतिकारी परिवर्तन के जनक हैं योग ऋषि स्वामी रामदेव। जन जन तक अष्टांग योग के चौथे चरण, प्राणायाम को पहुंचाने का काम निर्विघ्न और सतत रूप से चलता रहे, इसके लिए बाबा रामदेव ने हरिद्वार दिल्ली राजमार्ग पर पतंजलि योगपीठ की स्थापना की। बड़ी संख्या में योग प्रशिक्षक तैयार हो रहे हैं जो देश विदेश में सामान्य नर नारी को उन्ही की भाषा में योग और प्राणायाम सिखाएंगे। यह कार्य इतने बड़े स्तर पर संभवत: पहली बार किया जा रहा है और इससे मानव मात्र लाभांवित हो रहा है।
अभी हाल में स्काटलैंड समुद्र तट के निकट एक छोटा द्वीप कैमरी आईलैंड – वहां रहने वाले भारतीय मूल के परिवार ने स्वामी रामदेव के योग संस्थान को उपहार स्वरूप दिया। उस स्थान का नया नाम स्वामी जी ने दिया – शांति द्वीप। वैदिक यज्ञ और योग के माध्यम से, उस क्षेत्र के स्थानीय जन लाभ उठा रहे हैं। प्राणायाम के माध्यम से शारीरिक और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य का स्तर दिन प्रतिदिन ऊंचा होता जा रहा है। जिन लोगो का वज़न आवश्यकता से कहीं अधिक था और इससे वे विभिन्न रोगों से पीड़ित थे – बाबा रामदेव के प्राणायाम अभियान से उन्हें आशातीत लाभ हुआ और दवाइयां उनसे दूर हो गईं।
क्रांतिकारी परिवर्तन का मूल
अभी हाल में आस्था टी वी चैनल के लिए स्वामी रामदेव का साक्षातकार करते हुए मैनें प्रश्न किया कि प्राणायाम के एकाएक देश विदेश में इतना लोक प्रिय होने का रहस्य क्या है। स्वामी जी ने उत्तर दिया कि इस क्षेत्र में वो 1995 से कार्य कर रहे हैं और पिछली कई शताब्दियों की तुलना में 21वीं शताब्दी में प्राणायाम के जन जन तक पहुंचने के मूल में है इस प्रक्रिया का सरलीकरण। पिछली कई शताब्दियों में योग गुरू एवं आचार्य योग ज्ञान एवं व्यावहारिक अभ्यास को आम आदमी से दूर रखते थे और इस बात पर बल देते थे कि बिना गुरू का सानिध्य पाए यदि कोई इस क्षेत्र में जाएगा तो लाभ के स्थान पर अनिष्ट हो सकता है। इससे लोगों के मन में भय समा गया था और उन्होनें इस मार्ग पर चलना ही छोड़ दिया। स्वामी रामदेव नें भ्रांतियों का उन्मूलन किया और प्राणायाम के बारे में उपजे अंधविश्वासो का खंडन करते हुए कहा कि भली भांति प्राणायाम प्रक्रिया सीखने के बाद स्वंय अभ्यास करते रहिए। इससे लाभ ही लाभ है हानि नही। इस वार्तालाप के दौरान सरलीकरण की इस प्रक्रिया की तुलना स्वामी दयानंद सरस्वती के वेदों की ओर लौट चलो अभियान से की गई। 19वीं शताब्दी से पूर्व स्वार्थी एवं समाज विरोधी तत्वों ने ईश्वीरय ज्ञान वेद को अपने घरों की कोठरियों में ताला बंद कर दिया और स्त्रियों तथा समाज के एक बड़े वर्ग को वेद पाठ से वंचित कर दिया। इससे अंधकार फैल गया। स्वामी दयानंद ने वेदो का हिंदी भाष्य कर के उस ज्ञान को आम आदमी तक पहुंचाया और बल पूर्वक कहा कि वेद मंत्र स्वयं कहता है कि वेद पाठ का अधिकार सार्वजनिक है। गुरूकुल के स्नातक के रूप में, स्वामी रामदेव नें इस ज्ञान बांटने और सरलीकरण की प्रक्रिया को उत्तराधिकार के रूप में पाया और जन जन तक पहुंचा कर अपने को ऋषि ऋण से उऋण कर लिया।
प्राणायाम से भारत स्वाभिमान
भारत की जनसंख्या का एक बड़ा भाग अब योगासन और प्राणायाम के माध्यम से अपने तन, मन और मस्तिष्क में ऊर्जा उत्पन्न कर रहा है। प्रात: काल योगासन और प्राणायाम कर के जो ऊर्जा उत्पन्न हो रही है उसका उपयोग नित्य प्रति के जीवन में करने के अतिरिक्त लोक कल्याण के लिए भी किया जा सकता है। इस समय विभिन्न कारणों से हमारा भारत जाति, धर्म और क्षेत्र के आधार पर मानसिक रूप से बंटा हुआ है। इससे देश का संगठन सबल नहीं हो रहा है और हमारे शत्रु इसका फायदा उठा कर हमारे देश को तोड़ने का लगातार प्रयास कर रहे हैं। सीमा पर अनेक शत्रु एक दूसरे से संधि कर भारत विरोधी कार्य कर रहे हैं। इस स्थिति में क्या हम भारत वासी उन्हें असहाय हो कर मूक भाव से देखते रहें। आवश्यकता है निश्चय के साथ शत्रु शक्तियों का विरोध किया जाए। यह तभी संभव है जब हम अपने देश पर गर्व करें और देश के स्वाभिमान के लिए और देश के सुरक्षा के लिए अपने निहित स्वार्थों का त्याग करें।
