Kill the anti-Hindu Bill
NAC’S draft is rabidly communal
By Shyam Khosla
THE obnoxious Prevention of Communal Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparation) Bill 2011 drafted by the extra-constitutional “National Advisory Council” Chaired by Sonia Gandhi is based on the horrendous presumption that communal trouble is created only by the majority community and never by the minority community. Can a drafting committee be so biased and contemptuous of rationality and facts of life? How can a Bill to deal with a hugely sensitive issue like communal riots discriminate on religious and caste considerations? Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, famous for his legal and political acumen, has torn the Bill to shreds by his incisive analysis of the Bill’s several vicious provisions and questioned the very premise of the draft that implies that only majority community is responsible for all communal riots. The proposed law, he points out, will incentivise some communities to commit heinous offences encouraged by the fact that they would never be charged under the law and will encourage terrorist groups to incite communal riots knowing fully well that they too wouldn’t be covered under this pernicious piece of legislation. Church supported terrorist outfits operating in north-eastern states will be amongst the greatest beneficiaries as they too are outside the purview of the proposed law. They can indulge in crimes against the majority community with impunity. The Bill, if it is enacted as law by the Parliament, would keep jehadies who conspired and indulged in the Godhra carnage outside its purview. The NAC Bill would neither cover Shia-Sunni riots nor the heinous crime of chopping off the hand of a Christian professor by a Muslim radical group in Kerala as both the victim and the offender belong to the minority communities.
Hate propaganda against minorities is punishable under this stringent law. The law is likely to be abused in cases in which one were to make legitimate criticism of certain practices like discrimination against Muslim women under the Muslim Personal Law. However members and groups belonging to minority communities would not be liable to be booked under the law for spreading hatred against Hindus and their religious faiths and icons. Foreign funded Christian missionaries who indulge in fraudulent conversion of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other deprived sections of the Hindu society though a systematic hate campaign against Hindu beliefs and practices can gleefully continue to do so as they too would not be covered by the law on communal violence. Minority community groups would be free to spread hatred against Hindus by calling them kafirs and heathens without any fear of being hauled up under the law.
Yet another fundamental infirmity form which the draft suffers is that it equates communal conflicts with terrorism. Communal flare ups may be triggered by minor incidents and rumours spread by mischief mongers. Instead of curbing communal divisions and identity politics, the Bill is bound to widen the gulf between communities and would lead to communal tensions. That is perhaps the hidden agenda of the drafters of the Bill most of whom are guilty of promoting vote bank politics. Congress party’s untenable defence of the draft is that there is no point in discussing each and every provision at this stage and that these objections could be taken up when the Bill goes to the Parliamentary Standing Committees. Why publicise such an atrocious piece of legislation full of infirmities, if the purpose is not to illicit public opinion on its concepts and premises. Or is it meant to send a strong message to communal-minded Muslims and Christians that UPA II is out to appease them even at the cost of hurting national interests? The other argument that is equally bogus is that the draft is based on the experience that most riots are initiated by the majority community and it is the minorities that are always at the receiving end.
One of the provisions in the draft is that it would be enforced by a seven-member national authority of which at least four members, including the chairman and the vice chairman, must be from a minority community, It has raised the hackles of all right thinking citizens who believe in the principle that law must have a level-playing field. It is a dangerous and mischievous move. The authors are so biased and contemptuous of Hindus that they presume that an enforcement authority with a Hindu majority would not ensure fair play. The Bill is so irrational and biased that even the pro-Congress English language daily Hindustan Times has editorially condemned the NAC draft saying, “Its biggest flaw is that it makes provisions for punishment only for violence against minorities. Surely, if communal violence were visited on members of the majority community, the law can’t ignore this fact. This could mean that subversive elements in the minority community could indulge in communal violence without any fear of the law”. It goes on to point out that the most disturbing aspect of this Bill is the underlying presumption that it is only the majority community which is responsible for communal violence. No law should have different yardsticks for wrong doers on the basis of religion, ethnicity, language or gender. Further it negates the federal structure of the Union as it infringes on the powers of the State governments that are bound to resist Centre’s attempt to interfere in matters pertaining to law and order that is the domain of the states.
Critics have rightly raised serious objections to the very source of the draft – the National Advisory Council comprising of NGO types unelected and unelectable so-called representatives of the civil society. All of them have been hand-picked by Sonia Gandhi who enjoys enormous power without accountability. NAC is an extra constitutional authority that has been mandated to provide policy and legislative inputs to the Government. It is accountable to none but Sonia Gandhi. Its functioning has never been subjected to any review by Parliament. Its policy announcements and legislative initiatives exert coercive pressure on the Government. The very concept on which NAC was constituted is undemocratic and totally unacceptable in a parliamentary democracy.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
UPA’s arrogance and subterfuge
By Shyam Khosla
CONGRESS-led Government’s arrogance and subterfuge is limitless. It claimed it has accepted “almost all demands” raised by Yoga Guru Ram Dev and asked him to call off his hunger strike immediately. The Baba saw through the Government’s treachery to undermine his movement against corruption and black money and refused to give in. Having realised that the Baba couldn’t be bought over, the Government resorted to a midnight crackdown on fasting and sleeping followers of the Yoga Guru by several thousand armed policemen who beat up women, children and old men indiscriminately and hounded them out of the Ramlila grounds. Women and children were packed off to remote places and left to fend for themselves.
These atrocities remindes one of the days of the hated Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in total violation of the Constitutional provisions. The totally uncalled for and avoidable police action is a grave violation of human rights. The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission have taken cognisance and asked the Government to submit a report. The argument that Baba had violated the terms on which he was given permission to hold the congregation is totally untenable. Are we living in a democratic country or a fascist regime? Since when is one required to take permission to observe a fast in support of his/her demands? Weren’t the yoga guru and his followers denied their fundamental right to assemble peacefully because the dynasty abhors saffron? Under no circumstance will they use force to disperse a Christian or Muslim gathering. They didn’t act when Geelani and others delivered anti-national speeches in the national capital. A case was registered against them only on judicial orders at the initiative of a patriotic citizen. The Prime Minister described the ugly and inhuman action against Baba and his followers as unfortunate yet ‘unavoidable’. Since when using brutal force to disperse a peaceful gathering in the middle of the night has become unavoidable? Heavens wouldn’t have fallen if the Yoga Guru was allowed to continue his fast for another two days, as admittedly was Baba’s plan. The Government was bending backwards only hours before the police action. Who pulled the strings to force the Government to brutally disperse peaceful and fasting satyagrahis? The people have a right to know who is running this country – a democratically elected Government or an extra-constitutional authority.
Fortunately for the country, spiritual, religious, social and political leaders were able to persuade Baba Ram Dev to break his fast so that he is available to carry forward his mass movement against rampant corruption. There was great concern all over the country over Government’s total insensitivity and the grave consequences in the event of Baba making the supreme sacrifice at the altar of the Government obduracy. A national catastrophe was averted. Let the Congress jokers celebrate it as some sort of “victory”. They will soon discover that the use of brute force by the Government against followers of the Baba has caused widespread resentment and anger among millions of his followers and common citizens throughout the length and breadth of the land. It may turnout to be a turning point in Congress party’s fortunes as the gory incident has created a huge anti-Congress constituency. Immediately after his discharge from the hospital, the Baba announced his determination to carry forward his crusade against corruption and authoritarianism. In a short span of a decade and half the Baba mobilised millions of people and created a network of followers through his yoga camps. There is widespread appreciation of his services to the society on health and other fronts. Bad mouthing the Baba and demonising him will boomerang on the Congress. Attempt to harass him by using investigating agencies will only strengthen his resolve to fight back.
Rattled by all round condemnation of the police action against Baba Ram Dev’s congregation, the ruling party has communalised the fight against corruption and black money. It is a trick the Congress party uses every time it is cornered on corruption or authoritarianism. They made a big issue of Sadhvi Ritambhra’s presence on the dais. It didn’t convince anyone. Sadhvi didn’t raised any communal issue nor did she passed any comment that could be objected to. On the contrary, she mesmerised the congregation by her thrilling oration. She spoke with passion against corruption in public life and strongly argued for eradication of this evil. Congress leaders and Ministers made funny claims saying they have in their possession documents that prove that the RSS was behind Ram Dev’s movement. What is wrong with RSS and outfits belonging to its ideological family supporting movements launched by Ram Dev and Anna Hazare? Sangh has a right, nay duty, to support all noble causes. There is nothing secret in it. The documents in possession of Congress leaders are nothing but resolutions and Press statements issued by parivar outfits in support of the movements against corruption and black money. It is not for the first time that the RSS has lent its support to social causes. It has a glorious track record of selfless service to the society. It had supported JP movement and the latter had gratefully accepted and acknowledged the services rendered by the RSS in the movement against dictatorship during 1975-77. Responding to Congress allegations, JP had publicly stated that if RSS and Jana Sangh were fascist, he too was a fascist. That’s how he derailed the obnoxious bogey raised by the Congress goons. The fact of the matter is that the Congress invents the threat from communalism to capture Muslim votes. RSS bashing is the last resort of the scoundrels masquerading as “secularists”.
The crusade against corruption and black money is unstoppable. BJP had raised the issue of black money stacked in foreign banks during 2009 elections with the promise that it would take steps to bring back the money looted by corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, if it were voted to power. In view of the UPA Government’s failure to show any interest on this crucial issue, BJP and other Opposition parties raised this issue forcefully through public rallies and in the Parliament. There was a demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe massive scams that emerged one after another during UPA’s regime. An entire Parliament session was wasted because of the Government’s obduracy. Ultimately the demand for setting up JPC was conceded. Unfortunately, the Congress party’s duplicity and hypocrisy have severely undermined the functioning of JPC.
The Congress and its allies also disrupted the proceedings of the PAC headed by senior BJP leader Dr. M M Joshi. Congress, BSP and SP members of the PAC demanded voting on the report that is not the practice in parliamentary committees. The very purpose of having an Opposition member as Chairman of PAC has been defeated by demanding a voting on the report. By choking parliamentary methods to hold the ruling alliance accountable, the Congress has created a situation in which people may be forced to take recourse to extra-constitutional means.
Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee recently observed that the situation in the country have “some similarities” with the situation that existed before the imposition of the Emergency in 1975. Kapil Sibal’s remark that action at Ramlila Maidan is a “lesson” for all is equally ominous. It is a crude threat to crush with brute force any movement against the Government howsoever peaceful it maybe. Congress-led Government’s authoritarianism and not the fasts and movements launched by political parties and civil society groups are subversive of democracy.
CONGRESS-led Government’s arrogance and subterfuge is limitless. It claimed it has accepted “almost all demands” raised by Yoga Guru Ram Dev and asked him to call off his hunger strike immediately. The Baba saw through the Government’s treachery to undermine his movement against corruption and black money and refused to give in. Having realised that the Baba couldn’t be bought over, the Government resorted to a midnight crackdown on fasting and sleeping followers of the Yoga Guru by several thousand armed policemen who beat up women, children and old men indiscriminately and hounded them out of the Ramlila grounds. Women and children were packed off to remote places and left to fend for themselves.
These atrocities remindes one of the days of the hated Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in total violation of the Constitutional provisions. The totally uncalled for and avoidable police action is a grave violation of human rights. The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission have taken cognisance and asked the Government to submit a report. The argument that Baba had violated the terms on which he was given permission to hold the congregation is totally untenable. Are we living in a democratic country or a fascist regime? Since when is one required to take permission to observe a fast in support of his/her demands? Weren’t the yoga guru and his followers denied their fundamental right to assemble peacefully because the dynasty abhors saffron? Under no circumstance will they use force to disperse a Christian or Muslim gathering. They didn’t act when Geelani and others delivered anti-national speeches in the national capital. A case was registered against them only on judicial orders at the initiative of a patriotic citizen. The Prime Minister described the ugly and inhuman action against Baba and his followers as unfortunate yet ‘unavoidable’. Since when using brutal force to disperse a peaceful gathering in the middle of the night has become unavoidable? Heavens wouldn’t have fallen if the Yoga Guru was allowed to continue his fast for another two days, as admittedly was Baba’s plan. The Government was bending backwards only hours before the police action. Who pulled the strings to force the Government to brutally disperse peaceful and fasting satyagrahis? The people have a right to know who is running this country – a democratically elected Government or an extra-constitutional authority.
Fortunately for the country, spiritual, religious, social and political leaders were able to persuade Baba Ram Dev to break his fast so that he is available to carry forward his mass movement against rampant corruption. There was great concern all over the country over Government’s total insensitivity and the grave consequences in the event of Baba making the supreme sacrifice at the altar of the Government obduracy. A national catastrophe was averted. Let the Congress jokers celebrate it as some sort of “victory”. They will soon discover that the use of brute force by the Government against followers of the Baba has caused widespread resentment and anger among millions of his followers and common citizens throughout the length and breadth of the land. It may turnout to be a turning point in Congress party’s fortunes as the gory incident has created a huge anti-Congress constituency. Immediately after his discharge from the hospital, the Baba announced his determination to carry forward his crusade against corruption and authoritarianism. In a short span of a decade and half the Baba mobilised millions of people and created a network of followers through his yoga camps. There is widespread appreciation of his services to the society on health and other fronts. Bad mouthing the Baba and demonising him will boomerang on the Congress. Attempt to harass him by using investigating agencies will only strengthen his resolve to fight back.
