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Vol. 73 No. 24 Socialist Candidate Lopez Obrador July 8, 2018 Wins Mexican Presidential Elections What Option is There Before India and Pakistan But for Friendship and Peace? Neeraj Jain Sandeep Pandey In a major victory for the global (English: National Regeneration Compulsions of 2019: socialist movement, the leftist Movement) fought the 2018 Retreat in Kashmir Anil Sinha candidate Andres Manuel Lopez presidential elections in coalition Obrador (widely known as AMLO) with the left-wing Labor Party Emergency, Indira Gandhi and RSS won the presidency of Mexico in the (PT) and the conservative Social L.S. Herdenia elections held on July 1, 2018 with a Encounter Party (PES) under the landslide win. He got more than 53% name of Juntos haremos historia Stronger Laws Needed For Social Security of Unorganised Workers of the vote, more than double the (English: Together we will make Bharat Dogra total for his nearest rival, according history). Morena and the Together to a preliminary count released by We Will Make History coalition India Most Dangerous Country Mexico's electoral authority INE. are also slated to gain an absolute for Women Belinda Goldsmith and With participation at 62.9%, majority in both the Chamber of Meka Beresford Ricardo Anaya from the right-wing Deputies and Senate, giving Lopez National Action Party (PAN) came Obrador ample legislative support Bhindranwale Still Lives second with just over 22% of the when he enters office next December. Kuldip Nayar vote. AMLO’s Morena party also swept Editor : G.G.Parikh AMLO will be the first socialist the local elections. The party took president of Mexico, and will be the 80.2% of municipal polls, while Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain first president who is not from either PAN had a sorry turn out of 11.5% Managing Editor : Guddi the Institutional Revolutionary Party and the PRI 8.2% of local votes. (PRI) or PAN in almost a century. The landslide win would give Editorial Board : After his win, he announced that he AMLO a platform both to address B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali would tour the country as president- Mexico's internal problems and face Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah elect as part of creating a government external challenges like the threat of Amarendra Dhaneshwar, “of the people, by the people, for the a trade war with the United States. Sandeep Pandey people”. He said his government will Lopez Obrador has said he wants to be a transition period for a new era make Mexico more economically D-15, Ganesh Prasad, in Mexico's history. Lopez Obrador independent of the United States. Naushir Bharucha Marg, will take office on December 1, 2018 He also declared that one of his Mumbai - 400 007. and will govern until 2024. priorities would be to root out Email : [email protected] AMLO’s party, Movimiento corruption, and said he would spare Website:www.janataweekly.org Regeneración Nacional or Morena no one, including comrades, friends 2 JANATA, July 8, 2018

and officials, in his commitment were released, Lopez Obrador was Mexico. Now is the time to stand to root it out. His Moreno party congratulated by socialist leaders up to Trump's divisiveness and supports “zero tolerance” of security from across the globe, including xenophobia and create a continent force corruption, a law against US Senator Bernie Sanders and the which brings countries together to conflict of interest, an “accelerated” leader of the British Labour Party focus on economic, social, racial and transition over to renewable energy, Jeremy Corbyn. environmental justice.” and a return to peace in the streets Corbyn repeated Lopez Obrador's Several other Latin American and homes. recurring words “yes we can” and socialist leaders, including One of the most important assured that change is possible both the President of Venezuela, changes planned by AMLO is in Mexico and in United Kingdom, Nicolas Maduro and the Cuban to reform the approach taken on where the left is still the opposition. President Miguel Diaz-Canel, security matters, which includes “We can bring a voice to the poor also congratulated AMLO for his the removal of military forces and marginalised, we can bring stunning victory in the polls. Calling from the streets through a training change, we can win. Today is a new Lopez Obrador a brother as he hailed and professionalisation plan for beginning. As we build for the future his "overwhelming victory" Bolivian the police. Over the past decade, we must also remember and secure President Evo Morales said: “We are Mexico, in collaboration with the justice for those who died during sure that your government will write United States, unleashed the military those elections,” he continued, in a new page in the history of Latin on the country's drug cartels. This reference to the many candidates, American dignity and