अपने लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने के लिए, देश वासियों में वैचारिक जागरूकता की आवश्यकता है। स्वामी रामदेव नें अपने योग संस्थान के माध्यम से इस दिशा मे सक्रिय कदम उठाया है। भारत स्वाभिमान ट्रस्ट की स्थापना की है और स्वयं भी अपनी जन सभाओं में लोगो को प्रेरणा दे रहे हैं। जब जन जन में देश के लिए कार्य करने का और यदि आवश्यकता हुई तो तन, मन और धन न्योछावर करने का निश्चय जाग जाएगा तो भारत एक सबल राष्ट्र के रूप में उठ खड़ा होगा। यह कार्य अब हर उस व्यक्ति का कर्तव्य होगा जिसमें देश प्रेम की भावना प्रबल है। देश के उत्तरी, दक्षिणी, पूर्वी और पश्चिमी क्षेत्रों में और विभिन्न मत मतांतर के मानने वालों के बीच प्रचार करके देश प्रेम की अलख जगाने की आवश्यकता है। स्वामी रामदेव स्वयं आशावान हैं और उनके साथ काम करने वाले व्यक्तियों में भी आशा का संचार है। आवश्यकता इस बात की है कि समाचार माध्यमों के द्वारा हम इस देश प्रेम की भावना को कोने कोने तक पहुंचाएं और जहां कार्यकर्ता स्वयं नहीं जा सकते वहां टी वी, रेडियो और इंटरनेट के माध्यम से जन मानस जागृत करें। वैचारिक क्रांति का आधार है मानसिक जागरूकता जिससे प्रेरणा मिलेगी कर्म करने की और क्रियाशील बने रहने की।
व्यवस्था परिवर्तन
भारत को एक समृद्ध देश बनाने के लिए राजतंत्र के समर्थन की भी आवश्यकता होगी। ऐसा भी संभव है कि एक निर्बल राजतंत्र इस दिशा में निश्चय के साथ कोई कार्य करने की स्थिति में न हो। राजनेताओं में कोई ऐसी इच्छा जागृत न हो जैसा पहले हो भी चुका है। इस स्थिति में वर्तमान व्यवस्था को परिवर्तित करना आवश्यक हो जाएगा। सामाजिक व्यवस्था, राजनैतिक व्यवस्था, न्यायिक और शिक्षा व्यवस्था – ये सभी मिल जुल कर एक ऐसा चित्र प्रदर्शित कर रहे हैं कि जैसे हमारा भारतीय समाज अंदर से खोखला हो रहा है। शासन तंत्र में अभी भी मंत्री एवं अधिकारी जनता से दूर बंद कमरों में बैठते है और सामान्य जनता की करूण कथा सुनने के लिए कोई समय नही देते। समाज का सक्षम वर्ग पुराने उपेक्षित वर्ग को अपने से दूर रखता है और प्रगति का फल उन तक नहीं पहुंचने देता। हमारी शिक्षा व्यवस्था जैसी अंग्रेज़ो के समय में थी वैसी ही निर्विघ्न चली आ रही है। मैकोले की शिक्षा नीति को दोष देते रहने के बावजूद हम उसी की चलाई गई शिक्षा नीति को अपनाते रहे हैं और परिवर्तन करने से हिचकते रहे हैं। विश्वविद्यालयों के स्नातक कई बार नौकरी नही पाते और मज़दूरी कर अपना पेट पालते हैं। न्याय व्यवस्था में ज़िला स्तर के न्यायालयों से लेकर उच्चतम न्यायालय तक लाखों और करोड़ों मुकदमें कई वर्ष बीत जाने पर भी सुने नहीं जाते निर्णय की कौन कहे। सबसे घिनौनी बात तो यह है कि भ्रष्टाचार हर तंत्र में ऐसा घर कर गया है कि समाज को अंदर से दीमक की तरह खाए जा रहा है।
शांतिमय क्रांति
इसका एक ही उपाय है कि आज के इस तंत्र को, आज की इस दीमक लगी व्यवस्था को हम बदल दें। स्वामी रामदेव शांतिमय क्रांति के पक्षधर हैं। उनका मानना है कि हम भारत स्वाभिमान अभियान जैसी वैचारिक क्रांति के माध्यम से संसद में ऐसी विचारधारा के सदस्य भेजेंगे जो संविधान में परिवर्तन करेंगे। नया संविधान लाएगा नया तंत्र – जिसमें राजतंत्र कार्य करेगा सामान्य जन के कल्याण के लिए। उन्हें आशा और विश्वास है कि वो दिन दूर नहीं जब शांतिमय क्रांति के माध्यम से व्यवस्था परिवर्तन संभव होगा और आम आदमी के मुख पर एक बार फिर मुस्कान आ सकेगी।
ब्रिगेडियर चितरंजन सांवत, वी.एस.एम
महर्षि पतंजलि का अष्टांग योग मानव समाज का उत्थान सहस्त्रों वर्षों से कर रहा है। 21वी शताब्दी के आरंभ में इस दिशा में एक महान परिवर्तन हुआ। योगासन और प्राणायाम के क्षेत्र में भारत और भारत से बाहर सात समुद्र पार, इंग्लैंड, अमेरिका, रूस और चीन आदि देशों में प्राणायाम लोकप्रिय होने लगा। इस क्रांतिकारी परिवर्तन के जनक हैं योग ऋषि स्वामी रामदेव। जन जन तक अष्टांग योग के चौथे चरण, प्राणायाम को पहुंचाने का काम निर्विघ्न और सतत रूप से चलता रहे, इसके लिए बाबा रामदेव ने हरिद्वार दिल्ली राजमार्ग पर पतंजलि योगपीठ की स्थापना की। बड़ी संख्या में योग प्रशिक्षक तैयार हो रहे हैं जो देश विदेश में सामान्य नर नारी को उन्ही की भाषा में योग और प्राणायाम सिखाएंगे। यह कार्य इतने बड़े स्तर पर संभवत: पहली बार किया जा रहा है और इससे मानव मात्र लाभांवित हो रहा है।