Rattled by all round condemnation of the police action against Baba Ram Dev’s congregation, the ruling party has communalised the fight against corruption and black money. It is a trick the Congress party uses every time it is cornered on corruption or authoritarianism. They made a big issue of Sadhvi Ritambhra’s presence on the dais. It didn’t convince anyone. Sadhvi didn’t raised any communal issue nor did she passed any comment that could be objected to. On the contrary, she mesmerised the congregation by her thrilling oration. She spoke with passion against corruption in public life and strongly argued for eradication of this evil. Congress leaders and Ministers made funny claims saying they have in their possession documents that prove that the RSS was behind Ram Dev’s movement. What is wrong with RSS and outfits belonging to its ideological family supporting movements launched by Ram Dev and Anna Hazare? Sangh has a right, nay duty, to support all noble causes. There is nothing secret in it. The documents in possession of Congress leaders are nothing but resolutions and Press statements issued by parivar outfits in support of the movements against corruption and black money. It is not for the first time that the RSS has lent its support to social causes. It has a glorious track record of selfless service to the society. It had supported JP movement and the latter had gratefully accepted and acknowledged the services rendered by the RSS in the movement against dictatorship during 1975-77. Responding to Congress allegations, JP had publicly stated that if RSS and Jana Sangh were fascist, he too was a fascist. That’s how he derailed the obnoxious bogey raised by the Congress goons. The fact of the matter is that the Congress invents the threat from communalism to capture Muslim votes. RSS bashing is the last resort of the scoundrels masquerading as “secularists”.
The crusade against corruption and black money is unstoppable. BJP had raised the issue of black money stacked in foreign banks during 2009 elections with the promise that it would take steps to bring back the money looted by corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, if it were voted to power. In view of the UPA Government’s failure to show any interest on this crucial issue, BJP and other Opposition parties raised this issue forcefully through public rallies and in the Parliament. There was a demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe massive scams that emerged one after another during UPA’s regime. An entire Parliament session was wasted because of the Government’s obduracy. Ultimately the demand for setting up JPC was conceded. Unfortunately, the Congress party’s duplicity and hypocrisy have severely undermined the functioning of JPC.
The Congress and its allies also disrupted the proceedings of the PAC headed by senior BJP leader Dr. M M Joshi. Congress, BSP and SP members of the PAC demanded voting on the report that is not the practice in parliamentary committees. The very purpose of having an Opposition member as Chairman of PAC has been defeated by demanding a voting on the report. By choking parliamentary methods to hold the ruling alliance accountable, the Congress has created a situation in which people may be forced to take recourse to extra-constitutional means.
Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee recently observed that the situation in the country have “some similarities” with the situation that existed before the imposition of the Emergency in 1975. Kapil Sibal’s remark that action at Ramlila Maidan is a “lesson” for all is equally ominous. It is a crude threat to crush with brute force any movement against the Government howsoever peaceful it maybe. Congress-led Government’s authoritarianism and not the fasts and movements launched by political parties and civil society groups are subversive of democracy.
History, a propellant in China’s spurt
History, a propellant in China’s spurt
Revenge for past humiliations as a driver of national assertion
By Dr R Balashankar
The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914, Robert Bickers, Allen Lane, Penguin Books Ltd, Pp 496 (HB), £30.00.
MUCH of Asia was under colonial rule during the late 19th and early 20th century with Britain dominating the global scene. South and South East Asia were under direct rule of the Crown. Japan had broken from the shackles of the foreign manoeuvers and raised the call ‘Asia for Asians.’ But China, up to the first quarter of the 20th century was in the stranglehold of a combination of foreign forces, mainly the British, French, Dutch, Russian and of course Japanese. It was a semi-colonial state. Each of these countries had forced humiliating treaties on China, wrenching the last drop of blood from it. Adding to the mayhem was the brisk soul harvesting business of the evangelists, under complete protection and encouragement from their respective countries.
Understanding China’s urgency and determination to dominate the world today starts here. The people’s revolution, hugely aided by the defeat and obliteration of Japan in World War II, helped China emerge on her own. Robert Bickers in his latest book The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914 traces the events of that nation to bring us to where we are today, rather where China is today, vis-à-vis the world, especially the West. Says he, the preamble of the Chinese constitution outlines the vision of a country “reduced gradually to a state of what was termed ‘semi-colonial’ weakness from which it was saved by the Chinese people who overthrew imperialism and its Chinese allies ‘through hard, protracted and tortuous struggle, armed and otherwise’. “The memory of the era of National Humiliation is embedded then in the state’s very articulation of itself, and its raison d’être.”
British, the incorrigible traders they were, wanted China to be opened to sell something, anything, to ‘compensate’ for the tea, silk and porcelain being bought from China. India, the state under their thumb was being used for growing opium, it was close to China, so the obvious item for sale was opium. Forcing open China, Britain set up a ‘triangular’ business arrangement, from which it alone benefitted. “A classic triangular trade had developed, with Indian fortunes flowing to the British isles via China… the company sold opium to the country traders, who shipped it east. The cash they realized was converted into Company bills payable in London or Calcutta, while the Company bought tea (and alone could do so), shipping it back to Britain.”
China resisted foreigners. They were restricted to port areas and it was forbidden to teach Chinese to any foreigner. Chinese violating it earned capital punishment. But all this changed with the forceful entry of the combined forces of the West. Describing a battle of 1842, Bickers says the British troops captured Shanghai. “Their troops lodged themselves in the City God temple, looted pawnshops, dressed themselves in the gorgeous fineries they found in them, and burned Shanghai libraries in their cooking fires or used them as toilet paper.” The Manchu troops fought stubbornly and “surprisingly hard” without surrendering. Worse is to come. “The suburb burned; the pretty city was ‘a monument of death and desolation.’ The slaughter and self-slaughter sickened the British on the spot (and garnered a wretched press back home — ‘Women and children in dozens hanging from beams,’ one reported, ‘or lying on the ground with their throats cut, or drowned in deep wells.” When the war ended the soldiers were relieved that now, at least they did not have to slaughter ‘crowds of pig-tailed animals.’
While the foreign troops were battling in this grossly unequal fight, the missionaries were including their right to preach, propagate and convert people into Christianity in all the treaties signed. The Church was allowed to own property and build churches. “The one outstanding feature of the French and American treaties was that the French secured a commitment to re-legalize Christianity in China (Catholicism in practice), which had been proscribed in 1724, and assumed for themselves the mantle of responsibility for Chinese Catholics.” Bickers adds “Thus from the start, the ‘opening’ of China was quickly about very much more than simple free trade. The Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca, and its printing press, were swiftly transplanted to the new colony by the London Missionary Society (LMS), now able to train Chinese converts on China’s doorstep.”
The missionaries got early success, when one Hong Xiuquan, a half-baked convert managed to get a following in thousands. But the victory soon turned sour because he was on his way to establish his own rule, offering a colloidal mix of Chinese and Christianity. Soon the foreigners withdrew their backing to him, to bring back the much-discredited Manchu rulers who were much more ‘obedient’ and amenable.
The Chinese saw increasing number of missionaries pouring into their country and fanning out. They started off with social service, health care. A sample modus operandi went like this. In Peking the missionaries “rented a part of a Buddhist temple on a very thoroughfare. They had the gods removed under cover of night, to the consternation of the local residents, but it was smugly reported, with no signs of visible harm.” The evangelists who got carried away with medical work were chastised for paying more attention to health than on conversions.
But the Chinese society was restive. There were all kinds of stories about the demonic deeds of the missionaries. Rumours were flying thick and high that the foreigners kidnapped children to eat their heart and suck their souls. The missionaries were using a ‘red powder’ to stupefy the children to take them to the church, it was said.
Other social tensions were building up. Those who converted, almost 100 per cent for economic benefits suddenly became powerful in the local communities, jeopardising the social order. They tended to ignore the local customs like respecting the elders and worshipping the ancestors and local celebrations. Christianity destabilised villages. “A marginal group could find itself greatly enhanced in status… the Christians would refuse to pay temple or opera dues damaging the fabric of local society, imperiling the common good, and insulting the gods…” The Chinese preachers were often heard as saying that it was definitely cheaper to be a Christian. India still witnesses such trends in the hotbed of conversions like Jharkhand and Orissa, Kandamal being a case in point.
The tide of resentment finally broke out of control and resulted in the Boxer rebellion (1900), in which thousands of foreigners were butchered, before the rebellion was quelled. Says Bickers “The missionaries knew it was coming. Of course, they always half expected martyrdom, and half wanted it, for the blood of martyrs sanctified the mission soil. More immediately, they expected it because they had faced some years now of opposition, opposition that was turning from sullen disbelief at the weirdness of Christianity, so at variance in its practices to civilized norms, to overt, violent hostility.”
The missionaries’ work was not unopposed. In 1860, the Duke of Somerset said speaking in the House of Lords, ‘The fact is we are propagating Christianity with gunboats. What right do we have to send missionaries to the interior of China, and who were these people?’ The Times called the missionaries ‘commonplace persons, not very well-educated, not quite gentlemen… they are impudent’ they have ‘gone out with not much learning and still less knowledge of mankind.’ “The missionaries were furious; furious with Somerset, who blamed the LMS above all…”
Robert Bickers says “Christianity, as we have seen, was not abstract belief, but practical local politics and local change. It had given converts a type of invulnerability, a seeming freedom from orthodox control and licence to subvert the law. In property and resource disputes they had secured mission support and so through them diplomatic representations to the Zongli Yamen over this local dispute and that one.” Well, China went through this nearly a century ago. India continues to be a huge recruitment ground for Christianity, using the same techniques.
If Boxer rebellion was harsh, the West retaliation was unspeakably cruel. According to a description in the book, the marching troops killed Chinese. “Chinese corps filled the river. In the aftermath of the relief of the siege, allied soldiers shot and bayoneted house servants as they searched for drink and loot.” On July 2, (1900), thousands of Chinese and Manchu residents of the Russian city – servants, traders, labourers, men, women and children – were systematically herded into the river (Amur river in Blagoveshchensk), and those who were not drowned were shot or hacked to death.” The river was reported to be thick with mangled corpses even weeks later.
The sad part of the story is the China, then, had no friends. All the Western nations and her neighbours Japan and Russia joined together in the massacre. India of course was in no condition to help, held as she was under the British rule, not even a sovereign state. When the rebellion was put down, leaving the soil drenched with blood, the perpetrators of crime cried foul for being victims of the Boxer fighters. A new round of treaty with even more stringent penalty and privilege was thrust on the nation.
The Scramble for China gives nearly a blow by blow account of the travails that the country underwent before it emerged to take hold of itself. In the early 20th century it was very much believed that China would be geographically apportioned, like Africa, among the Western powers, in alliance with Russia and Japan, who were both eyeing the rich Chinese territories. But China survived as one.
And it remembers the past. There is a six-volume compilation of atrocities and unequal treaties thrust on it. Places where hard battles were fought are marked and this history is taught. It is this collective conscience of China that is today propelling it to newer and greater achievements in all spheres. Unless we understand China’s history we cannot understand its resurgence now. And in that Bickers book is an excellent help. Unbiased, in a reporting style, the book is sheer history, leaving the reader to judge for him/her self. And the history is poignant. Robert Bickers is professor of History at the University of Bristol and a celebrated author. The narration is embellished with colour plates and maps and rich notes.
(Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R, ORI, England)
Revenge for past humiliations as a driver of national assertion
By Dr R Balashankar
The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914, Robert Bickers, Allen Lane, Penguin Books Ltd, Pp 496 (HB), £30.00.
MUCH of Asia was under colonial rule during the late 19th and early 20th century with Britain dominating the global scene. South and South East Asia were under direct rule of the Crown. Japan had broken from the shackles of the foreign manoeuvers and raised the call ‘Asia for Asians.’ But China, up to the first quarter of the 20th century was in the stranglehold of a combination of foreign forces, mainly the British, French, Dutch, Russian and of course Japanese. It was a semi-colonial state. Each of these countries had forced humiliating treaties on China, wrenching the last drop of blood from it. Adding to the mayhem was the brisk soul harvesting business of the evangelists, under complete protection and encouragement from their respective countries.
Understanding China’s urgency and determination to dominate the world today starts here. The people’s revolution, hugely aided by the defeat and obliteration of Japan in World War II, helped China emerge on her own. Robert Bickers in his latest book The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914 traces the events of that nation to bring us to where we are today, rather where China is today, vis-à-vis the world, especially the West. Says he, the preamble of the Chinese constitution outlines the vision of a country “reduced gradually to a state of what was termed ‘semi-colonial’ weakness from which it was saved by the Chinese people who overthrew imperialism and its Chinese allies ‘through hard, protracted and tortuous struggle, armed and otherwise’. “The memory of the era of National Humiliation is embedded then in the state’s very articulation of itself, and its raison d’être.”
British, the incorrigible traders they were, wanted China to be opened to sell something, anything, to ‘compensate’ for the tea, silk and porcelain being bought from China. India, the state under their thumb was being used for growing opium, it was close to China, so the obvious item for sale was opium. Forcing open China, Britain set up a ‘triangular’ business arrangement, from which it alone benefitted. “A classic triangular trade had developed, with Indian fortunes flowing to the British isles via China… the company sold opium to the country traders, who shipped it east. The cash they realized was converted into Company bills payable in London or Calcutta, while the Company bought tea (and alone could do so), shipping it back to Britain.”