sovereignty.” “war” has claimed over 150,000 politicians and citizens who were The Argentinian football legend lives between December 2006 and killed during the campaign period. Diego Armando Maradona also August 2015, making Mexico one On his Facebook site, Bernie hailed AMLO’s victory, saying that of the world’s most deadly conflict Sanders also congratulated Mexico's Lopez Obrador's victory means the zones. president-elect: “Congratulations Latin American people are “alive.” Indicating that he was serious to Andres Manuel López Obrador, about his promise to change the the newly elected president of Email: [email protected] government approach on public security, AMLO announced immediately after his victory that What Option is There Before India and he will not use the services of the presidential security. "I will not Pakistan But for Friendship and Peace? use the services of the presidential general staff, I will not be surrounded Sandeep Pandey by bodyguards, those who fight for justice have nothing to fear . . . The The India Pakistan Friendship Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, people will protect me," he said in and Peace march from Ahmedabad the march proceeded along Adalaj, a speech. to Nada Bet during 19 to 29 June, Kalol, Chatral, Nandasan, Mandali, Obrador also announced 2018 concluded successfully, Mehsana, Bokarwada, Sihi, that he and his staff are working even though Ahmedabad Police Balisana, Patan, Dunawada, Roda, on proposals to improve living detained the marchers for about 3 Totana, Thara, Devdarbar, Diyodar, conditions for the Mexican people hours as soon as the march began Kuwala, Bhabhar, Dudhwa and that include scholarships for young from Gandhi Ashram, and the Suigam to Nadeshwari Mata Mandir people, pensions for the elderly and Border Security Force didn’t give at Nada Bet. the revision of previously awarded permission to the march to reach the The march was taken out to oil contracts. border and stopped it at Nadeshwari demand that the Governments Mata Mandir, a distance of 25 km of India and Pakistan reach an Socialist Leaders Congratulate from the border. Hence the total agreement to stop killing each other’s AMLO distance of this march on foot was soldiers on the border. Recently on Immediately after the results curtailed to about 250 km. From 21 June 2018, on the occasion of JANATA, July 8, 2018 3

international yoga day, Indian and list of each other’s prisoners and going all the way to Delhi to obtain Chinese soldiers practiced yoga ensure their early release, preferably their visas. together at Daulat Beg Oldie in through a shorter route. For people Baldev Nath Bapu, the head eastern Ladakh. Why can’t a similar who may find it difficult to get a priest of a temple in Devdarbar atmosphere of bonhomie be created passport made or obtain a visa, if belonging to Lohana (Thakkar) on the India–Pakistan border? The the daily evening military ceremony community, hosted the peace march two countries need to grant easy at Wagah–Attari border is replaced during daytime on 26 June, 2018. He permission for visas to each other’s by a Peace Park and people from described his experience of visiting citizens to allow them to travel across the border are allowed to Pakistan in October 2017 for about across the border. If possible, they meet freely for a couple of hours a month. He is building a hospital should waive the visa requirement every day merely by depositing one in Salemkot from the donations for old people, children, journalists, of their identity cards and under a he received from his followers in academics, social activists, religious suitable security apparatus, the event Pakistan. He refuted the allegations leaders and labourers. One route on would serve a great purpose. Such that Hindus are forcibly converted Gujarat border with Sind should be peace parks could be created at all to Islam in Pakistan and temples opened to facilitate travel and trade openings along the border. Finally, are destroyed there. He publicly between two countries either at it is important that China, India and stated that not once during his month Khavda or Nada Bet. The bus service Pakistan should give up their nuclear long stay there did he receive any between Suigam and Nagarparkar weapons to make Asia a Nuclear complaints like these. He said that in which was there till 1972 should Weapons Free Zone and safe for all Pakistan people are talking about the be restored. Opening of Khavda people of the region and the world. possibility of Suigam–Nagarparkar route will be a great help for those About 500 signatures were route being opened by 2020 or 2022. fisherfolk whose family members collected during the march on the Earlier, in Totana, the march paid get caught by the coastal guards above mentioned issues on a petition its respect to Sadaram Bapu, aged of the other country and then have addressed to the Prime Ministers of over hundred years, who has