अभी हाल में स्काटलैंड समुद्र तट के निकट एक छोटा द्वीप कैमरी आईलैंड – वहां रहने वाले भारतीय मूल के परिवार ने स्वामी रामदेव के योग संस्थान को उपहार स्वरूप दिया। उस स्थान का नया नाम स्वामी जी ने दिया – शांति द्वीप। वैदिक यज्ञ और योग के माध्यम से, उस क्षेत्र के स्थानीय जन लाभ उठा रहे हैं। प्राणायाम के माध्यम से शारीरिक और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य का स्तर दिन प्रतिदिन ऊंचा होता जा रहा है। जिन लोगो का वज़न आवश्यकता से कहीं अधिक था और इससे वे विभिन्न रोगों से पीड़ित थे – बाबा रामदेव के प्राणायाम अभियान से उन्हें आशातीत लाभ हुआ और दवाइयां उनसे दूर हो गईं।
क्रांतिकारी परिवर्तन का मूल
अभी हाल में आस्था टी वी चैनल के लिए स्वामी रामदेव का साक्षातकार करते हुए मैनें प्रश्न किया कि प्राणायाम के एकाएक देश विदेश में इतना लोक प्रिय होने का रहस्य क्या है। स्वामी जी ने उत्तर दिया कि इस क्षेत्र में वो 1995 से कार्य कर रहे हैं और पिछली कई शताब्दियों की तुलना में 21वीं शताब्दी में प्राणायाम के जन जन तक पहुंचने के मूल में है इस प्रक्रिया का सरलीकरण। पिछली कई शताब्दियों में योग गुरू एवं आचार्य योग ज्ञान एवं व्यावहारिक अभ्यास को आम आदमी से दूर रखते थे और इस बात पर बल देते थे कि बिना गुरू का सानिध्य पाए यदि कोई इस क्षेत्र में जाएगा तो लाभ के स्थान पर अनिष्ट हो सकता है। इससे लोगों के मन में भय समा गया था और उन्होनें इस मार्ग पर चलना ही छोड़ दिया। स्वामी रामदेव नें भ्रांतियों का उन्मूलन किया और प्राणायाम के बारे में उपजे अंधविश्वासो का खंडन करते हुए कहा कि भली भांति प्राणायाम प्रक्रिया सीखने के बाद स्वंय अभ्यास करते रहिए। इससे लाभ ही लाभ है हानि नही। इस वार्तालाप के दौरान सरलीकरण की इस प्रक्रिया की तुलना स्वामी दयानंद सरस्वती के वेदों की ओर लौट चलो अभियान से की गई। 19वीं शताब्दी से पूर्व स्वार्थी एवं समाज विरोधी तत्वों ने ईश्वीरय ज्ञान वेद को अपने घरों की कोठरियों में ताला बंद कर दिया और स्त्रियों तथा समाज के एक बड़े वर्ग को वेद पाठ से वंचित कर दिया। इससे अंधकार फैल गया। स्वामी दयानंद ने वेदो का हिंदी भाष्य कर के उस ज्ञान को आम आदमी तक पहुंचाया और बल पूर्वक कहा कि वेद मंत्र स्वयं कहता है कि वेद पाठ का अधिकार सार्वजनिक है। गुरूकुल के स्नातक के रूप में, स्वामी रामदेव नें इस ज्ञान बांटने और सरलीकरण की प्रक्रिया को उत्तराधिकार के रूप में पाया और जन जन तक पहुंचा कर अपने को ऋषि ऋण से उऋण कर लिया।
प्राणायाम से भारत स्वाभिमान
भारत की जनसंख्या का एक बड़ा भाग अब योगासन और प्राणायाम के माध्यम से अपने तन, मन और मस्तिष्क में ऊर्जा उत्पन्न कर रहा है। प्रात: काल योगासन और प्राणायाम कर के जो ऊर्जा उत्पन्न हो रही है उसका उपयोग नित्य प्रति के जीवन में करने के अतिरिक्त लोक कल्याण के लिए भी किया जा सकता है। इस समय विभिन्न कारणों से हमारा भारत जाति, धर्म और क्षेत्र के आधार पर मानसिक रूप से बंटा हुआ है। इससे देश का संगठन सबल नहीं हो रहा है और हमारे शत्रु इसका फायदा उठा कर हमारे देश को तोड़ने का लगातार प्रयास कर रहे हैं। सीमा पर अनेक शत्रु एक दूसरे से संधि कर भारत विरोधी कार्य कर रहे हैं। इस स्थिति में क्या हम भारत वासी उन्हें असहाय हो कर मूक भाव से देखते रहें। आवश्यकता है निश्चय के साथ शत्रु शक्तियों का विरोध किया जाए। यह तभी संभव है जब हम अपने देश पर गर्व करें और देश के स्वाभिमान के लिए और देश के सुरक्षा के लिए अपने निहित स्वार्थों का त्याग करें।