China resisted foreigners. They were restricted to port areas and it was forbidden to teach Chinese to any foreigner. Chinese violating it earned capital punishment. But all this changed with the forceful entry of the combined forces of the West. Describing a battle of 1842, Bickers says the British troops captured Shanghai. “Their troops lodged themselves in the City God temple, looted pawnshops, dressed themselves in the gorgeous fineries they found in them, and burned Shanghai libraries in their cooking fires or used them as toilet paper.” The Manchu troops fought stubbornly and “surprisingly hard” without surrendering. Worse is to come. “The suburb burned; the pretty city was ‘a monument of death and desolation.’ The slaughter and self-slaughter sickened the British on the spot (and garnered a wretched press back home — ‘Women and children in dozens hanging from beams,’ one reported, ‘or lying on the ground with their throats cut, or drowned in deep wells.” When the war ended the soldiers were relieved that now, at least they did not have to slaughter ‘crowds of pig-tailed animals.’
While the foreign troops were battling in this grossly unequal fight, the missionaries were including their right to preach, propagate and convert people into Christianity in all the treaties signed. The Church was allowed to own property and build churches. “The one outstanding feature of the French and American treaties was that the French secured a commitment to re-legalize Christianity in China (Catholicism in practice), which had been proscribed in 1724, and assumed for themselves the mantle of responsibility for Chinese Catholics.” Bickers adds “Thus from the start, the ‘opening’ of China was quickly about very much more than simple free trade. The Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca, and its printing press, were swiftly transplanted to the new colony by the London Missionary Society (LMS), now able to train Chinese converts on China’s doorstep.”
The missionaries got early success, when one Hong Xiuquan, a half-baked convert managed to get a following in thousands. But the victory soon turned sour because he was on his way to establish his own rule, offering a colloidal mix of Chinese and Christianity. Soon the foreigners withdrew their backing to him, to bring back the much-discredited Manchu rulers who were much more ‘obedient’ and amenable.
The Chinese saw increasing number of missionaries pouring into their country and fanning out. They started off with social service, health care. A sample modus operandi went like this. In Peking the missionaries “rented a part of a Buddhist temple on a very thoroughfare. They had the gods removed under cover of night, to the consternation of the local residents, but it was smugly reported, with no signs of visible harm.” The evangelists who got carried away with medical work were chastised for paying more attention to health than on conversions.
But the Chinese society was restive. There were all kinds of stories about the demonic deeds of the missionaries. Rumours were flying thick and high that the foreigners kidnapped children to eat their heart and suck their souls. The missionaries were using a ‘red powder’ to stupefy the children to take them to the church, it was said.
Other social tensions were building up. Those who converted, almost 100 per cent for economic benefits suddenly became powerful in the local communities, jeopardising the social order. They tended to ignore the local customs like respecting the elders and worshipping the ancestors and local celebrations. Christianity destabilised villages. “A marginal group could find itself greatly enhanced in status… the Christians would refuse to pay temple or opera dues damaging the fabric of local society, imperiling the common good, and insulting the gods…” The Chinese preachers were often heard as saying that it was definitely cheaper to be a Christian. India still witnesses such trends in the hotbed of conversions like Jharkhand and Orissa, Kandamal being a case in point.
The tide of resentment finally broke out of control and resulted in the Boxer rebellion (1900), in which thousands of foreigners were butchered, before the rebellion was quelled. Says Bickers “The missionaries knew it was coming. Of course, they always half expected martyrdom, and half wanted it, for the blood of martyrs sanctified the mission soil. More immediately, they expected it because they had faced some years now of opposition, opposition that was turning from sullen disbelief at the weirdness of Christianity, so at variance in its practices to civilized norms, to overt, violent hostility.”
The missionaries’ work was not unopposed. In 1860, the Duke of Somerset said speaking in the House of Lords, ‘The fact is we are propagating Christianity with gunboats. What right do we have to send missionaries to the interior of China, and who were these people?’ The Times called the missionaries ‘commonplace persons, not very well-educated, not quite gentlemen… they are impudent’ they have ‘gone out with not much learning and still less knowledge of mankind.’ “The missionaries were furious; furious with Somerset, who blamed the LMS above all…”
Robert Bickers says “Christianity, as we have seen, was not abstract belief, but practical local politics and local change. It had given converts a type of invulnerability, a seeming freedom from orthodox control and licence to subvert the law. In property and resource disputes they had secured mission support and so through them diplomatic representations to the Zongli Yamen over this local dispute and that one.” Well, China went through this nearly a century ago. India continues to be a huge recruitment ground for Christianity, using the same techniques.
If Boxer rebellion was harsh, the West retaliation was unspeakably cruel. According to a description in the book, the marching troops killed Chinese. “Chinese corps filled the river. In the aftermath of the relief of the siege, allied soldiers shot and bayoneted house servants as they searched for drink and loot.” On July 2, (1900), thousands of Chinese and Manchu residents of the Russian city – servants, traders, labourers, men, women and children – were systematically herded into the river (Amur river in Blagoveshchensk), and those who were not drowned were shot or hacked to death.” The river was reported to be thick with mangled corpses even weeks later.
The sad part of the story is the China, then, had no friends. All the Western nations and her neighbours Japan and Russia joined together in the massacre. India of course was in no condition to help, held as she was under the British rule, not even a sovereign state. When the rebellion was put down, leaving the soil drenched with blood, the perpetrators of crime cried foul for being victims of the Boxer fighters. A new round of treaty with even more stringent penalty and privilege was thrust on the nation.
The Scramble for China gives nearly a blow by blow account of the travails that the country underwent before it emerged to take hold of itself. In the early 20th century it was very much believed that China would be geographically apportioned, like Africa, among the Western powers, in alliance with Russia and Japan, who were both eyeing the rich Chinese territories. But China survived as one.
And it remembers the past. There is a six-volume compilation of atrocities and unequal treaties thrust on it. Places where hard battles were fought are marked and this history is taught. It is this collective conscience of China that is today propelling it to newer and greater achievements in all spheres. Unless we understand China’s history we cannot understand its resurgence now. And in that Bickers book is an excellent help. Unbiased, in a reporting style, the book is sheer history, leaving the reader to judge for him/her self. And the history is poignant. Robert Bickers is professor of History at the University of Bristol and a celebrated author. The narration is embellished with colour plates and maps and rich notes.
(Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R, ORI, England)
History, a propellant in China’s spurt
History, a propellant in China’s spurt
Revenge for past humiliations as a driver of national assertion
By Dr R Balashankar
The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914, Robert Bickers, Allen Lane, Penguin Books Ltd, Pp 496 (HB), £30.00.
MUCH of Asia was under colonial rule during the late 19th and early 20th century with Britain dominating the global scene. South and South East Asia were under direct rule of the Crown. Japan had broken from the shackles of the foreign manoeuvers and raised the call ‘Asia for Asians.’ But China, up to the first quarter of the 20th century was in the stranglehold of a combination of foreign forces, mainly the British, French, Dutch, Russian and of course Japanese. It was a semi-colonial state. Each of these countries had forced humiliating treaties on China, wrenching the last drop of blood from it. Adding to the mayhem was the brisk soul harvesting business of the evangelists, under complete protection and encouragement from their respective countries.
Understanding China’s urgency and determination to dominate the world today starts here. The people’s revolution, hugely aided by the defeat and obliteration of Japan in World War II, helped China emerge on her own. Robert Bickers in his latest book The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914 traces the events of that nation to bring us to where we are today, rather where China is today, vis-à-vis the world, especially the West. Says he, the preamble of the Chinese constitution outlines the vision of a country “reduced gradually to a state of what was termed ‘semi-colonial’ weakness from which it was saved by the Chinese people who overthrew imperialism and its Chinese allies ‘through hard, protracted and tortuous struggle, armed and otherwise’. “The memory of the era of National Humiliation is embedded then in the state’s very articulation of itself, and its raison d’être.”
British, the incorrigible traders they were, wanted China to be opened to sell something, anything, to ‘compensate’ for the tea, silk and porcelain being bought from China. India, the state under their thumb was being used for growing opium, it was close to China, so the obvious item for sale was opium. Forcing open China, Britain set up a ‘triangular’ business arrangement, from which it alone benefitted. “A classic triangular trade had developed, with Indian fortunes flowing to the British isles via China… the company sold opium to the country traders, who shipped it east. The cash they realized was converted into Company bills payable in London or Calcutta, while the Company bought tea (and alone could do so), shipping it back to Britain.”
China resisted foreigners. They were restricted to port areas and it was forbidden to teach Chinese to any foreigner. Chinese violating it earned capital punishment. But all this changed with the forceful entry of the combined forces of the West. Describing a battle of 1842, Bickers says the British troops captured Shanghai. “Their troops lodged themselves in the City God temple, looted pawnshops, dressed themselves in the gorgeous fineries they found in them, and burned Shanghai libraries in their cooking fires or used them as toilet paper.” The Manchu troops fought stubbornly and “surprisingly hard” without surrendering. Worse is to come. “The suburb burned; the pretty city was ‘a monument of death and desolation.’ The slaughter and self-slaughter sickened the British on the spot (and garnered a wretched press back home — ‘Women and children in dozens hanging from beams,’ one reported, ‘or lying on the ground with their throats cut, or drowned in deep wells.” When the war ended the soldiers were relieved that now, at least they did not have to slaughter ‘crowds of pig-tailed animals.’
While the foreign troops were battling in this grossly unequal fight, the missionaries were including their right to preach, propagate and convert people into Christianity in all the treaties signed. The Church was allowed to own property and build churches. “The one outstanding feature of the French and American treaties was that the French secured a commitment to re-legalize Christianity in China (Catholicism in practice), which had been proscribed in 1724, and assumed for themselves the mantle of responsibility for Chinese Catholics.” Bickers adds “Thus from the start, the ‘opening’ of China was quickly about very much more than simple free trade. The Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca, and its printing press, were swiftly transplanted to the new colony by the London Missionary Society (LMS), now able to train Chinese converts on China’s doorstep.”
The missionaries got early success, when one Hong Xiuquan, a half-baked convert managed to get a following in thousands. But the victory soon turned sour because he was on his way to establish his own rule, offering a colloidal mix of Chinese and Christianity. Soon the foreigners withdrew their backing to him, to bring back the much-discredited Manchu rulers who were much more ‘obedient’ and amenable.
The Chinese saw increasing number of missionaries pouring into their country and fanning out. They started off with social service, health care. A sample modus operandi went like this. In Peking the missionaries “rented a part of a Buddhist temple on a very thoroughfare. They had the gods removed under cover of night, to the consternation of the local residents, but it was smugly reported, with no signs of visible harm.” The evangelists who got carried away with medical work were chastised for paying more attention to health than on conversions.
But the Chinese society was restive. There were all kinds of stories about the demonic deeds of the missionaries. Rumours were flying thick and high that the foreigners kidnapped children to eat their heart and suck their souls. The missionaries were using a ‘red powder’ to stupefy the children to take them to the church, it was said.
Other social tensions were building up. Those who converted, almost 100 per cent for economic benefits suddenly became powerful in the local communities, jeopardising the social order. They tended to ignore the local customs like respecting the elders and worshipping the ancestors and local celebrations. Christianity destabilised villages. “A marginal group could find itself greatly enhanced in status… the Christians would refuse to pay temple or opera dues damaging the fabric of local society, imperiling the common good, and insulting the gods…” The Chinese preachers were often heard as saying that it was definitely cheaper to be a Christian. India still witnesses such trends in the hotbed of conversions like Jharkhand and Orissa, Kandamal being a case in point.
The tide of resentment finally broke out of control and resulted in the Boxer rebellion (1900), in which thousands of foreigners were butchered, before the rebellion was quelled. Says Bickers “The missionaries knew it was coming. Of course, they always half expected martyrdom, and half wanted it, for the blood of martyrs sanctified the mission soil. More immediately, they expected it because they had faced some years now of opposition, opposition that was turning from sullen disbelief at the weirdness of Christianity, so at variance in its practices to civilized norms, to overt, violent hostility.”
The missionaries’ work was not unopposed. In 1860, the Duke of Somerset said speaking in the House of Lords, ‘The fact is we are propagating Christianity with gunboats. What right do we have to send missionaries to the interior of China, and who were these people?’ The Times called the missionaries ‘commonplace persons, not very well-educated, not quite gentlemen… they are impudent’ they have ‘gone out with not much learning and still less knowledge of mankind.’ “The missionaries were furious; furious with Somerset, who blamed the LMS above all…”
Robert Bickers says “Christianity, as we have seen, was not abstract belief, but practical local politics and local change. It had given converts a type of invulnerability, a seeming freedom from orthodox control and licence to subvert the law. In property and resource disputes they had secured mission support and so through them diplomatic representations to the Zongli Yamen over this local dispute and that one.” Well, China went through this nearly a century ago. India continues to be a huge recruitment ground for Christianity, using the same techniques.
If Boxer rebellion was harsh, the West retaliation was unspeakably cruel. According to a description in the book, the marching troops killed Chinese. “Chinese corps filled the river. In the aftermath of the relief of the siege, allied soldiers shot and bayoneted house servants as they searched for drink and loot.” On July 2, (1900), thousands of Chinese and Manchu residents of the Russian city – servants, traders, labourers, men, women and children – were systematically herded into the river (Amur river in Blagoveshchensk), and those who were not drowned were shot or hacked to death.” The river was reported to be thick with mangled corpses even weeks later.