played to spend years in jail without any India and Pakistan. an important part in preserving information reaching back home. The peace march received a communal harmony in the area. It Sometimes family members may major boost when PM Narendra appears that spiritual gurus have not even know that their kin have Modi’s wife Jashodaben decided a role in maintaining peace and landed in jail on the other side of to join the march on 23 June for harmony along the Gujarat–Sind border. Recently, it was reported about half an hour in the morning border. that a Gujarat fisherman Deva Ram to express her solidarity. She whole At a closing event of the march Baraiya died in a Karachi jail and his heartedly supported the idea of in Ahmedabad, peace activists family has yet to receive any official peace and friendship with Pakistan from Pakistan Karamat Ali and communication from any of the and thought that the killing of Saeeda Diep joined over internet two governments or his body, even soldiers was avoidable. Jashodaben’s and interacted with the marchers though three months have elapsed endorsement also had a soothing and their supporters. Entrepreneur since his death (his body has being effect on the people subscribing to Piyush Desai of Wagh Bakri tea preserved by a Pakistani NGO at jingoistic variety of nationalism who company was so overwhelmed with its morgue). Two other fishermen, were raising questions about the the idea of the peace march that he also from Gujarat, Dana Arjun goals of the march. Jashodaben and has decided to hold weekly meetings Chauhan and Rama Mansi Gohil, her borther Ashok Modi also signed at Gandhi Ashram to promote the suffering from various ailments, the statement of the march. philosophy of peace and communal were released at the Wagah border. During the march, people raised harmony. One can imagine the travails of the demand at Balisana, where about A letter has been written to their arduous journey back home, hundred families have relatives Narendra Modi on behalf of the covering thousands of kilometers in Karachi, to open a Pakistani India–Pakistan Friendship and Peace on both sides of border. The two Consulate at Ahmedabad so that march to start a bus service between countries must make public the they could be saved the trouble of Ahmedabad and Karachi similar to 4 JANATA, July 8, 2018

the one started by former PM Atal of dangerous nuclear weapons, committing suicide? If we don’t take Behari Vajpayee between Delhi and whereas Bangladesh has judiciously care of the basic needs of people, of Lahore. concentrated on improving the what use are the pompous weapons India and Pakistan have been general condition of its women and for common people? overtaken by Bangladesh in social children. The security for common India and Pakistan must bury indices like literacy, malnourishment, people comes from fulfillment of their differences and resolve all sanitation, health status of children their basis needs. Nuclear weapons their outstanding disputes amicably and women, fertility rate and women at best protect the vested interests of through dialogue and give peace a empowerment primarily because the ruling elite. How are our nuclear chance. both of them have invested heavily in weapons providing security to a defence, including the development child dying of hunger or a farmer Email: [email protected] Compulsions of 2019: Retreat in Kashmir

Anil Sinha New Delhi has made one more fact, two of his ministers conspired “discriminatory attitude” towards retreat in Kashmir. The Mehbooba with New Delhi and staged the coup. Jammu and Ladakh regions, areas Mufti government was forced out The Sadr-i-Riyasat, the Yuvraj of the with non-Muslim majority, as the and governor’s rule imposed. There erstwhile Maharaja Hari Singh, was reasons for withdrawing support to should not be any doubt that the BJP manipulated to order the dismissal. the government. While it avoided decided to withdraw from its alliance Since then, it has been repeated detailing its other differences with with PDP because it knew that there many times. One thing has remained the PDP in public, it nevertheless is no solution to the Kashmir issue common each time, that every time leaked them. The differences, right now. The government also people associated with security play obviously, are not new. In fact, knew that if there is any solution, an important role. In 1953, the then the two parties had fought the last it is not for it to implement it. The Chief of Intelligence B.N. Mullik assembly election on these same BJP wants itself to be seen as a had played a key role. This time, issues and had fiercely opposed strong party which can go to any National Security Advisor Aji Doval each other. After the elections, even extent to deal with terrorists or any was there to guide the government. though they entered into an alliance one opposed to the Indian state. Shortly before the decision, Doval with each