अपने लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने के लिए, देश वासियों में वैचारिक जागरूकता की आवश्यकता है। स्वामी रामदेव नें अपने योग संस्थान के माध्यम से इस दिशा मे सक्रिय कदम उठाया है। भारत स्वाभिमान ट्रस्ट की स्थापना की है और स्वयं भी अपनी जन सभाओं में लोगो को प्रेरणा दे रहे हैं। जब जन जन में देश के लिए कार्य करने का और यदि आवश्यकता हुई तो तन, मन और धन न्योछावर करने का निश्चय जाग जाएगा तो भारत एक सबल राष्ट्र के रूप में उठ खड़ा होगा। यह कार्य अब हर उस व्यक्ति का कर्तव्य होगा जिसमें देश प्रेम की भावना प्रबल है। देश के उत्तरी, दक्षिणी, पूर्वी और पश्चिमी क्षेत्रों में और विभिन्न मत मतांतर के मानने वालों के बीच प्रचार करके देश प्रेम की अलख जगाने की आवश्यकता है। स्वामी रामदेव स्वयं आशावान हैं और उनके साथ काम करने वाले व्यक्तियों में भी आशा का संचार है। आवश्यकता इस बात की है कि समाचार माध्यमों के द्वारा हम इस देश प्रेम की भावना को कोने कोने तक पहुंचाएं और जहां कार्यकर्ता स्वयं नहीं जा सकते वहां टी वी, रेडियो और इंटरनेट के माध्यम से जन मानस जागृत करें। वैचारिक क्रांति का आधार है मानसिक जागरूकता जिससे प्रेरणा मिलेगी कर्म करने की और क्रियाशील बने रहने की।
व्यवस्था परिवर्तन
भारत को एक समृद्ध देश बनाने के लिए राजतंत्र के समर्थन की भी आवश्यकता होगी। ऐसा भी संभव है कि एक निर्बल राजतंत्र इस दिशा में निश्चय के साथ कोई कार्य करने की स्थिति में न हो। राजनेताओं में कोई ऐसी इच्छा जागृत न हो जैसा पहले हो भी चुका है। इस स्थिति में वर्तमान व्यवस्था को परिवर्तित करना आवश्यक हो जाएगा। सामाजिक व्यवस्था, राजनैतिक व्यवस्था, न्यायिक और शिक्षा व्यवस्था – ये सभी मिल जुल कर एक ऐसा चित्र प्रदर्शित कर रहे हैं कि जैसे हमारा भारतीय समाज अंदर से खोखला हो रहा है। शासन तंत्र में अभी भी मंत्री एवं अधिकारी जनता से दूर बंद कमरों में बैठते है और सामान्य जनता की करूण कथा सुनने के लिए कोई समय नही देते। समाज का सक्षम वर्ग पुराने उपेक्षित वर्ग को अपने से दूर रखता है और प्रगति का फल उन तक नहीं पहुंचने देता। हमारी शिक्षा व्यवस्था जैसी अंग्रेज़ो के समय में थी वैसी ही निर्विघ्न चली आ रही है। मैकोले की शिक्षा नीति को दोष देते रहने के बावजूद हम उसी की चलाई गई शिक्षा नीति को अपनाते रहे हैं और परिवर्तन करने से हिचकते रहे हैं। विश्वविद्यालयों के स्नातक कई बार नौकरी नही पाते और मज़दूरी कर अपना पेट पालते हैं। न्याय व्यवस्था में ज़िला स्तर के न्यायालयों से लेकर उच्चतम न्यायालय तक लाखों और करोड़ों मुकदमें कई वर्ष बीत जाने पर भी सुने नहीं जाते निर्णय की कौन कहे। सबसे घिनौनी बात तो यह है कि भ्रष्टाचार हर तंत्र में ऐसा घर कर गया है कि समाज को अंदर से दीमक की तरह खाए जा रहा है।
शांतिमय क्रांति
इसका एक ही उपाय है कि आज के इस तंत्र को, आज की इस दीमक लगी व्यवस्था को हम बदल दें। स्वामी रामदेव शांतिमय क्रांति के पक्षधर हैं। उनका मानना है कि हम भारत स्वाभिमान अभियान जैसी वैचारिक क्रांति के माध्यम से संसद में ऐसी विचारधारा के सदस्य भेजेंगे जो संविधान में परिवर्तन करेंगे। नया संविधान लाएगा नया तंत्र – जिसमें राजतंत्र कार्य करेगा सामान्य जन के कल्याण के लिए। उन्हें आशा और विश्वास है कि वो दिन दूर नहीं जब शांतिमय क्रांति के माध्यम से व्यवस्था परिवर्तन संभव होगा और आम आदमी के मुख पर एक बार फिर मुस्कान आ सकेगी।
ब्रिगेडियर चितरंजन सांवत, वी.एस.एम
Seven Blunders that Will Always Haunt India !
History is most unforgiving. As historical mistakes cannot be undone, they have complex cascading effect on a nation’s future. Here is a saga of seven historical blunders that have changed the course of independent India’s history and cast a dark shadow over its future. These costly mistakes will continue to haunt India for generations. They have been recounted here in a chronological order with a view to highlight inadequacies of India’s decision making apparatus and leadership’s incompetence to act with vision.