The sad part of the story is the China, then, had no friends. All the Western nations and her neighbours Japan and Russia joined together in the massacre. India of course was in no condition to help, held as she was under the British rule, not even a sovereign state. When the rebellion was put down, leaving the soil drenched with blood, the perpetrators of crime cried foul for being victims of the Boxer fighters. A new round of treaty with even more stringent penalty and privilege was thrust on the nation.
The Scramble for China gives nearly a blow by blow account of the travails that the country underwent before it emerged to take hold of itself. In the early 20th century it was very much believed that China would be geographically apportioned, like Africa, among the Western powers, in alliance with Russia and Japan, who were both eyeing the rich Chinese territories. But China survived as one.
And it remembers the past. There is a six-volume compilation of atrocities and unequal treaties thrust on it. Places where hard battles were fought are marked and this history is taught. It is this collective conscience of China that is today propelling it to newer and greater achievements in all spheres. Unless we understand China’s history we cannot understand its resurgence now. And in that Bickers book is an excellent help. Unbiased, in a reporting style, the book is sheer history, leaving the reader to judge for him/her self. And the history is poignant. Robert Bickers is professor of History at the University of Bristol and a celebrated author. The narration is embellished with colour plates and maps and rich notes.
(Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R, ORI, England)
Revenge for past humiliations as a driver of national assertion
By Dr R Balashankar
The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914, Robert Bickers, Allen Lane, Penguin Books Ltd, Pp 496 (HB), £30.00.
MUCH of Asia was under colonial rule during the late 19th and early 20th century with Britain dominating the global scene. South and South East Asia were under direct rule of the Crown. Japan had broken from the shackles of the foreign manoeuvers and raised the call ‘Asia for Asians.’ But China, up to the first quarter of the 20th century was in the stranglehold of a combination of foreign forces, mainly the British, French, Dutch, Russian and of course Japanese. It was a semi-colonial state. Each of these countries had forced humiliating treaties on China, wrenching the last drop of blood from it. Adding to the mayhem was the brisk soul harvesting business of the evangelists, under complete protection and encouragement from their respective countries.
Understanding China’s urgency and determination to dominate the world today starts here. The people’s revolution, hugely aided by the defeat and obliteration of Japan in World War II, helped China emerge on her own. Robert Bickers in his latest book The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832-1914 traces the events of that nation to bring us to where we are today, rather where China is today, vis-à-vis the world, especially the West. Says he, the preamble of the Chinese constitution outlines the vision of a country “reduced gradually to a state of what was termed ‘semi-colonial’ weakness from which it was saved by the Chinese people who overthrew imperialism and its Chinese allies ‘through hard, protracted and tortuous struggle, armed and otherwise’. “The memory of the era of National Humiliation is embedded then in the state’s very articulation of itself, and its raison d’être.”
British, the incorrigible traders they were, wanted China to be opened to sell something, anything, to ‘compensate’ for the tea, silk and porcelain being bought from China. India, the state under their thumb was being used for growing opium, it was close to China, so the obvious item for sale was opium. Forcing open China, Britain set up a ‘triangular’ business arrangement, from which it alone benefitted. “A classic triangular trade had developed, with Indian fortunes flowing to the British isles via China… the company sold opium to the country traders, who shipped it east. The cash they realized was converted into Company bills payable in London or Calcutta, while the Company bought tea (and alone could do so), shipping it back to Britain.”
China resisted foreigners. They were restricted to port areas and it was forbidden to teach Chinese to any foreigner. Chinese violating it earned capital punishment. But all this changed with the forceful entry of the combined forces of the West. Describing a battle of 1842, Bickers says the British troops captured Shanghai. “Their troops lodged themselves in the City God temple, looted pawnshops, dressed themselves in the gorgeous fineries they found in them, and burned Shanghai libraries in their cooking fires or used them as toilet paper.” The Manchu troops fought stubbornly and “surprisingly hard” without surrendering. Worse is to come. “The suburb burned; the pretty city was ‘a monument of death and desolation.’ The slaughter and self-slaughter sickened the British on the spot (and garnered a wretched press back home — ‘Women and children in dozens hanging from beams,’ one reported, ‘or lying on the ground with their throats cut, or drowned in deep wells.” When the war ended the soldiers were relieved that now, at least they did not have to slaughter ‘crowds of pig-tailed animals.’
While the foreign troops were battling in this grossly unequal fight, the missionaries were including their right to preach, propagate and convert people into Christianity in all the treaties signed. The Church was allowed to own property and build churches. “The one outstanding feature of the French and American treaties was that the French secured a commitment to re-legalize Christianity in China (Catholicism in practice), which had been proscribed in 1724, and assumed for themselves the mantle of responsibility for Chinese Catholics.” Bickers adds “Thus from the start, the ‘opening’ of China was quickly about very much more than simple free trade. The Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca, and its printing press, were swiftly transplanted to the new colony by the London Missionary Society (LMS), now able to train Chinese converts on China’s doorstep.”
The missionaries got early success, when one Hong Xiuquan, a half-baked convert managed to get a following in thousands. But the victory soon turned sour because he was on his way to establish his own rule, offering a colloidal mix of Chinese and Christianity. Soon the foreigners withdrew their backing to him, to bring back the much-discredited Manchu rulers who were much more ‘obedient’ and amenable.
The Chinese saw increasing number of missionaries pouring into their country and fanning out. They started off with social service, health care. A sample modus operandi went like this. In Peking the missionaries “rented a part of a Buddhist temple on a very thoroughfare. They had the gods removed under cover of night, to the consternation of the local residents, but it was smugly reported, with no signs of visible harm.” The evangelists who got carried away with medical work were chastised for paying more attention to health than on conversions.
But the Chinese society was restive. There were all kinds of stories about the demonic deeds of the missionaries. Rumours were flying thick and high that the foreigners kidnapped children to eat their heart and suck their souls. The missionaries were using a ‘red powder’ to stupefy the children to take them to the church, it was said.
Other social tensions were building up. Those who converted, almost 100 per cent for economic benefits suddenly became powerful in the local communities, jeopardising the social order. They tended to ignore the local customs like respecting the elders and worshipping the ancestors and local celebrations. Christianity destabilised villages. “A marginal group could find itself greatly enhanced in status… the Christians would refuse to pay temple or opera dues damaging the fabric of local society, imperiling the common good, and insulting the gods…” The Chinese preachers were often heard as saying that it was definitely cheaper to be a Christian. India still witnesses such trends in the hotbed of conversions like Jharkhand and Orissa, Kandamal being a case in point.
The tide of resentment finally broke out of control and resulted in the Boxer rebellion (1900), in which thousands of foreigners were butchered, before the rebellion was quelled. Says Bickers “The missionaries knew it was coming. Of course, they always half expected martyrdom, and half wanted it, for the blood of martyrs sanctified the mission soil. More immediately, they expected it because they had faced some years now of opposition, opposition that was turning from sullen disbelief at the weirdness of Christianity, so at variance in its practices to civilized norms, to overt, violent hostility.”
The missionaries’ work was not unopposed. In 1860, the Duke of Somerset said speaking in the House of Lords, ‘The fact is we are propagating Christianity with gunboats. What right do we have to send missionaries to the interior of China, and who were these people?’ The Times called the missionaries ‘commonplace persons, not very well-educated, not quite gentlemen… they are impudent’ they have ‘gone out with not much learning and still less knowledge of mankind.’ “The missionaries were furious; furious with Somerset, who blamed the LMS above all…”
Robert Bickers says “Christianity, as we have seen, was not abstract belief, but practical local politics and local change. It had given converts a type of invulnerability, a seeming freedom from orthodox control and licence to subvert the law. In property and resource disputes they had secured mission support and so through them diplomatic representations to the Zongli Yamen over this local dispute and that one.” Well, China went through this nearly a century ago. India continues to be a huge recruitment ground for Christianity, using the same techniques.
If Boxer rebellion was harsh, the West retaliation was unspeakably cruel. According to a description in the book, the marching troops killed Chinese. “Chinese corps filled the river. In the aftermath of the relief of the siege, allied soldiers shot and bayoneted house servants as they searched for drink and loot.” On July 2, (1900), thousands of Chinese and Manchu residents of the Russian city – servants, traders, labourers, men, women and children – were systematically herded into the river (Amur river in Blagoveshchensk), and those who were not drowned were shot or hacked to death.” The river was reported to be thick with mangled corpses even weeks later.
The sad part of the story is the China, then, had no friends. All the Western nations and her neighbours Japan and Russia joined together in the massacre. India of course was in no condition to help, held as she was under the British rule, not even a sovereign state. When the rebellion was put down, leaving the soil drenched with blood, the perpetrators of crime cried foul for being victims of the Boxer fighters. A new round of treaty with even more stringent penalty and privilege was thrust on the nation.
The Scramble for China gives nearly a blow by blow account of the travails that the country underwent before it emerged to take hold of itself. In the early 20th century it was very much believed that China would be geographically apportioned, like Africa, among the Western powers, in alliance with Russia and Japan, who were both eyeing the rich Chinese territories. But China survived as one.
And it remembers the past. There is a six-volume compilation of atrocities and unequal treaties thrust on it. Places where hard battles were fought are marked and this history is taught. It is this collective conscience of China that is today propelling it to newer and greater achievements in all spheres. Unless we understand China’s history we cannot understand its resurgence now. And in that Bickers book is an excellent help. Unbiased, in a reporting style, the book is sheer history, leaving the reader to judge for him/her self. And the history is poignant. Robert Bickers is professor of History at the University of Bristol and a celebrated author. The narration is embellished with colour plates and maps and rich notes.
(Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R, ORI, England)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Kill the anti-Hindu Bill
NAC’S draft is rabidly communal
By Shyam Khosla
THE obnoxious Prevention of Communal Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparation) Bill 2011 drafted by the extra-constitutional “National Advisory Council” Chaired by Sonia Gandhi is based on the horrendous presumption that communal trouble is created only by the majority community and never by the minority community. Can a drafting committee be so biased and contemptuous of rationality and facts of life? How can a Bill to deal with a hugely sensitive issue like communal riots discriminate on religious and caste considerations? Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, famous for his legal and political acumen, has torn the Bill to shreds by his incisive analysis of the Bill’s several vicious provisions and questioned the very premise of the draft that implies that only majority community is responsible for all communal riots. The proposed law, he points out, will incentivise some communities to commit heinous offences encouraged by the fact that they would never be charged under the law and will encourage terrorist groups to incite communal riots knowing fully well that they too wouldn’t be covered under this pernicious piece of legislation. Church supported terrorist outfits operating in north-eastern states will be amongst the greatest beneficiaries as they too are outside the purview of the proposed law. They can indulge in crimes against the majority community with impunity. The Bill, if it is enacted as law by the Parliament, would keep jehadies who conspired and indulged in the Godhra carnage outside its purview. The NAC Bill would neither cover Shia-Sunni riots nor the heinous crime of chopping off the hand of a Christian professor by a Muslim radical group in Kerala as both the victim and the offender belong to the minority communities.
Hate propaganda against minorities is punishable under this stringent law. The law is likely to be abused in cases in which one were to make legitimate criticism of certain practices like discrimination against Muslim women under the Muslim Personal Law. However members and groups belonging to minority communities would not be liable to be booked under the law for spreading hatred against Hindus and their religious faiths and icons. Foreign funded Christian missionaries who indulge in fraudulent conversion of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other deprived sections of the Hindu society though a systematic hate campaign against Hindu beliefs and practices can gleefully continue to do so as they too would not be covered by the law on communal violence. Minority community groups would be free to spread hatred against Hindus by calling them kafirs and heathens without any fear of being hauled up under the law.
Yet another fundamental infirmity form which the draft suffers is that it equates communal conflicts with terrorism. Communal flare ups may be triggered by minor incidents and rumours spread by mischief mongers. Instead of curbing communal divisions and identity politics, the Bill is bound to widen the gulf between communities and would lead to communal tensions. That is perhaps the hidden agenda of the drafters of the Bill most of whom are guilty of promoting vote bank politics. Congress party’s untenable defence of the draft is that there is no point in discussing each and every provision at this stage and that these objections could be taken up when the Bill goes to the Parliamentary Standing Committees. Why publicise such an atrocious piece of legislation full of infirmities, if the purpose is not to illicit public opinion on its concepts and premises. Or is it meant to send a strong message to communal-minded Muslims and Christians that UPA II is out to appease them even at the cost of hurting national interests? The other argument that is equally bogus is that the draft is based on the experience that most riots are initiated by the majority community and it is the minorities that are always at the receiving end.
One of the provisions in the draft is that it would be enforced by a seven-member national authority of which at least four members, including the chairman and the vice chairman, must be from a minority community, It has raised the hackles of all right thinking citizens who believe in the principle that law must have a level-playing field. It is a dangerous and mischievous move. The authors are so biased and contemptuous of Hindus that they presume that an enforcement authority with a Hindu majority would not ensure fair play. The Bill is so irrational and biased that even the pro-Congress English language daily Hindustan Times has editorially condemned the NAC draft saying, “Its biggest flaw is that it makes provisions for punishment only for violence against minorities. Surely, if communal violence were visited on members of the majority community, the law can’t ignore this fact. This could mean that subversive elements in the minority community could indulge in communal violence without any fear of the law”. It goes on to point out that the most disturbing aspect of this Bill is the underlying presumption that it is only the majority community which is responsible for communal violence. No law should have different yardsticks for wrong doers on the basis of religion, ethnicity, language or gender. Further it negates the federal structure of the Union as it infringes on the powers of the State governments that are bound to resist Centre’s attempt to interfere in matters pertaining to law and order that is the domain of the states.