other, both the alliance The 2019 polls are only few months met BJP president Amit Shah at his partners never relinquished their away and the party felt it urgent to residence. stance. reinforce the image. However, one factor has changed The issues are related to This is not the first time that a significantly. The opposition to New reconciliation in Kashmir. The PDP ministry in Kashmir has been forced Delhi is now not limited to political has always been demanding talks to end its tenure without completing parties. It is now dominated by with all stake holders, including it. It has been done several times diverse elements, from communal Hurriyat Conference and Pakistan. since 1953, when Sheikh Abdullah, fanatics to liberal progressives. It wanted softer actions against then prime minister of Kashmir, was The field fighters are generally led stone pelting youths and relaxation dismissed and arrested. He had no by terrorist organisations based in in the powers of the armed forces. clue of New Delhi’s plan about him. Pakistan. This was not the case The BJP has been opposed to all He was holidaying in Gulmarg when till the early nineties. Now, the these demands. The BJP wooed he was served the order of the Sadr- security forces are equipped with PDP to join the government on the i-Riyasat, the constitutional head of Armed Forces Special Powers Act assurance that it will work for peace the state of Jammu and Kashmir. (AFSPA). and reconciliation in the valley, He was accused of conspiring to The BJP cited deterioration and lent its support to the “healing- declare Kashmir independent. In in the security situation and the touch” policy of the PDP. However, JANATA, July 8, 2018 5

after formation of the coalition there is no way other than dialogue a socialistic and secular society. The government, the BJP did not adhere to move towards a settlement. National Conference was under the to its promises. Now, it is blaming the A close scrutiny of the historical ideological influence of Gandhi PDP for discriminating with Jammu evidence would reveal that the and Nehru. Impressed by the amity and Ladakh in the distribution of Rs deterioration in the Kashmir situation in Kashmir, Gandhi remarked on 80,000 crore development allocation has much to do with the failure August 1, 1947 that Kashmir is the from the Centre. of India in keeping the country beacon of light for secular India. It is now clear that there was no secular. Very few people now The communal propaganda in basis for forming a coalition. It looks recall that the National Conference the state by Praja Parishad and Jan as if the BJP had formed the coalition showed its commitment towards Sangh’s campaign in other parts government to maintain the status secularism and progressive ideology of the country affected relations quo in the Kashmir valley, so that the in the era when the rightwing and between the union government and Kashmir issue should not become a communal ideology was at its peak. Sheikh Abdullah. Nehru succumbed hinderance in its governing the rest In the 1930s, when organisations to anti-Sheikh propaganda and of the nation. The party knew very like Hindu Mahasabha and the agreed to order the arrest of the well that it could not adopt a soft Muslim League were spreading greatest leader of the state. “The stand—neither could it abandon its virulent form of communalism Sheikh’s dismissal and arrest on 9 demand of repealing Article 370, and secular leaders such as Abdul August 1953, apart from causing nor could it endorse soft measures— Gaffar Khan and Maulana Abul a revolt in the state, caused a deep because that would go against its Kalam Azad had failed to contain wound in the psyche of Kashmiris. It long standing stance. its spread, Sheikh Abdullah had meant that while Kashmir remained In fact, the BJP has never successfully fought against it. He steadfast with secular India, the changed its Kashmir policy, not even succeeded in changing the name Union didn’t!” writes senior even in the Vajpayee era. It always of Kashmir Muslim Conference Kashmiri leader Professor Saifuddin said that they were suspending their to National Conference in 1939 Soz in his recently released book. demand because their coalition and incorporated people from all We fail to understand that partner did not agree. Their religions and faith in its leadership. Kashmir is not a geography, it is an partnership with the PDP never His Naya Kashmir manifesto was identity. Identities needs negotiation. deterred them from expressing far more progressive than any of aggression on the Kashmir issue. It the contemporary documents. The Email: [email protected] could be seen during actions like the Naya Kashmir resolution envisaged surgical strike. While the coalition government in Kashmir did not do Emergency, Indira Gandhi and RSS any official propaganda about this, the BJP made a hype of it. The planned status quo L.S. Herdenia has harmed the prospects