1. The Kashmir Mess
There can be no better example of shooting in one’s own foot than India’s clumsy handling of the Kashmir issue. It is a saga of naivety, blinkered vision and inept leadership. Hari Singh
was the reigning monarch of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. He was vacillating when tribal marauders invaded Kashmir in October 1947, duly backed by the Pakistan army. Unable to counter them, Hari Singh appealed to India for assistance and agreed to accede to India. Indian forces blunted the invasion and re-conquered vast areas.
First, India erred by not insisting on unequivocal accession of the state to the Dominion of India and granted special status to it through Article 380 of the Constitution. Secondly, when on the verge of evicting all invaders and recapturing the complete state, India halted operations on 1 January 1949 and appealed to the Security Council. It is the only case in known history wherein a country, when on the threshold of complete victory, has voluntarily forsaken it in the misplaced hope of winning admiration of the world community. Thirdly and most shockingly, the Indian leadership made a highly unconstitutional offer of plebiscite in the UN.
Forty percent area of the state continues to be under Pakistan’s control, providing it a strategic land route to China through the Karakoram ranges. As a fall out of the unresolved dispute, India and Pakistan have fought numerous wars and skirmishes with no solution in sight. Worse, the local politicians are holding India to ransom by playing the Pak card. Kashmir issue is a self created cancerous furuncle that defies all medications and continues to bleed the country.
2. Ignoring Chinese Threats and Neglect of the Military
Memories of the year 1962 will always trouble the Indian psyche. A nation of India’s size had lulled itself into believing that its protestations and platitudes of peaceful co-existence would be reciprocated by the world. It was often stated that a peace loving nation like India did not need military at all. The armed forces were neglected. Political leadership took pride in denigrating the military leadership and meddled in internal affairs of the services to promote sycophancy. Foreign policy was in shambles. Intelligence apparatus was rusted.
Even though signs of China’s aggressive intentions were clearly discernible for years in advance, Indian leadership decided to keep its eyes shut in the fond hope that the problem would resolve itself. When China struck, the country was caught totally unprepared. Troops were rushed to snowbound areas with summer clothing and outdated rifles. Despite numerous sagas of gallantry, the country suffered terrible embarrassment. India was on its knees. With national morale and pride in tatters, India was forced to appeal to all nations for military aid. Inept and incompetent leadership had forced a proud nation to find solace in Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo’.
3. The Tashkent Agreement and Return of Haji Pir Pass
Following the cease-fire after the Indo-Pak War of 1965, a Russian sponsored agreement was signed between India and Pakistan in Tashkent on 10 January 1966. Under the agreement, India agreed to return the strategic Haji Pir pass to Pakistan which it had captured in August 1965 against heavy odds and at a huge human cost. The pass connects Poonch and Uri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir and reduces the distance between the two sectors to 15 km whereas the alternate route entails a travel of over 200 km. India got nothing in return except an undertaking by Pakistan to abjure war, an undertaking which meant little as Pakistan never had any intention of honouring it.
Return of the vital Haji Pir pass was a mistake of monumental proportions for which India is suffering to date. In addition to denying a direct link between Poonch and Uri sectors, the pass is being effectively used by Pakistan to sponsor infiltration of terrorists into India. Inability to resist Russian pressure was a manifestation of the boneless Indian foreign policy and shortsighted leadership.
4. The Simla Agreement
With the fall of Dhaka on 16 December 1971, India had scored a decisive victory over Pakistan. Over 96,000 Pak soldiers were taken Prisoners of War (PoWs). Later, an agreement was signed between the two countries on 2 July 1972 at Shimla. Both countries agreed to exchange all PoWs, respect the line of control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir and refrain from the use of threat or force. Additionally, Bhutto gave a solemn verbal undertaking to accept LOC as the de facto border.
India released all Pak PoWs in good faith. Pakistan, on the other hand, released only 617 Indian PoWs while holding back 54 PoWs who are still languishing in Pakistani jails. The Indian Government has admitted this fact a number of times but has failed to secure their release. India failed to use the leverage of 96,000 Pak PoWs to discipline Pakistan. A rare opportunity was thus wasted. What to talk of establishing permanent peace in the sub-continent, India failed to ensure release of all Indian PoWs – a criminal omission by all accounts.
Naivety of the Indian delegation can be seen from the fact that it allowed Pakistan to bluff its way through at Shimla. The Indian leadership was fooled into believing Pakistan’s sincerity. Unquestionably, Pakistan never intended to abide by its promises, both written and verbal. Fruits of a hard fought victory in the battlefield were frittered away on a negotiating table by bungling leadership.
5. The Nuclear Muddle
Subsequent to the Chinese Nuclear Test
at Lop Nor
in 1964, India showed rare courage in carrying out its first nuclear test on 18 May 1974 at Pokharan. Outside the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, India was the only nation to prove its nuclear capability. The whole country was ecstatic and every Indian felt proud of its scientific prowess. But Indians had not contended with their Government’s penchant for converting opportunity into adversity and squandering hard earned gains.
Instead of asserting India’s newly acquired status of a nuclear power and demanding recognition, India turned apologetic and tried to convince the world that it had no nuclear ambitions. Strangely, it termed the Pokharan test as a ‘peaceful nuclear explosion’ – a term unheard of till then. The Defence Minister went to the extent of claiming that the Indian nuclear experiment was “only for mining, oil and gas prospecting, for finding underground sources of water, for diverting rivers, for scientific and technological knowledge.” It was a self-deprecating stance. Displaying acute inferiority complex, India did not want to be counted as a member of the exclusive nuclear club.