Critics have rightly raised serious objections to the very source of the draft – the National Advisory Council comprising of NGO types unelected and unelectable so-called representatives of the civil society. All of them have been hand-picked by Sonia Gandhi who enjoys enormous power without accountability. NAC is an extra constitutional authority that has been mandated to provide policy and legislative inputs to the Government. It is accountable to none but Sonia Gandhi. Its functioning has never been subjected to any review by Parliament. Its policy announcements and legislative initiatives exert coercive pressure on the Government. The very concept on which NAC was constituted is undemocratic and totally unacceptable in a parliamentary democracy.
By Shyam Khosla
THE obnoxious Prevention of Communal Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparation) Bill 2011 drafted by the extra-constitutional “National Advisory Council” Chaired by Sonia Gandhi is based on the horrendous presumption that communal trouble is created only by the majority community and never by the minority community. Can a drafting committee be so biased and contemptuous of rationality and facts of life? How can a Bill to deal with a hugely sensitive issue like communal riots discriminate on religious and caste considerations? Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, famous for his legal and political acumen, has torn the Bill to shreds by his incisive analysis of the Bill’s several vicious provisions and questioned the very premise of the draft that implies that only majority community is responsible for all communal riots. The proposed law, he points out, will incentivise some communities to commit heinous offences encouraged by the fact that they would never be charged under the law and will encourage terrorist groups to incite communal riots knowing fully well that they too wouldn’t be covered under this pernicious piece of legislation. Church supported terrorist outfits operating in north-eastern states will be amongst the greatest beneficiaries as they too are outside the purview of the proposed law. They can indulge in crimes against the majority community with impunity. The Bill, if it is enacted as law by the Parliament, would keep jehadies who conspired and indulged in the Godhra carnage outside its purview. The NAC Bill would neither cover Shia-Sunni riots nor the heinous crime of chopping off the hand of a Christian professor by a Muslim radical group in Kerala as both the victim and the offender belong to the minority communities.
Hate propaganda against minorities is punishable under this stringent law. The law is likely to be abused in cases in which one were to make legitimate criticism of certain practices like discrimination against Muslim women under the Muslim Personal Law. However members and groups belonging to minority communities would not be liable to be booked under the law for spreading hatred against Hindus and their religious faiths and icons. Foreign funded Christian missionaries who indulge in fraudulent conversion of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other deprived sections of the Hindu society though a systematic hate campaign against Hindu beliefs and practices can gleefully continue to do so as they too would not be covered by the law on communal violence. Minority community groups would be free to spread hatred against Hindus by calling them kafirs and heathens without any fear of being hauled up under the law.
Yet another fundamental infirmity form which the draft suffers is that it equates communal conflicts with terrorism. Communal flare ups may be triggered by minor incidents and rumours spread by mischief mongers. Instead of curbing communal divisions and identity politics, the Bill is bound to widen the gulf between communities and would lead to communal tensions. That is perhaps the hidden agenda of the drafters of the Bill most of whom are guilty of promoting vote bank politics. Congress party’s untenable defence of the draft is that there is no point in discussing each and every provision at this stage and that these objections could be taken up when the Bill goes to the Parliamentary Standing Committees. Why publicise such an atrocious piece of legislation full of infirmities, if the purpose is not to illicit public opinion on its concepts and premises. Or is it meant to send a strong message to communal-minded Muslims and Christians that UPA II is out to appease them even at the cost of hurting national interests? The other argument that is equally bogus is that the draft is based on the experience that most riots are initiated by the majority community and it is the minorities that are always at the receiving end.
One of the provisions in the draft is that it would be enforced by a seven-member national authority of which at least four members, including the chairman and the vice chairman, must be from a minority community, It has raised the hackles of all right thinking citizens who believe in the principle that law must have a level-playing field. It is a dangerous and mischievous move. The authors are so biased and contemptuous of Hindus that they presume that an enforcement authority with a Hindu majority would not ensure fair play. The Bill is so irrational and biased that even the pro-Congress English language daily Hindustan Times has editorially condemned the NAC draft saying, “Its biggest flaw is that it makes provisions for punishment only for violence against minorities. Surely, if communal violence were visited on members of the majority community, the law can’t ignore this fact. This could mean that subversive elements in the minority community could indulge in communal violence without any fear of the law”. It goes on to point out that the most disturbing aspect of this Bill is the underlying presumption that it is only the majority community which is responsible for communal violence. No law should have different yardsticks for wrong doers on the basis of religion, ethnicity, language or gender. Further it negates the federal structure of the Union as it infringes on the powers of the State governments that are bound to resist Centre’s attempt to interfere in matters pertaining to law and order that is the domain of the states.
Critics have rightly raised serious objections to the very source of the draft – the National Advisory Council comprising of NGO types unelected and unelectable so-called representatives of the civil society. All of them have been hand-picked by Sonia Gandhi who enjoys enormous power without accountability. NAC is an extra constitutional authority that has been mandated to provide policy and legislative inputs to the Government. It is accountable to none but Sonia Gandhi. Its functioning has never been subjected to any review by Parliament. Its policy announcements and legislative initiatives exert coercive pressure on the Government. The very concept on which NAC was constituted is undemocratic and totally unacceptable in a parliamentary democracy.
Binayak Sen
Binayak Sen: Convicted of sedition, advising the plan panel
By R Vaidyanathan
WITHIN weeks of getting bail from the Supreme Court in connection with charges of sedition, Binayak Sen has been made a member of the Planning Commission’s steering committee on health, which will advise the panel on the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-2017). Interestingly the mainstream media reported Sen as a human rights activist — whatever it is — rather than his conviction for sedition. The steering committee will review the National Health Policy, 2002, and explore the possibility of adopting the right to health as an approach with special focus on women, children, life-cycle care and preventive and curative healthcare.
Other than doing seditious activities, Sen is supposed to be running a healthcare organisation in Bilaspur and so Syeda Hameed, another jholawala (silk variety, not jute) in the Planning Commission, has appointed him as a part of the 40-member committee on health chaired by her. Hameeda’s claim to fame is being from Miranda House and a human rights activist, and a founder of the South Asian Human Rights group other than researching on Bhutto. None of it has anything to do with health.
His appointment has been confirmed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, and the chairman of the Planning Commission, namely the PM, will claim, as usual, that he knows nothing about such events. Binayak Sen himself has also been gracious to accept it.
Many of the civil society groups, both in the NAC and outside, are silent. The rule of law is primary and critical for these groups if it is pertains to Narendra Modi’s Gujarat but not to the naxals of Chhattisgarh. The session’s court has convicted Binayk Sen for sedition and facilitating Maoist insurgency, which seeks to destroy the Indian State and replace it with the dictatorship of the proletariat, where power stems from the barrel of the gun controlled by the politburo.
The conviction (remember these are not allegations) was upheld by the Jharkhand High Court and he was refused bail. There was a hue and cry after the high court judgment, with reports mentioning him as a doctor and globally known right activist who has won several awards. As if a Nobel Laureate, for instance, cannot be a murderer.
Suddenly, the mainstream media (MSM), which is part of the civil society jholawalas, forgot about the rule of law and the need to respect judicial verdicts. Then the Supreme Court gave him bail, which was reported by the MSM as Sen “walking free”. That is a distortion since he is still a convicted person and is out on bail.
Sedition, as we all understand, is a serious charge and there are civil rights groups that carefully tabulate the number of convicts and accused criminals standing for election. They have reported the number of persons with a criminal background in the various legislative assemblies and even in Parliament. Civil groups and MSM routinely condemn their presence in these august bodies.
Sen has not committed a misdemeanour but felony, or a very serious crime. Unless he is acquitted, he is a convict for sedition.
He may be the national vice-president of the People’s Union of Civil Liberties, but he cannot work to destroy all our liberties under a Maoist rule.
The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh, has expressed his indignation at the appointment of a convict for sedition by the Central Government in the Planning Commission. Baijendra Kumar, principal secretary to the Chief Minister, said that “the Chief Minister had disapproved of Sen’s nomination as he is convicted and out on bail. The case against him is pending in court.”
But Raman Singh is merely an elected Chief Minister and not an unelectable jholawala — who currently hold de facto power at Delhi. It is all the more surprising that the Ministry of Home Affairs is silent.
What next? Arundhati Roy, who is accused of treason, can be put in the National Integration Council and of course, Kasab can be part of the Foreign Ministry panel on Indo-Pak Aman ki Asha. And rule of Law - what is that?
By R Vaidyanathan
WITHIN weeks of getting bail from the Supreme Court in connection with charges of sedition, Binayak Sen has been made a member of the Planning Commission’s steering committee on health, which will advise the panel on the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-2017). Interestingly the mainstream media reported Sen as a human rights activist — whatever it is — rather than his conviction for sedition. The steering committee will review the National Health Policy, 2002, and explore the possibility of adopting the right to health as an approach with special focus on women, children, life-cycle care and preventive and curative healthcare.
Other than doing seditious activities, Sen is supposed to be running a healthcare organisation in Bilaspur and so Syeda Hameed, another jholawala (silk variety, not jute) in the Planning Commission, has appointed him as a part of the 40-member committee on health chaired by her. Hameeda’s claim to fame is being from Miranda House and a human rights activist, and a founder of the South Asian Human Rights group other than researching on Bhutto. None of it has anything to do with health.
His appointment has been confirmed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, and the chairman of the Planning Commission, namely the PM, will claim, as usual, that he knows nothing about such events. Binayak Sen himself has also been gracious to accept it.
Many of the civil society groups, both in the NAC and outside, are silent. The rule of law is primary and critical for these groups if it is pertains to Narendra Modi’s Gujarat but not to the naxals of Chhattisgarh. The session’s court has convicted Binayk Sen for sedition and facilitating Maoist insurgency, which seeks to destroy the Indian State and replace it with the dictatorship of the proletariat, where power stems from the barrel of the gun controlled by the politburo.
The conviction (remember these are not allegations) was upheld by the Jharkhand High Court and he was refused bail. There was a hue and cry after the high court judgment, with reports mentioning him as a doctor and globally known right activist who has won several awards. As if a Nobel Laureate, for instance, cannot be a murderer.
Suddenly, the mainstream media (MSM), which is part of the civil society jholawalas, forgot about the rule of law and the need to respect judicial verdicts. Then the Supreme Court gave him bail, which was reported by the MSM as Sen “walking free”. That is a distortion since he is still a convicted person and is out on bail.
Sedition, as we all understand, is a serious charge and there are civil rights groups that carefully tabulate the number of convicts and accused criminals standing for election. They have reported the number of persons with a criminal background in the various legislative assemblies and even in Parliament. Civil groups and MSM routinely condemn their presence in these august bodies.
Sen has not committed a misdemeanour but felony, or a very serious crime. Unless he is acquitted, he is a convict for sedition.
He may be the national vice-president of the People’s Union of Civil Liberties, but he cannot work to destroy all our liberties under a Maoist rule.
The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh, has expressed his indignation at the appointment of a convict for sedition by the Central Government in the Planning Commission. Baijendra Kumar, principal secretary to the Chief Minister, said that “the Chief Minister had disapproved of Sen’s nomination as he is convicted and out on bail. The case against him is pending in court.”
But Raman Singh is merely an elected Chief Minister and not an unelectable jholawala — who currently hold de facto power at Delhi. It is all the more surprising that the Ministry of Home Affairs is silent.
What next? Arundhati Roy, who is accused of treason, can be put in the National Integration Council and of course, Kasab can be part of the Foreign Ministry panel on Indo-Pak Aman ki Asha. And rule of Law - what is that?
North-east
North-east secessionist outfits take a beating in US action against Al Qaeda
By Jyotilal Choudhury
THE dramatic killing of Al Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden, the icon of terror for the world, at Abbottabad, 60 kms from Islamabad, in a midnight operation by the elite US Navy Seals has vindicated the stand of India that Pakistan is the epicentre or cockpit of terrorism and has been exporting jihadi elements to its neighbour for subversive activities across the country. 26/11 is among the deadliest acts of mayhems in Mumbai. Unless America reigns in Pakistan and forces it to shut down and dismantle camps and sanctuaries of terrorists on its soil, the fight against terrorism will remain a half done job. Latest information speaks of 140 terrorist camps in Pak-occupied Kashmir alone and all this within the knowledge of the government of the country.
Reports often emanating from international and national intelligence agencies have gone to hint how various militant groups of north-east have been receiving logistic and material support from Pakistan and Bangladesh from dreaded outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Huji, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Jammat-ud-Dawa through ISI operatives. The JuD activists led by its chief openly vowed for vengeance on the streets of Islamabad. It is to be recalled Mumbai blasts were carried out by Dawood Ibrahim at ISI’s behest in 1993. Besides, top militant leaders of north-east outfits have been frequenting Pakistan on arms mission from their safe hideouts in Bangladesh.
The huge stockpiles of lethal arms and ammunitions detained by the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh at Chittagong for shipment to ULFA in 2002 during BNP regime is a glaring instance of Pak based jihadi groups’ involvement. With the return of Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, a full fledged investigation and trial in process has exposed the involvement of high profile political, civil and police officials in this nefarious gameplan.