of I do not hold any brief for Indira one particular community (Jews) reconciliation immensely. The Gandhi as far her decision to impose and wanted their total physical PDP has lost its credibility and in emergency is concerned. There is no annihilation. While Indira Gandhi turn the country has lost a strong doubt that the emergency period will also committed many atrocities democratic force in the valley. be recorded as a black chapter in the during the emergency, she did not go Among the mainstream political democratic history of the country. to the extremes to which Hitler went. parties, this was the only party which But certainly, I have every reason She did not target any particular had considerable following in the to differ with Arun Jaitley when he community during the emergency. alienated areas in Kashmir. compares Indira Gandhi with Hitler. In our country, there are leaders who Past experience clearly suggests Hitler perhaps was the cruellest orchestrated the genocide of people that the valley has been peaceful in ruler in the history of mankind. belonging to particular community times when we had better relations Besides destroying all the democratic in Gujarat, but certainly, Indira was with Pakistan. It also suggests that institutions of Germany, he targeted not one of them. 6 JANATA, July 8, 2018

Hitler not only destroyed The Sangh has no relation to these the emergency. Later BJP co-opted democracy but destroyed Germany movements.” Deoras repeatedly both V.C. Shukla and Bansilal. itself. But Jaitley must appreciate the appealed to the Prime Minister to V.C. Shukla contested the Lok fact that Indira restored democracy “set free thousands of RSS workers Sabha election on a BJP ticket, and ordered elections, fully knowing and remove the restriction on the while the BJP became a part of the that total annihilation awaits her. Sangh. If done so, power of selfless Haryana state ministry headed by Here I will like to draw attention work on the part of lakhs of RSS Bansilal. Sanjay died in an air crash to another fact that Jaitley ignores, volunteers will be utilised for in 1980, but BJP admitted his wife that the then Chief of the RSS national upliftment (government as Maneka Gandhi to the party and congratulated Indira Gandhi when well as non-government)”. made her Central Minster, and she the Supreme Court gave judgment Deoras also sought the help of continues to be so. To the best of in her favour. M.D. Deoras, in his Vinoba Bhave in lifting the ban on our information, Maneka Gandhi has letter to Mrs. Gandhi written from the RSS. In a letter written to him not condemned the emergency till Yerwada Central Jail dated 10 from St. George’s Hospital’s prison today. If Indira was like Hitler, then November 1975, wrote, “Let me ward no. 14, Bombay, Deoras wrote, V.C. Shukla, Bansilal and Sanjay congratulate you as five judges of “At the feet of respected Acharya Gandhi were her main commanders. the Supreme Court have declared Vinobaji, this is my prayer to you that Shah Commission, which the Janata the validity of your election”. In an you kindly try to remove the wrong Government constituted to enquire earlier letter written to Mrs. Gandhi notion of the Prime Minister about into atrocities committed during from Yerwada Jail on 22 August the Sangh and as a result of which the emergency, found them guilty 1975, Deoras had stated, “I heard the RSS volunteers will be set free. of doing several acts to enforce your address to the nation which you The ban on the Sangh will be lifted the provisions of the emergency. delivered on August 15, 1975, from and such a condition will prevail It was V.C. Shukla who monitored Red Fort on the radio in jail [Yervada as to enable the volunteers of the the censorship on the media. What jail] with attention. Your address was Sangh to participate in the planned happened afterwords for the BJP to timely and balanced so I decided to programme of action relating to reward Shukla? This was the volte write to you.” In this letter Deoras country’s progress and prosperity face of the BJP, which is the political praised the programme which Mrs. under the leadership of the Prime wing of the RSS. Gandhi announced in the course of Minister. Prayer for your blessings.” In the end, it may be mentioned her speech. Deoras writes, “As you Shri Jaitley claims that Indira that the RSS actually has admiration said in your speech delivered on Gandhi was like Hitler. If so, why for Hitler. This admiration was 15th August 1975 inviting the entire did the Sangh, of which you were a reflected in some school textbooks country to this work, it was most part in 1975 and are now one of its of Gujarat. There was a hue and befitting occasion and the time”. top leaders, accept Indira Gandhi as cry against this act of the Gujarat These days, the BJP and the their leader. It may be mentioned government, after which these RSS claim that they were the main here that Vinod