Criticism and sanctions were expected and must have been factored in before opting for the nuclear test. Whereas a few more assertive follow-on tests would have forced the world to accept India as a member of the nuclear club, India went into an overdrive to placate the world through a self imposed moratorium on further testing. It lost out on all the advantages provided to it by its scientists. It suffered sanctions and yet failed to gain recognition as a nuclear power. The country missed golden opportunities due to the timidity and spinelessness of its leaders.
6. Kandahar Hijack
Hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Kandahar by Pakistani terrorists in December 1999 will continue to rile India’s self-respect for long. According to the Hindustan Times, India lost face and got reduced to begging for co-operation from the very regimes that were actively undermining its internal security. The hijacking revealed how ill-prepared India was to face up to the challenges of international terrorism.
The eight day long ordeal was over when India’s National Security Adviser brazenly announced that an agreement had been reached for the release of all the hostages in exchange for three Kashmiri militants including Maulana Masood Azhar. Sadly, the Prime Minister claimed credit for forcing the hijackers to climb down on their demands. The worst was yet to follow. India’s Foreign Minister decided to accompany the released militants to Kandahar, as if seeing off honoured guests.
Government’s poor crisis-management skills and extreme complacency in security matters allowed the hijackers to take off from Amritsar airport after 39 minutes halt for refueling, thereby letting the problem get out of control. India’s much vaunted decision making apparatus collapsed and was completely paralysed by the audacity of a bunch of motivated fanatics. It was a comprehensive failure of monumental proportions. India’s slack and amateurish functioning made the country earn the tag of a soft nation which it will find very difficult to shed.
7. Illegal Immigration and Passage of IMDT Act
It is a standard practice all over the world that the burden of proving one’s status as a bonafide citizen of a country falls on the accused. It is so for India as well under Foreigners Act, 1946. Political expediency forced the Government to make an exception for Assam. In one of the most short-sighted and anti-national moves, India passed Illegal Migrants – Determination by Tribunals (IMDT) Act of 1984 for Assam. It shifted the onus of proving illegal status of a suspected immigrant to the accuser, which was a tall and virtually impossible order. Detection and deportation of illegal immigrants became impossible.
Whenever demands were raised for repealing the Act, Congress, Left Front and United Minorities Front resisted strongly. Illegal immigrants had become the most loyal vote bank of the Congress. Worse, every protest against the Act was dubbed as ‘anti-minority’, thereby imparting communal colour to an issue of national security. Government’s ‘pardon’ of all Bangladeshis who had come in before 1985 was another unconstitutional act that aggravated the problem.
The Act was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on July 13, 2005, more than 20 years after its enactment. The Apex Court was of the view that the influx of Bangladeshi nationals into Assam posed a threat to the integrity and security of northeastern region. Unfortunately immense damage had already been done to the demography of Assam and the local people of Assam had been reduced to minority status in certain districts. Illegal immigrants have come to have a stranglehold over electioneering to the extent that no party can hope to come to power without their support. Nearly 30 Islamic groups are thriving in the area to further their Islamist and Pan Bangla Desh agenda. It is incomprehensible that a nation’s leadership can stoop so low and endanger even national security for garnering votes.
Finally, is India Wiser Today?
Two features are common to all the above mentioned blunders. First, all decisions were taken by the political leadership and the bureaucracy. The military leadership was neither taken into confidence nor consulted. As a matter of fact it was deliberately kept out of the decision making loop. Although military is the primary stake holder in India’s nuclear prowess, it was not considered necessary to take it in confidence while taking decisions of strategic proportions.
Both Tashkant and Shimla Agreements were preceded by bitterly fought wars. They entailed negotiating the extent, scope and modalities of withdrawal from occupied areas. Even then, no need was felt to seek military’s advice and no service officer was included in the Indian delegations. Political leaders and the bureaucracy abrogated the right to negotiate military matters, in the egoistic belief that they were more qualified for the task. The results were disastrous, as mentioned above.
The second common feature is that no political leader or bureaucrat was ever held accountable for monumental blunders made by them. On the contrary, every single bureaucrat made it to the higher grades and was even given lucrative post-retirement appointments. It is an obnoxious sight to see the guilty men of the above blunders masquerading as foreign policy experts on TV shows and unabashedly offering their pearls of wisdom.
The above mentioned seven indefensible blunders have had enormous impact on the security, standing and history of India. Future generations will rue the fact that the Indian leadership failed the nation at critical junctures due to incompetence, ineptitude and selfish interests. Proclivity for perpetuating personal power made the leadership shortsighted and egocentric. But for the historical blunders, the current Indian geo-political scenario would have been totally different.
Has India learnt any lesson? Unfortunately, none whatsoever. Even now, military leadership is consciously and willfully kept out of all decision making apparatus. Even issues that affect security of the nation are decided by the bureaucrats who do not possess even elementary knowledge of military matters. It is only in India that well connected retired bureaucrats are offered membership of the National Security Council (NSC) as a rehabilitation measure. Merit and expertise are of little consequence. Further, India is perhaps the only country in the world wherein NSC does not have a single military member. Bureaucrats and ex-police officers have made NSC their exclusive domain, thereby depriving the nation of expert military advice. Resultantly, recurring blunders will continue to cost the country dear.