Though Bangladesh has cracked down on the hideouts of north east extremists and even arrested top guns from some frontline outfits, jihadi and terrorist forces, though lying low, continue to hold ground. BNP’ come back will provide them all the leverage and ground support.
Though no concrete evidence has come about the visits of Pak based mastermind—Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed, Zakir-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, Masood Azhar, Yusuf Muzammil, Sajid Mir and the likes, known for their anti-India operations, to Bangladesh, their being in the proxy role to prop up extremists of the region is not denied by intelligence agencies. But the outfits have been maintaining close links with terror groups of Pakistan. The confessions of several detained ISI agents in Assam have lent credence to it.
Insurgency analysts feel unless terrorism is completely eliminated from Pakistan, its dark shadows will continue to encourage the anti-India operatives on Bangladesh soil and play second fiddle to the north-east extremists. ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua and his diehard supporters are still flexing their muscles in Myanmar with China back up.
America’s war against terrorism, a blatant realisation and shake up after 9/11 holocaust, has yet another significant fall out. The UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and People’ Organisation, a win of UNO, at Pentagon’s behest is no more hosting militant leaders of north east to internationalise their so-called fight for homelands. NSCN(IM) and NSCN(Khaplang), ULFA and UNLF got seal and approval of the global forum to draw support and in the process strengthen terrorism and expand its base.
Osama’s death acclaimed across the continents and America hardening its stand on terrorism is expected to push the militant outfits of the region in peace-process and still in wilderness to rethink and redefine their strategy for dialogue for peace. USA’s resolve against terrorism should include check on the open sale of deadly weapons in international markets which come handy for the extremists of the region. Once the conduits for arms and ammunitions from the infamous Golden Triangle are choked, extremists still underground will be left with no option than to sit for dialogue. If America can go deep inside Pakistan territory to kill Osama, the mastermind of 9/11, should not India dare strike at the hideouts of the perpetrators of 26/11 and serial mayhems across the country?
By Jyotilal Choudhury
THE dramatic killing of Al Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden, the icon of terror for the world, at Abbottabad, 60 kms from Islamabad, in a midnight operation by the elite US Navy Seals has vindicated the stand of India that Pakistan is the epicentre or cockpit of terrorism and has been exporting jihadi elements to its neighbour for subversive activities across the country. 26/11 is among the deadliest acts of mayhems in Mumbai. Unless America reigns in Pakistan and forces it to shut down and dismantle camps and sanctuaries of terrorists on its soil, the fight against terrorism will remain a half done job. Latest information speaks of 140 terrorist camps in Pak-occupied Kashmir alone and all this within the knowledge of the government of the country.
Reports often emanating from international and national intelligence agencies have gone to hint how various militant groups of north-east have been receiving logistic and material support from Pakistan and Bangladesh from dreaded outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Huji, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Jammat-ud-Dawa through ISI operatives. The JuD activists led by its chief openly vowed for vengeance on the streets of Islamabad. It is to be recalled Mumbai blasts were carried out by Dawood Ibrahim at ISI’s behest in 1993. Besides, top militant leaders of north-east outfits have been frequenting Pakistan on arms mission from their safe hideouts in Bangladesh.
The huge stockpiles of lethal arms and ammunitions detained by the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh at Chittagong for shipment to ULFA in 2002 during BNP regime is a glaring instance of Pak based jihadi groups’ involvement. With the return of Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, a full fledged investigation and trial in process has exposed the involvement of high profile political, civil and police officials in this nefarious gameplan.
Though Bangladesh has cracked down on the hideouts of north east extremists and even arrested top guns from some frontline outfits, jihadi and terrorist forces, though lying low, continue to hold ground. BNP’ come back will provide them all the leverage and ground support.
Though no concrete evidence has come about the visits of Pak based mastermind—Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed, Zakir-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, Masood Azhar, Yusuf Muzammil, Sajid Mir and the likes, known for their anti-India operations, to Bangladesh, their being in the proxy role to prop up extremists of the region is not denied by intelligence agencies. But the outfits have been maintaining close links with terror groups of Pakistan. The confessions of several detained ISI agents in Assam have lent credence to it.
Insurgency analysts feel unless terrorism is completely eliminated from Pakistan, its dark shadows will continue to encourage the anti-India operatives on Bangladesh soil and play second fiddle to the north-east extremists. ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua and his diehard supporters are still flexing their muscles in Myanmar with China back up.
America’s war against terrorism, a blatant realisation and shake up after 9/11 holocaust, has yet another significant fall out. The UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and People’ Organisation, a win of UNO, at Pentagon’s behest is no more hosting militant leaders of north east to internationalise their so-called fight for homelands. NSCN(IM) and NSCN(Khaplang), ULFA and UNLF got seal and approval of the global forum to draw support and in the process strengthen terrorism and expand its base.
Osama’s death acclaimed across the continents and America hardening its stand on terrorism is expected to push the militant outfits of the region in peace-process and still in wilderness to rethink and redefine their strategy for dialogue for peace. USA’s resolve against terrorism should include check on the open sale of deadly weapons in international markets which come handy for the extremists of the region. Once the conduits for arms and ammunitions from the infamous Golden Triangle are choked, extremists still underground will be left with no option than to sit for dialogue. If America can go deep inside Pakistan territory to kill Osama, the mastermind of 9/11, should not India dare strike at the hideouts of the perpetrators of 26/11 and serial mayhems across the country?
Census 2011: Trends from the Provisional Data
Muslim growth far above the average, slight improvement in gender ratio, Hindu decline
By Dr J K Bajaj
THE census of India has released provisional population data for almost all the districts of the country. In addition to the total population of the districts, the census has provided breakup of the population into males and females, the proportion of population in the 0-6 age group, and some literacy data. This information allows calculation of provisional growth rates of population, of gender ratios and of literacy rates up to the district level. Much has been said about the trends in these three parameters.
Growth Rates, Gender Ratios and Literacy
Decadal growth of population in India has declined to 17.64 per cent compared to 21.54 per cent during the previous decade. More importantly, some of the northern states, where the growth rates had remained persistently high, have shown remarkable decline in growth. Thus Haryana and Rajasthan, which had both grown by 28.4 per cent during 1991-2001, have recorded growth of only 19.9 and 21.4 per cent, respectively, during the current decade. The sharp decline of growth in several populous and high growth states of the north has contributed to the considerable decline in the growth rate of the total population of India. Remarkably, however, Tamil Nadu, where the growth rates were sharply declining, has recorded a considerable rise in decadal growth from 11.7 during 1991-2001 to 15.6 per cent during 2001-2011. The only other large State that has recorded a higher growth than the previous decade is Chhattisgarh; decadal growth there has gone up from 18.3 per cent to 22.6 per cent. This is probably a consequence of the new urban and industrial development activities being undertaken in that State.
There is only a slight improvement in the gender ratio of the Indian population, from 933 in 2001 to 940 in 2011. Gender ratio among children in the 0-6 years age group, which is probably more significant, has however shown a further decline from 927 to 914 female per 1,000 males.
Literacy rate has improved from 64.83 to 74.04 per cent. But this indicates only bare literacy. The more significant data in this respect is about the levels of attainment in literacy, which tells us about the proportion that have passed primary school level and above. Our record in improving the percentage of population that has passed senior secondary level, for example, has not been very good. We have to await more detailed data to know whether more of the young of India have been able to complete schooling.
Urban-Rural Divide
The census has not yet provided urban-rural breakup of population. However, the data that has been released shows a very significant trend of decline in the growth of population in all metropolitan districts. Thus, Delhi has grown by a mere 20.96 per cent during 2001-2011 compared to 47.02 per cent during the previous decade; the New Delhi and Central Delhi districts have recoded large negative growth of minus 25.35 per cent and minus 10.48 percent respectively. Mumbai and Kolkata have also shown negative growth of minus 5.75 per cent and minus 1.88 per cent, respectively. Hyderabad has grown by only 4.71 compared to 21.74 per cent in the previous decade. Chennai has recorded a growth of 7.77 per cent compared to 13.07 per cent during the previous decade and the State average of 15.7 per cent. Among the major metropolises only Bengaluru has shown a higher growth rate of 46.68 per cent compared to 35.09 per cent of the previous decade.
It seems that the larger metropolises are now going out of the reach of the ordinary people; much of the growth is probably happening in the districts adjoining these. There has also been much slum clearance activity during the decade, with large numbers being pushed out of the metropolises. The census report for Delhi has in fact recorded that “a major reason for the fall in growth rate is the wide-ranging removal of slum (jhuggi-jhonpari) clusters from various parts of the city since 2001”.
The impact this decline of growth rate of major metropolises may have on the growth of urbanization would be seen only when the detailed breakup of population by urban or rural residence becomes available. But it is already clear that notwithstanding all the talk of inclusive growth that we have heard during the last several years, the larger and well-provided metropolises have become entirely inhospitable for the ordinary people.
Religious Demographic Changes
The census has so far released no data on the religious composition of the population. But, some significant trends can be clearly seen in the district wise provisional population data that has been made available. The regions and districts that have a high Muslim presence seem to show a much higher rate of growth than the neighbouring regions and districts. Below, we give some of the most striking examples of this.
Outside Jammu and Kashmir, there are 3 districts in the country that were predominantly Muslim in 2001. One of these is Mewat in Haryana, the other Malappuram in Kerala, and the third Dhubri in Assam. Decadal growth during 2001-2011 in all three of these has been far above the average of their respective states. Mewat has grown by 37.9 per cent against the average of 19.9 per cent for Haryana; Malappuram has grown by 13.4 per cent as against the average of 4.9 per cent for Kerala; and, Dhubri has grown by 24.4 per cent as against the average of 16.9 per cent for Assam. It is instructive to look at these three districts in some further detail.
Mewat is a new district of Haryana. It was formed after the 2001 census, and comprises of the four tahsils of Nuh, Ferozepur Jhirka, Punhana and Taoru. Proportion of Muslims in the first three of these in 2001 was 71, 83 and 85 per cent, respectively. Taoru, which lies on the northern end nearer Gurgaon, has a relatively lower Muslim presence of 49 per cent. The district as a whole was thus 75 per cent Muslim. There is no other district of Haryana which comes anywhere near Mewat in terms of the proportion of Muslims in its population. The district is dominated by Meo Muslims who are one of the earliest converts to Islam; they are said to have been converted at the time of Ferozeshah Tughlak.
The decadal growth of the population of Mewat at 37.9 per cent is nearly double that of the average of Haryana. Only Gurgaon has grown at a higher rate of 73.9 per cent; but that is because of its development as a major urban centre of the NCR region. Faridabad, for the same reason, has shown somewhat high rate of growth of 31.7 per cent. All other districts of Haryana have grown at a much lower rate.
Mewat district also has the highest proportion of children in the age group of 0-6 years in its population. There are 22.3 children of this age group for every 100 persons in the district. The figure for the State is much lower at 13.0 per cent. This ratio is around or less than 13 per cent for all other districts of Haryana, except Palwal. The latter includes Hathin, which is an extension of the Meo Muslim region, and was at one stage included in Mewat district. The proportion of children in the population of Palwal is the second highest in the State at 16.5 per cent.
Malappuram of Kerala had Muslim presence of nearly 69 per cent in its population in 2001. Though the northern districts of Kerala in general have higher presence of Muslims than the southern districts, yet no other district of Kerala compares with Malappuram in this respect. The districts with next highest presence of Muslims in 2001 were Kozhikode and Kasargode, where they formed 37.5 and 34.3 per cent of the population respectively.
The decadal growth of Malappuram at 13.39 per cent is nearly thrice the average of the state at 4.86 per cent. The district has shown a similar trend during every decade since its creation in the 1960s. During 1971-81, the district grew by 29.43 per cent against the State average of 19.24 per cent; during 1981-91, it grew by 28.87 per cent against the State average of 14.32 per cent; and, during 1991-2001, it grew by 17.09 per cent against the State average of 9.43 per cent. Thus, while the growth rate of the district has indeed been declining, the disparity between the growth of the district and that of the State has only been widening. Incidentally, the southern districts with low Muslim presence have in general recorded very low growth during the current census. Idukki and Pathanamthitta have in fact recorded a decline in the population of 1.93 and 3.12 per cent.
Dhubri of Assam had a Muslim presence of 74.3 per cent in 2001. The district has been since reorganised. In the process of creating the new Bodo districts some of the northern parts of Dhubri with relatively lower Muslim presence have been added to Kokrajhar. The district therefore is likely to have a much higher Muslim presence than 74 per cent recorded in 2001.
During 2001-2011, this predominantly Muslim district has recorded the highest growth among all districts in the State. Population of Dhubri has grown by 24.40 per cent against the state average of 16.93 per cent. The census has published a map of Assam showing growth rate of population in different districts. The Muslim majority districts of lower Assam and Cachar in the map clearly show much higher growth rates than the new Bodo districts and districts like Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Sibasagar of upper Assam. Four of such districts, including Kokrajhar and Udalgiri in the Bodo areas and Jorhat and Sibasagar in upper Assam have recorded growth of less than 10 per cent. The 2001 census data for Assam was already showing rather low growth of Hindus in several districts, and even a decline in their population in several tahsils. The trends of the current census seem to indicate an even wider differential between the growth rate of Muslims and others in the State.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the Muslim majority districts of the Valley have shown much higher growth rate than the Hindu majority districts of the Jammu region. Anantnag district has shown the highest rate of growth of 37.48 per cent, while Jammu has grown by only 12.48 per cent. Many districts in the state have been reorganised, more detailed numbers and analysis is required to further quantify the trend.