Dua in his popular laudable references to Hitler were opponents of the emergency and that programme Jan Gan Man Ki Baat removed. it was largely due to their struggle has termed Deoras’ letters as pieces that the emergency was lifted. But of apology. the fact is that the RSS assured During the emergency, a slogan Spectre Mrs. Gandhi that the Sangh keeps was very popular: Emergency ke itself aloof from the power politics. teen dalal, Vidya, Sanjay, Bansilal. of Fascism In the above mentioned letter dated At that time, Vidya Charan Shukla Contribution Rs. 20/- 10 November 1975, Deoras writes, was the Information & Broadcasting “RSS has been named in the context Minister, Bansilal was the Defence Published by of Jayaprakash Narayan's movement. Minister, and Sanjay Gandhi was Janata Trust & Lokayat The government has also connected the younger son and the closest D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, RSS with Gujarat movement and confidant of Indira Gandhi. All these Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 Bihar movement without any reason. three were the main executioners of JANATA, July 8, 2018 7 Stronger Laws Needed For Social Security of Unorganised Workers

Bharat Dogra One of the gravest shortcomings Most of the Labour Laws that access to social security that the of labour welfare in India has been we have today are relevant umbrella legislation provides. that while as many as 90 percent only to the organised sector. Such an arrangement will give of the workers are in unorganised Furthermore, the laws in the full respect to the federal nature sector, most of the welfare laws have statute book that relate to some of our Constitution as well as not been applicable to them. sectors of the unorganised the different needs of diverse Enacting protective umbrella sector are too inadequate to groups of workers. It will also legislation which can apply to all give protection or welfare for the be open to governments to repeal sections of unorganised workers vast majority of workers in the existing sub-sector laws or is not easy as a very wide range unorganised sector. The schemes merge existing (welfare) Boards of works and occupations have to of Welfare Funds and Welfare with the Boards or Funds that we be covered. Some of these leading Boards are also confined to a few are suggesting in the Umbrella occupations are—agricultural states and specific categories Legislation. workers, forest workers, rickshaw of workers in the unorganised The unorganised sector accounts pullers, vendors, domestic workers, sector. It is in this context that we for over 90% of our work force. home based workers, construction have to look at the need for new Their percentage is likely to workers, rag pickers and wholesale / legislation that will have general increase. They are as entitled to retail trade workers. Nevertheless, it applicability and will provide protection and welfare / security is important to have a comprehensive essential protection. as workers in the organised law that provides at least some The way to extend legal sector, who are often described protection for all unorganised protection to the employments today as the privileged sector workers as the alternative is to and vocations in the of the work force. The laws that have separate laws for too many unorganised sector is not by exist today hardly touch the work categories of workers—a task which legislating separately for each force in the unorganised sector. is even more complicated and time- employment or vocation. This It is therefore necessary to enact consuming. will only multiply the number new legislation to cover workers In this context it is important of laws when one of our goals in this sector. There is a wide to look back at some important is to simplify and reduce the variety of employments in this recommendations of the Second number of existing laws. It is, sector. Conditions vary, levels Labour Commission as these still therefore, logical and wise to of organisation vary. The nature remain very relevant. enact an umbrella type of law of the relations with employers The Second National for the unorganised sector which vary. There is an expanding Commission on Labour (NCL) was would guarantee a minimum sector of those who are self- asked, as perhaps its most significant of protection and welfare to employed, or are on contract, task, to propose an umbrella type all workers in the unorganised and work from homes. It is legislation for workers in the sector, and would leave it open difficult to have separate laws for unorganised sector. to the government to bring each employment. This will only The NCL Report explained why in special laws for different result in endless multiplication it is important to have new legislation employments or sub-sectors if of laws. “Hence the need for to cover various categories of experience indicates the need one umbrella legislation” that unorganised workers, and also for it, provided that the sub- covers whatever is basic and elaborated on the scope and aims of sectoral laws do not take away common, and leaves room this legislation: any of the basic rights or the for supplementary legislation 8 JANATA, July 8, 2018