By Major General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD
1. The Kashmir Mess
There can be no better example of shooting in one’s own foot than India’s clumsy handling of the Kashmir issue. It is a saga of naivety, blinkered vision and inept leadership. Hari Singh
was the reigning monarch of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. He was vacillating when tribal marauders invaded Kashmir in October 1947, duly backed by the Pakistan army. Unable to counter them, Hari Singh appealed to India for assistance and agreed to accede to India. Indian forces blunted the invasion and re-conquered vast areas.
First, India erred by not insisting on unequivocal accession of the state to the Dominion of India and granted special status to it through Article 380 of the Constitution. Secondly, when on the verge of evicting all invaders and recapturing the complete state, India halted operations on 1 January 1949 and appealed to the Security Council. It is the only case in known history wherein a country, when on the threshold of complete victory, has voluntarily forsaken it in the misplaced hope of winning admiration of the world community. Thirdly and most shockingly, the Indian leadership made a highly unconstitutional offer of plebiscite in the UN.
Forty percent area of the state continues to be under Pakistan’s control, providing it a strategic land route to China through the Karakoram ranges. As a fall out of the unresolved dispute, India and Pakistan have fought numerous wars and skirmishes with no solution in sight. Worse, the local politicians are holding India to ransom by playing the Pak card. Kashmir issue is a self created cancerous furuncle that defies all medications and continues to bleed the country.
2. Ignoring Chinese Threats and Neglect of the Military
Memories of the year 1962 will always trouble the Indian psyche. A nation of India’s size had lulled itself into believing that its protestations and platitudes of peaceful co-existence would be reciprocated by the world. It was often stated that a peace loving nation like India did not need military at all. The armed forces were neglected. Political leadership took pride in denigrating the military leadership and meddled in internal affairs of the services to promote sycophancy. Foreign policy was in shambles. Intelligence apparatus was rusted.
Even though signs of China’s aggressive intentions were clearly discernible for years in advance, Indian leadership decided to keep its eyes shut in the fond hope that the problem would resolve itself. When China struck, the country was caught totally unprepared. Troops were rushed to snowbound areas with summer clothing and outdated rifles. Despite numerous sagas of gallantry, the country suffered terrible embarrassment. India was on its knees. With national morale and pride in tatters, India was forced to appeal to all nations for military aid. Inept and incompetent leadership had forced a proud nation to find solace in Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo’.
3. The Tashkent Agreement and Return of Haji Pir Pass
Following the cease-fire after the Indo-Pak War of 1965, a Russian sponsored agreement was signed between India and Pakistan in Tashkent on 10 January 1966. Under the agreement, India agreed to return the strategic Haji Pir pass to Pakistan which it had captured in August 1965 against heavy odds and at a huge human cost. The pass connects Poonch and Uri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir and reduces the distance between the two sectors to 15 km whereas the alternate route entails a travel of over 200 km. India got nothing in return except an undertaking by Pakistan to abjure war, an undertaking which meant little as Pakistan never had any intention of honouring it.
Return of the vital Haji Pir pass was a mistake of monumental proportions for which India is suffering to date. In addition to denying a direct link between Poonch and Uri sectors, the pass is being effectively used by Pakistan to sponsor infiltration of terrorists into India. Inability to resist Russian pressure was a manifestation of the boneless Indian foreign policy and shortsighted leadership.
4. The Simla Agreement
With the fall of Dhaka on 16 December 1971, India had scored a decisive victory over Pakistan. Over 96,000 Pak soldiers were taken Prisoners of War (PoWs). Later, an agreement was signed between the two countries on 2 July 1972 at Shimla. Both countries agreed to exchange all PoWs, respect the line of control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir and refrain from the use of threat or force. Additionally, Bhutto gave a solemn verbal undertaking to accept LOC as the de facto border.
India released all Pak PoWs in good faith. Pakistan, on the other hand, released only 617 Indian PoWs while holding back 54 PoWs who are still languishing in Pakistani jails. The Indian Government has admitted this fact a number of times but has failed to secure their release. India failed to use the leverage of 96,000 Pak PoWs to discipline Pakistan. A rare opportunity was thus wasted. What to talk of establishing permanent peace in the sub-continent, India failed to ensure release of all Indian PoWs – a criminal omission by all accounts.
Naivety of the Indian delegation can be seen from the fact that it allowed Pakistan to bluff its way through at Shimla. The Indian leadership was fooled into believing Pakistan’s sincerity. Unquestionably, Pakistan never intended to abide by its promises, both written and verbal. Fruits of a hard fought victory in the battlefield were frittered away on a negotiating table by bungling leadership.
5. The Nuclear Muddle
Subsequent to the Chinese Nuclear Test
at Lop Nor
in 1964, India showed rare courage in carrying out its first nuclear test on 18 May 1974 at Pokharan. Outside the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, India was the only nation to prove its nuclear capability. The whole country was ecstatic and every Indian felt proud of its scientific prowess. But Indians had not contended with their Government’s penchant for converting opportunity into adversity and squandering hard earned gains.
Instead of asserting India’s newly acquired status of a nuclear power and demanding recognition, India turned apologetic and tried to convince the world that it had no nuclear ambitions. Strangely, it termed the Pokharan test as a ‘peaceful nuclear explosion’ – a term unheard of till then. The Defence Minister went to the extent of claiming that the Indian nuclear experiment was “only for mining, oil and gas prospecting, for finding underground sources of water, for diverting rivers, for scientific and technological knowledge.” It was a self-deprecating stance. Displaying acute inferiority complex, India did not want to be counted as a member of the exclusive nuclear club.