The trends I have indicated above are based on the limited provisional data released so far. But they already seem to tell a very interesting, and perhaps a very disturbing, story.
The census has promised that most of the data shall be released within a year and a half. This has become possible because of the complete computerisation of census records. Earlier it used to take several years. We should expect to soon get a complete picture of the various aspects of Indian demography, including the changing religious demographic patterns in different parts of India.
By Dr J K Bajaj
THE census of India has released provisional population data for almost all the districts of the country. In addition to the total population of the districts, the census has provided breakup of the population into males and females, the proportion of population in the 0-6 age group, and some literacy data. This information allows calculation of provisional growth rates of population, of gender ratios and of literacy rates up to the district level. Much has been said about the trends in these three parameters.
Growth Rates, Gender Ratios and Literacy
Decadal growth of population in India has declined to 17.64 per cent compared to 21.54 per cent during the previous decade. More importantly, some of the northern states, where the growth rates had remained persistently high, have shown remarkable decline in growth. Thus Haryana and Rajasthan, which had both grown by 28.4 per cent during 1991-2001, have recorded growth of only 19.9 and 21.4 per cent, respectively, during the current decade. The sharp decline of growth in several populous and high growth states of the north has contributed to the considerable decline in the growth rate of the total population of India. Remarkably, however, Tamil Nadu, where the growth rates were sharply declining, has recorded a considerable rise in decadal growth from 11.7 during 1991-2001 to 15.6 per cent during 2001-2011. The only other large State that has recorded a higher growth than the previous decade is Chhattisgarh; decadal growth there has gone up from 18.3 per cent to 22.6 per cent. This is probably a consequence of the new urban and industrial development activities being undertaken in that State.
There is only a slight improvement in the gender ratio of the Indian population, from 933 in 2001 to 940 in 2011. Gender ratio among children in the 0-6 years age group, which is probably more significant, has however shown a further decline from 927 to 914 female per 1,000 males.
Literacy rate has improved from 64.83 to 74.04 per cent. But this indicates only bare literacy. The more significant data in this respect is about the levels of attainment in literacy, which tells us about the proportion that have passed primary school level and above. Our record in improving the percentage of population that has passed senior secondary level, for example, has not been very good. We have to await more detailed data to know whether more of the young of India have been able to complete schooling.
Urban-Rural Divide
The census has not yet provided urban-rural breakup of population. However, the data that has been released shows a very significant trend of decline in the growth of population in all metropolitan districts. Thus, Delhi has grown by a mere 20.96 per cent during 2001-2011 compared to 47.02 per cent during the previous decade; the New Delhi and Central Delhi districts have recoded large negative growth of minus 25.35 per cent and minus 10.48 percent respectively. Mumbai and Kolkata have also shown negative growth of minus 5.75 per cent and minus 1.88 per cent, respectively. Hyderabad has grown by only 4.71 compared to 21.74 per cent in the previous decade. Chennai has recorded a growth of 7.77 per cent compared to 13.07 per cent during the previous decade and the State average of 15.7 per cent. Among the major metropolises only Bengaluru has shown a higher growth rate of 46.68 per cent compared to 35.09 per cent of the previous decade.
It seems that the larger metropolises are now going out of the reach of the ordinary people; much of the growth is probably happening in the districts adjoining these. There has also been much slum clearance activity during the decade, with large numbers being pushed out of the metropolises. The census report for Delhi has in fact recorded that “a major reason for the fall in growth rate is the wide-ranging removal of slum (jhuggi-jhonpari) clusters from various parts of the city since 2001”.
The impact this decline of growth rate of major metropolises may have on the growth of urbanization would be seen only when the detailed breakup of population by urban or rural residence becomes available. But it is already clear that notwithstanding all the talk of inclusive growth that we have heard during the last several years, the larger and well-provided metropolises have become entirely inhospitable for the ordinary people.
Religious Demographic Changes
The census has so far released no data on the religious composition of the population. But, some significant trends can be clearly seen in the district wise provisional population data that has been made available. The regions and districts that have a high Muslim presence seem to show a much higher rate of growth than the neighbouring regions and districts. Below, we give some of the most striking examples of this.
Outside Jammu and Kashmir, there are 3 districts in the country that were predominantly Muslim in 2001. One of these is Mewat in Haryana, the other Malappuram in Kerala, and the third Dhubri in Assam. Decadal growth during 2001-2011 in all three of these has been far above the average of their respective states. Mewat has grown by 37.9 per cent against the average of 19.9 per cent for Haryana; Malappuram has grown by 13.4 per cent as against the average of 4.9 per cent for Kerala; and, Dhubri has grown by 24.4 per cent as against the average of 16.9 per cent for Assam. It is instructive to look at these three districts in some further detail.
Mewat is a new district of Haryana. It was formed after the 2001 census, and comprises of the four tahsils of Nuh, Ferozepur Jhirka, Punhana and Taoru. Proportion of Muslims in the first three of these in 2001 was 71, 83 and 85 per cent, respectively. Taoru, which lies on the northern end nearer Gurgaon, has a relatively lower Muslim presence of 49 per cent. The district as a whole was thus 75 per cent Muslim. There is no other district of Haryana which comes anywhere near Mewat in terms of the proportion of Muslims in its population. The district is dominated by Meo Muslims who are one of the earliest converts to Islam; they are said to have been converted at the time of Ferozeshah Tughlak.
The decadal growth of the population of Mewat at 37.9 per cent is nearly double that of the average of Haryana. Only Gurgaon has grown at a higher rate of 73.9 per cent; but that is because of its development as a major urban centre of the NCR region. Faridabad, for the same reason, has shown somewhat high rate of growth of 31.7 per cent. All other districts of Haryana have grown at a much lower rate.
Mewat district also has the highest proportion of children in the age group of 0-6 years in its population. There are 22.3 children of this age group for every 100 persons in the district. The figure for the State is much lower at 13.0 per cent. This ratio is around or less than 13 per cent for all other districts of Haryana, except Palwal. The latter includes Hathin, which is an extension of the Meo Muslim region, and was at one stage included in Mewat district. The proportion of children in the population of Palwal is the second highest in the State at 16.5 per cent.
Malappuram of Kerala had Muslim presence of nearly 69 per cent in its population in 2001. Though the northern districts of Kerala in general have higher presence of Muslims than the southern districts, yet no other district of Kerala compares with Malappuram in this respect. The districts with next highest presence of Muslims in 2001 were Kozhikode and Kasargode, where they formed 37.5 and 34.3 per cent of the population respectively.
The decadal growth of Malappuram at 13.39 per cent is nearly thrice the average of the state at 4.86 per cent. The district has shown a similar trend during every decade since its creation in the 1960s. During 1971-81, the district grew by 29.43 per cent against the State average of 19.24 per cent; during 1981-91, it grew by 28.87 per cent against the State average of 14.32 per cent; and, during 1991-2001, it grew by 17.09 per cent against the State average of 9.43 per cent. Thus, while the growth rate of the district has indeed been declining, the disparity between the growth of the district and that of the State has only been widening. Incidentally, the southern districts with low Muslim presence have in general recorded very low growth during the current census. Idukki and Pathanamthitta have in fact recorded a decline in the population of 1.93 and 3.12 per cent.
Dhubri of Assam had a Muslim presence of 74.3 per cent in 2001. The district has been since reorganised. In the process of creating the new Bodo districts some of the northern parts of Dhubri with relatively lower Muslim presence have been added to Kokrajhar. The district therefore is likely to have a much higher Muslim presence than 74 per cent recorded in 2001.
During 2001-2011, this predominantly Muslim district has recorded the highest growth among all districts in the State. Population of Dhubri has grown by 24.40 per cent against the state average of 16.93 per cent. The census has published a map of Assam showing growth rate of population in different districts. The Muslim majority districts of lower Assam and Cachar in the map clearly show much higher growth rates than the new Bodo districts and districts like Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Sibasagar of upper Assam. Four of such districts, including Kokrajhar and Udalgiri in the Bodo areas and Jorhat and Sibasagar in upper Assam have recorded growth of less than 10 per cent. The 2001 census data for Assam was already showing rather low growth of Hindus in several districts, and even a decline in their population in several tahsils. The trends of the current census seem to indicate an even wider differential between the growth rate of Muslims and others in the State.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the Muslim majority districts of the Valley have shown much higher growth rate than the Hindu majority districts of the Jammu region. Anantnag district has shown the highest rate of growth of 37.48 per cent, while Jammu has grown by only 12.48 per cent. Many districts in the state have been reorganised, more detailed numbers and analysis is required to further quantify the trend.
The trends I have indicated above are based on the limited provisional data released so far. But they already seem to tell a very interesting, and perhaps a very disturbing, story.
The census has promised that most of the data shall be released within a year and a half. This has become possible because of the complete computerisation of census records. Earlier it used to take several years. We should expect to soon get a complete picture of the various aspects of Indian demography, including the changing religious demographic patterns in different parts of India.
Protecting the Mainos from Indians
The political misdeeds of the Congress first family are never put to public scrutiny
By M D Nalapat
THE external image of the Maino family, which runs the country that claims to be the world's biggest democracy, has been carefully and expensively cultivated. Interviews are bestowed only to those journalists who can be expected to lob softballs and to assist in the creation of the aura of saintliness and patriotism which suffuses each of the numerous official accounts of UPA chairperson Sonia Maino.
Space within the internet gets filled up with laudatory accounts, even while—mysteriously—snide references crop up in sites which feature the handful of individuals who challenge the Maino Myth. Union Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram is believed to be behind several of the numerous commands made to website administrators to expunge negative references to the individual whom Chidambaram expects will catapult him to the prime ministership. He has masterminded an internet control law that would make it legally possible for the central and state police agencies to send to prison almost any surfer of the world wide web. Surprisingly, Opposition in India has remained silent over this egregious assault on individual freedoms.
Whenever Sonia’s two sisters, or mother, or nephews and nieces or close personal friends such as the Quatrocchi clan come and go from India after visiting with The Madame, the media are kept far away. Indeed, so are the ordinary people of India, so complete is the security surrounding this privileged group. Their reliance on corporate jets goes unrecorded, as does the fact that exit and entry formalities are minimal, even for individuals who have no security clearance. The numerous foreign visits they make are conducted in secrecy, as is the guest list at the pricey locations where they are put up in by obliging ‘friends’. Not surprisingly, thus far there have been no photographs or news reports about any of the extended Maino clan, while items about Sonia Maino and her two children are almost always in terms that would bring a smile of approval to known admirers of the family, such as Sunil Khilnani or Amartya Sen. Those running media outlets know the baleful consequences of treating Sonia Maino the way the UK media treats David Cameron, or the US media sees Barack Obama. Such lack of teflon is reserved for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has far less sway over his ministers than political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel.
Lately, when Rahul Gandhi was informed by his entourage that a heap of cowdung was actually charred human remains, his find was breathlessly covered by the entire media, with a few outlets still reluctant to admit that a Maino could get facts so spectacularly wrong after it was shown that the claim was false. This columnist admits to sympathy for Rahul Gandhi, who may yet bloom into an effective leader. However, this can take place only if he escapes from the protective shadow of his mother and treats the people of India as people deserving of rights and respect, rather than see them the way his mother does, as a seething mass of people who need to be constantly kept under the control of the state. In the guise of ‘security constraints’, Sonia Maino has insulated herself from the very people who have given her entire family status.
Talk of a good horoscope, Sonia Maino has been protected by every Prime Minister of India from Indira Gandhi onwards. The fact that she and Rajiv kept away from the country during most of the 1975-77 Emergency endeared her to Morarji Desai, while Narasimha Rao saw to it that Ottavio Quatrocchi was enabled to escape from India with his secrets still intact. Later on, Manmohan Singh presided over a similar miscarriage of justice in Argentina. The two Law Ministers responsible for this have each been rewarded.
Indeed, it is the Ministry of Law that has become the most effective means of protecting the in-law. The CBI has to rely on the Law Officers of the Government of India for the pursuit of cases, and these usually report to shadowy individuals rather than go by the Constitution of India. During the Vajpayee period, it was National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and his Italian connection, while later on, that responsibility devolved on Ahmed Patel, whose nod is needed for most important posts to be filled. The reality in Maino Bharat Mahan is that the “Manmohan Singh Cabinet” is—thus far—an Ahmed Patel Cabinet, which explains the prominence within it of elements such as Vilasrao Deshmukh.
An examination of the travel records of the son of a former Maharashtra CM, will show frequent visits to Dubai, and some to London. Usually, another prominent son would accompany him, the two being business partners who in Mumbai discuss deals in the Oberoi Hotel. Dubai is of course the place where the operational headquarters of a particular conglomerate are located (the spiritual HQ being Karachi), and it is there that discussions can take place away from prying eyes. This conglomerate ‘owns’ two Union Cabinet Ministers and at least six from the cabinet of a large state, yet none of these individuals is ever the subject of an enquiry by agencies tasked with responsibility for the nation’s security. Indeed, at least two of the agencies of the state have voluminous data on the two sons, and on others from VVIP families, but these are kept concealed from the public. Small wonder that the Mainos seek to ensure that the CBI and other investigative agencies be kept out of the (sadly weak) provisions of the Right to Information law. Charactertistically, Sonia, Nadia and Annoushcka ensure this through a trusted agent, in this case Home Minister Chidambaram, whose pre-occupation since 2008 has been to fill the agencies with loyalists. In the process, morale is hitting dangerously low levels, while errors such as bogus names in most wanted lists or outdated arrest warrants multiply.