or rules where specific areas Unions. Board in consultation with district demand special attention. But we g) To ensure representation panchayats will also constitute cannot overlook the fact that all of workers through their district boards. such legislation is enacted with organisations in local and In this draft, Worker Facilitation the twin purposes of extending national economic decision Centres (WFCs) are local centres of protection, and welfare / security. making. activities of the Board, co-ordinated Protection includes security of According to the NLC, the by respective District Boards. The employment, identification of Social Security measures for the District Board in consultation with minimum wages or fair wages, unorganised workers should include: local panchayats will constitute making the minimum known a. Health care; them, WFCs will work in panchayats to workers, ensuring the full b. Maternity and early child care; and areas of workers' concentration. payment of these wages without c. Provident fund benefits; Workers will be enrolled by the unauthorised deductions, and d. Family benefits; WFC and welfare benefits to them a machinery at the threshold of e. Amenities / Benefits including will also be provided by WFCs. his / her workplace to enforce housing, drinking water, The Central and State the law on minimum wages and sanitation, etc.; Boards will raise funds by way working conditions. Welfare / f. Compensation for injury of contribution, cess, assistance, security has to include medical during employment (including grant from government through services, compensation for invalidity benefits and survivor's budget allocation or donations from injury, insurance, provident fund, or dependent's benefits); employment providers, private pensionary benefit, etc. We have g. Retirement and post-retirement sector, workers and other legally also tried to keep in view the need benefits (gratuity, pension and permitted sources. to ensure that the machinery family pension); The Board will encourage proposed for enforcement h. Some cover in cases of loss of the growth and formation of of benefits is not vitiated by earning or the capacity to earn; organisations of workers. A legal distance, centralisation, top i. Besides these, there should be minimum wage will be fixed without heavy structure, inaccessibility, schemes, either independent any gender discrimination. Non- multiplication of administrative or in association with the payment of minimum wage shall be set-ups, etc. government, welfare bodies, punishable. Women workers will be NGOs and social organisations, given due representation at all levels. The NLC Report says that in for the upgradation of skills and The Central and State specific terms, the objectives of the the education of workers, and for Government shall order dearness legislation will have to be: the elimination of child labour, allowance on minimum wage linked a) To obtain recognition for all forced labour, and unfair labour to All India Consumer Price Index workers in the unorganised relations and practices. Number at least once in every six sector. After holding discussions months, and where the dearness b) To ensure a minimum level with a large number of concerned allowance is ordered on the above of economic security to these persons and considering the lines the minimum wages shall be workers. recommendations of a study revised once in five years and in c) To ensure a minimum level of group on this issue, the National other cases once in two years. social security to these workers. Commission on Labour suggested Workers will be covered by d) To facilitate the removal of the a draft of this legislation in which social protection measures as may poverty of these workers. apex boards for unorganised sector be prescribed by the Central or State e) To ensure future opportunities workers will be created in all States Government. The worker shall be for children by eliminating child by the respective State governments. eligible to social security protection, labour. This apex board in consultation with namely, old age, invalidity, group f) To encourage formation of the State government will create insurance, sickness, medical and membership based organisations State Welfare Boards for various employment injury benefits. The of workers including Trade categories of workers. The State woman worker shall be eligible for JANATA, July 8, 2018 9