Criticism and sanctions were expected and must have been factored in before opting for the nuclear test. Whereas a few more assertive follow-on tests would have forced the world to accept India as a member of the nuclear club, India went into an overdrive to placate the world through a self imposed moratorium on further testing. It lost out on all the advantages provided to it by its scientists. It suffered sanctions and yet failed to gain recognition as a nuclear power. The country missed golden opportunities due to the timidity and spinelessness of its leaders.
6. Kandahar Hijack
Hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Kandahar by Pakistani terrorists in December 1999 will continue to rile India’s self-respect for long. According to the Hindustan Times, India lost face and got reduced to begging for co-operation from the very regimes that were actively undermining its internal security. The hijacking revealed how ill-prepared India was to face up to the challenges of international terrorism.
The eight day long ordeal was over when India’s National Security Adviser brazenly announced that an agreement had been reached for the release of all the hostages in exchange for three Kashmiri militants including Maulana Masood Azhar. Sadly, the Prime Minister claimed credit for forcing the hijackers to climb down on their demands. The worst was yet to follow. India’s Foreign Minister decided to accompany the released militants to Kandahar, as if seeing off honoured guests.
Government’s poor crisis-management skills and extreme complacency in security matters allowed the hijackers to take off from Amritsar airport after 39 minutes halt for refueling, thereby letting the problem get out of control. India’s much vaunted decision making apparatus collapsed and was completely paralysed by the audacity of a bunch of motivated fanatics. It was a comprehensive failure of monumental proportions. India’s slack and amateurish functioning made the country earn the tag of a soft nation which it will find very difficult to shed.
7. Illegal Immigration and Passage of IMDT Act
It is a standard practice all over the world that the burden of proving one’s status as a bonafide citizen of a country falls on the accused. It is so for India as well under Foreigners Act, 1946. Political expediency forced the Government to make an exception for Assam. In one of the most short-sighted and anti-national moves, India passed Illegal Migrants – Determination by Tribunals (IMDT) Act of 1984 for Assam. It shifted the onus of proving illegal status of a suspected immigrant to the accuser, which was a tall and virtually impossible order. Detection and deportation of illegal immigrants became impossible.
Whenever demands were raised for repealing the Act, Congress, Left Front and United Minorities Front resisted strongly. Illegal immigrants had become the most loyal vote bank of the Congress. Worse, every protest against the Act was dubbed as ‘anti-minority’, thereby imparting communal colour to an issue of national security. Government’s ‘pardon’ of all Bangladeshis who had come in before 1985 was another unconstitutional act that aggravated the problem.
The Act was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on July 13, 2005, more than 20 years after its enactment. The Apex Court was of the view that the influx of Bangladeshi nationals into Assam posed a threat to the integrity and security of northeastern region. Unfortunately immense damage had already been done to the demography of Assam and the local people of Assam had been reduced to minority status in certain districts. Illegal immigrants have come to have a stranglehold over electioneering to the extent that no party can hope to come to power without their support. Nearly 30 Islamic groups are thriving in the area to further their Islamist and Pan Bangla Desh agenda. It is incomprehensible that a nation’s leadership can stoop so low and endanger even national security for garnering votes.
Finally, is India Wiser Today?
Two features are common to all the above mentioned blunders. First, all decisions were taken by the political leadership and the bureaucracy. The military leadership was neither taken into confidence nor consulted. As a matter of fact it was deliberately kept out of the decision making loop. Although military is the primary stake holder in India’s nuclear prowess, it was not considered necessary to take it in confidence while taking decisions of strategic proportions.
Both Tashkant and Shimla Agreements were preceded by bitterly fought wars. They entailed negotiating the extent, scope and modalities of withdrawal from occupied areas. Even then, no need was felt to seek military’s advice and no service officer was included in the Indian delegations. Political leaders and the bureaucracy abrogated the right to negotiate military matters, in the egoistic belief that they were more qualified for the task. The results were disastrous, as mentioned above.
The second common feature is that no political leader or bureaucrat was ever held accountable for monumental blunders made by them. On the contrary, every single bureaucrat made it to the higher grades and was even given lucrative post-retirement appointments. It is an obnoxious sight to see the guilty men of the above blunders masquerading as foreign policy experts on TV shows and unabashedly offering their pearls of wisdom.
The above mentioned seven indefensible blunders have had enormous impact on the security, standing and history of India. Future generations will rue the fact that the Indian leadership failed the nation at critical junctures due to incompetence, ineptitude and selfish interests. Proclivity for perpetuating personal power made the leadership shortsighted and egocentric. But for the historical blunders, the current Indian geo-political scenario would have been totally different.
Has India learnt any lesson? Unfortunately, none whatsoever. Even now, military leadership is consciously and willfully kept out of all decision making apparatus. Even issues that affect security of the nation are decided by the bureaucrats who do not possess even elementary knowledge of military matters. It is only in India that well connected retired bureaucrats are offered membership of the National Security Council (NSC) as a rehabilitation measure. Merit and expertise are of little consequence. Further, India is perhaps the only country in the world wherein NSC does not have a single military member. Bureaucrats and ex-police officers have made NSC their exclusive domain, thereby depriving the nation of expert military advice. Resultantly, recurring blunders will continue to cost the country dear.
By Major General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD
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