Why is the opposition as silent as the media about the Maino clan? One reason may be the fact that several within this august group are themselves vulnerable to blackmail. A senior office-bearer of a prominent opposition party was recently linked to an individual jailed for his connection to undesirable elements located abroad. This individual recently became the proud owner of a Rs 30 crore apartment in Mumbai. Of course, he is hardly the only leader of that opposition party to have gained control over expensive flats in Mumbai during the past decade. There are many others, including those who travel near-exclusively by corporate jet, when a decade ago, they could not even afford airfare.
The Mainos know that Sabse Bada Rupaiya. Hence the attempted coup in Karnataka, which of course has been attributed to Governor HR Bharadwaj. That hapless individual is known to be faithful to whomsover is his boss, whether it be PV Narasimha Rao in the 1990s or Sonia Maino these days. To expect Bhardwaj to take a decision on his own would be to believe that he helped Quatrocchi escape because he liked the aftershave lotion used by the fixer from Milan. The fact is that the Governor of Kaenataka followed orders, and the reason why the command was given to bring down the BJP government in Karnataka was because the Congress leadership had been given information (by a top BJP office-bearer) that “60 per cent of the cash required for the operations of the party” were sourced from that state. It was to choke off this flow of funds that Bharadwaj was ordered to create a crisis, not once but repeatedly, until Presidents Rule could be imposed. That it was not was because—in a rare show of independence—Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refused to repeat his 2005 mistake of going along with Buta Singh in Bihar. In the Maino universe, it is all about money, and lots of it.
Fortunately, for them, the protective wall around them is too powerful for mere Indians to breach. The media are cowed and silent about their doings, while the agencies of the government ensure that the few who point out facts about the Ruling Family face the consequences of their effrontery. Until those within the government gain the courage to be free persons, casting off the shackles of fear, and until civil society demands that the powerful in India face the same level of transparency as do their US and UK counterparts, this sorry state of affairs will continue. The Election Commission will continue to bar ‘negative references’ during campaigning, and even the Supreme Court can be relied upon to decree that the people of India do not have the legal right to know even the religion of their leaders. Why blame the Mainos? The fault lies within the rest of us.
By M D Nalapat
THE external image of the Maino family, which runs the country that claims to be the world's biggest democracy, has been carefully and expensively cultivated. Interviews are bestowed only to those journalists who can be expected to lob softballs and to assist in the creation of the aura of saintliness and patriotism which suffuses each of the numerous official accounts of UPA chairperson Sonia Maino.
Space within the internet gets filled up with laudatory accounts, even while—mysteriously—snide references crop up in sites which feature the handful of individuals who challenge the Maino Myth. Union Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram is believed to be behind several of the numerous commands made to website administrators to expunge negative references to the individual whom Chidambaram expects will catapult him to the prime ministership. He has masterminded an internet control law that would make it legally possible for the central and state police agencies to send to prison almost any surfer of the world wide web. Surprisingly, Opposition in India has remained silent over this egregious assault on individual freedoms.
Whenever Sonia’s two sisters, or mother, or nephews and nieces or close personal friends such as the Quatrocchi clan come and go from India after visiting with The Madame, the media are kept far away. Indeed, so are the ordinary people of India, so complete is the security surrounding this privileged group. Their reliance on corporate jets goes unrecorded, as does the fact that exit and entry formalities are minimal, even for individuals who have no security clearance. The numerous foreign visits they make are conducted in secrecy, as is the guest list at the pricey locations where they are put up in by obliging ‘friends’. Not surprisingly, thus far there have been no photographs or news reports about any of the extended Maino clan, while items about Sonia Maino and her two children are almost always in terms that would bring a smile of approval to known admirers of the family, such as Sunil Khilnani or Amartya Sen. Those running media outlets know the baleful consequences of treating Sonia Maino the way the UK media treats David Cameron, or the US media sees Barack Obama. Such lack of teflon is reserved for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has far less sway over his ministers than political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel.
Lately, when Rahul Gandhi was informed by his entourage that a heap of cowdung was actually charred human remains, his find was breathlessly covered by the entire media, with a few outlets still reluctant to admit that a Maino could get facts so spectacularly wrong after it was shown that the claim was false. This columnist admits to sympathy for Rahul Gandhi, who may yet bloom into an effective leader. However, this can take place only if he escapes from the protective shadow of his mother and treats the people of India as people deserving of rights and respect, rather than see them the way his mother does, as a seething mass of people who need to be constantly kept under the control of the state. In the guise of ‘security constraints’, Sonia Maino has insulated herself from the very people who have given her entire family status.
Talk of a good horoscope, Sonia Maino has been protected by every Prime Minister of India from Indira Gandhi onwards. The fact that she and Rajiv kept away from the country during most of the 1975-77 Emergency endeared her to Morarji Desai, while Narasimha Rao saw to it that Ottavio Quatrocchi was enabled to escape from India with his secrets still intact. Later on, Manmohan Singh presided over a similar miscarriage of justice in Argentina. The two Law Ministers responsible for this have each been rewarded.
Indeed, it is the Ministry of Law that has become the most effective means of protecting the in-law. The CBI has to rely on the Law Officers of the Government of India for the pursuit of cases, and these usually report to shadowy individuals rather than go by the Constitution of India. During the Vajpayee period, it was National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and his Italian connection, while later on, that responsibility devolved on Ahmed Patel, whose nod is needed for most important posts to be filled. The reality in Maino Bharat Mahan is that the “Manmohan Singh Cabinet” is—thus far—an Ahmed Patel Cabinet, which explains the prominence within it of elements such as Vilasrao Deshmukh.
An examination of the travel records of the son of a former Maharashtra CM, will show frequent visits to Dubai, and some to London. Usually, another prominent son would accompany him, the two being business partners who in Mumbai discuss deals in the Oberoi Hotel. Dubai is of course the place where the operational headquarters of a particular conglomerate are located (the spiritual HQ being Karachi), and it is there that discussions can take place away from prying eyes. This conglomerate ‘owns’ two Union Cabinet Ministers and at least six from the cabinet of a large state, yet none of these individuals is ever the subject of an enquiry by agencies tasked with responsibility for the nation’s security. Indeed, at least two of the agencies of the state have voluminous data on the two sons, and on others from VVIP families, but these are kept concealed from the public. Small wonder that the Mainos seek to ensure that the CBI and other investigative agencies be kept out of the (sadly weak) provisions of the Right to Information law. Charactertistically, Sonia, Nadia and Annoushcka ensure this through a trusted agent, in this case Home Minister Chidambaram, whose pre-occupation since 2008 has been to fill the agencies with loyalists. In the process, morale is hitting dangerously low levels, while errors such as bogus names in most wanted lists or outdated arrest warrants multiply.
Why is the opposition as silent as the media about the Maino clan? One reason may be the fact that several within this august group are themselves vulnerable to blackmail. A senior office-bearer of a prominent opposition party was recently linked to an individual jailed for his connection to undesirable elements located abroad. This individual recently became the proud owner of a Rs 30 crore apartment in Mumbai. Of course, he is hardly the only leader of that opposition party to have gained control over expensive flats in Mumbai during the past decade. There are many others, including those who travel near-exclusively by corporate jet, when a decade ago, they could not even afford airfare.
The Mainos know that Sabse Bada Rupaiya. Hence the attempted coup in Karnataka, which of course has been attributed to Governor HR Bharadwaj. That hapless individual is known to be faithful to whomsover is his boss, whether it be PV Narasimha Rao in the 1990s or Sonia Maino these days. To expect Bhardwaj to take a decision on his own would be to believe that he helped Quatrocchi escape because he liked the aftershave lotion used by the fixer from Milan. The fact is that the Governor of Kaenataka followed orders, and the reason why the command was given to bring down the BJP government in Karnataka was because the Congress leadership had been given information (by a top BJP office-bearer) that “60 per cent of the cash required for the operations of the party” were sourced from that state. It was to choke off this flow of funds that Bharadwaj was ordered to create a crisis, not once but repeatedly, until Presidents Rule could be imposed. That it was not was because—in a rare show of independence—Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refused to repeat his 2005 mistake of going along with Buta Singh in Bihar. In the Maino universe, it is all about money, and lots of it.
Fortunately, for them, the protective wall around them is too powerful for mere Indians to breach. The media are cowed and silent about their doings, while the agencies of the government ensure that the few who point out facts about the Ruling Family face the consequences of their effrontery. Until those within the government gain the courage to be free persons, casting off the shackles of fear, and until civil society demands that the powerful in India face the same level of transparency as do their US and UK counterparts, this sorry state of affairs will continue. The Election Commission will continue to bar ‘negative references’ during campaigning, and even the Supreme Court can be relied upon to decree that the people of India do not have the legal right to know even the religion of their leaders. Why blame the Mainos? The fault lies within the rest of us.
IPS Bhatt’s notary on Teesta NGO’s payroll
(Courtesy:The Pioneer)
GUJARAT has hundreds of notaries, but when it comes to choosing one, controversial IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt settled for a man who has been notarising affidavits of social activist Teesta Setalvad in post-Godhra riot cases against Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
On the face of it, there is nothing wrong in handpicking any notary. But inquiry by The Pioneer revealed that notary Sadikhusen R Sheikh was on the payroll of Teesta. From 2006 onwards, Sheikh was regularly paid Rs 7,500 per month salary from Teesta’s NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP).
The notaries are appointed by the Government and they charge a fee for notorising any document. However, it is very unusual that they received monthly payment from anyone. The disclosure is significant in the light of the fact that Teesta is facing a criminal inquiry for allegations of manipulating the affidavits of the riot witnesses.
The cheques to Sheikh were sent by Teesta from CJP bank account No. 01410000105705 of IDBI Bank branch at Dharni Nivas, Plot No. 77, RK Mission Marg, Khar (W), Bombay. Teesta also made payment to Sheikh from her other NGO’s account “Centre for Education”.
The payments were stopped for two months when Teesta removed her close associate Rais Khan as chief coordinator of the CJP in January 2008. Sources said Sheikh’s payment was stopped under suspicion that he was too close to Khan. But after two months, Sheikh’s payment resumed when he reportedly convinced Teesta that he shared no relationship with Khan.
Sheikh, who notarised the affidavit of Sanjiv Bhatt, IPS, on 14/04/2011 (Sr. No. 631/2011) in which the IPS officer said Modi wanted the Muslims to be taught a lesson, notarised several affidavits for Teesta.
Before 2006, all affidavits filed by Teesta were notarised by another notary, YA Sheikh.
Sadikhusen R Sheikh also notarised the affidavit filed by one Imtiyaz Khan Pathan on November 11, 2010 in the Supreme Court against Rais Khan. Imityaz Khan had sought stay on an order of metropolitan court, Ahmadabad, on a petition of Khan to examine him as witness in Nerula gram riot case. Khan had alleged that many witnesses did not know the contents of the affidavits sent to him by Teesta for notarising before these were filed in the courts.
GUJARAT has hundreds of notaries, but when it comes to choosing one, controversial IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt settled for a man who has been notarising affidavits of social activist Teesta Setalvad in post-Godhra riot cases against Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
On the face of it, there is nothing wrong in handpicking any notary. But inquiry by The Pioneer revealed that notary Sadikhusen R Sheikh was on the payroll of Teesta. From 2006 onwards, Sheikh was regularly paid Rs 7,500 per month salary from Teesta’s NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP).
The notaries are appointed by the Government and they charge a fee for notorising any document. However, it is very unusual that they received monthly payment from anyone. The disclosure is significant in the light of the fact that Teesta is facing a criminal inquiry for allegations of manipulating the affidavits of the riot witnesses.
The cheques to Sheikh were sent by Teesta from CJP bank account No. 01410000105705 of IDBI Bank branch at Dharni Nivas, Plot No. 77, RK Mission Marg, Khar (W), Bombay. Teesta also made payment to Sheikh from her other NGO’s account “Centre for Education”.
The payments were stopped for two months when Teesta removed her close associate Rais Khan as chief coordinator of the CJP in January 2008. Sources said Sheikh’s payment was stopped under suspicion that he was too close to Khan. But after two months, Sheikh’s payment resumed when he reportedly convinced Teesta that he shared no relationship with Khan.
Sheikh, who notarised the affidavit of Sanjiv Bhatt, IPS, on 14/04/2011 (Sr. No. 631/2011) in which the IPS officer said Modi wanted the Muslims to be taught a lesson, notarised several affidavits for Teesta.
Before 2006, all affidavits filed by Teesta were notarised by another notary, YA Sheikh.
Sadikhusen R Sheikh also notarised the affidavit filed by one Imtiyaz Khan Pathan on November 11, 2010 in the Supreme Court against Rais Khan. Imityaz Khan had sought stay on an order of metropolitan court, Ahmadabad, on a petition of Khan to examine him as witness in Nerula gram riot case. Khan had alleged that many witnesses did not know the contents of the affidavits sent to him by Teesta for notarising before these were filed in the courts.
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