maternity benefits and childcare / under Workmen's Compensation in each week. daycare facility while at work. The Act. As the legislation enacted since local authorities will create and invest Work shall be permitted only then has fallen for short of these their resources to develop better in safe and healthy environment recommendations, it is important to living conditions for the workers by and working places. The State keep alive these recommendations providing amenities like housing, government may frame appropriate and to emphasise that the right of safe drinking water, sanitation, etc. rules in this regard. Workers shall unorganised sector workers need to The State Board shall encourage have sufficient rest, leisure, holidays, be protected much more effectively alternate insurance for employment leave and optimal working hours. by better and stronger legislation. injury to cover employer's liability Workers shall be given one holiday Email: [email protected]

India Most Dangerous Country for Women

Belinda Goldsmith and Meka Beresford India is the world’s most by 83 percent between 2007 and illiteracy, poverty and other human dangerous country for women due 2016, when there were four cases of rights offences. to the high risk of sexual violence rape reported every hour. “The ongoing war and conflict and being forced into slave labour, The survey asked respondents are getting worse in Afghanistan, according to a poll of global experts which five of the 193 United Nations which puts the lives of women and released on June 26, 2018. member states they thought were girls at increasing risk,” said US- War-torn Afghanistan and Syria most dangerous for women and based Otis, a survey participant. ranked second and third in the which country was worst in terms Afghanistan’s Public Health Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of healthcare, economic resources, Minister Ferozuddin Feroz said the of about 550 experts on women’s cultural or traditional practices, deteriorating security situation was issues, followed by Somalia and sexual violence and harassment, making life difficult for women, Saudi Arabia. non-sexual violence and human with large parts of the country still The only Western nation in the trafficking. in the control of Taliban fighters after top 10 was the United States, which Respondents also ranked nearly 17 years of war. ranked joint third when respondents India the most dangerous country “Nowadays, suicide bombings were asked where women were most for women in terms of human and armed conflict is the third at risk of sexual violence, harassment trafficking, including sex slavery (highest) cause of deaths and and being coerced into sex. and domestic servitude, and for disability in Afghanistan,” he told The poll was a repeat of a customary practices such as forced the Thomson Reuters Foundation in survey in 2011 that found experts marriage, stoning and female an interview in London. seeing Afghanistan, Democratic infanticide. “Instead of focusing (spending) Republic of Congo, Pakistan, India India’s Ministry of Women and on maternal health, on nutritional and Somalia as the most dangerous Child Development declined to status, we spend it on trauma.” countries for women. comment on the survey results. The impact of a seven-year war Experts said India moving to the drove Syria into third place in the top of the poll showed not enough Trapped by War survey, amid concerns over access was being done to tackle the danger Afghanistan fared worst in four to healthcare and both sexual and women faced, more than five years of the seven questions, with concerns non-sexual violence. after the rape and murder of a student over healthcare and conflict-related “There are so many dangers for on a bus in Delhi made violence violence. Kimberly Otis, director of girls and women,” said Maria Al against women a national priority. advancement at Women for Afghan Abdeh, executive director of Women Government data shows reported Women, said women and girls faced Now For Development, which cases of crime against women rose severe gender-based violence, abuse, supports women’s centres in Syria. 10 JANATA, July 8, 2018

“There is sexual violence by Pakistan, Democratic Republic of ending slavery. government forces. Domestic Congo, Yemen and Nigeria. The poll of 548 people was violence and child marriage are India, Libya and Myanmar conducted online, by phone and in increasing and more women are were considered the world’s most person between March 26 and May dying in childbirth. The tragedy is dangerous nations for women 4 with an even spread across Europe, nowhere near an end.” exploited by human traffickers in Africa, the Americas, South East Somalia, where more than a global crime worth an estimated Asia, South Asia and the Pacific. two decades of war has fuelled a $150 billion a year. culture of violence and weakened “In many countries the simple Respondents included aid institutions meant to uphold the fact of being female creates a professionals, academics, healthcare law, was again named as one of the heightened risk of becoming a victim staff, non-government organisation five most dangerous countries for of slavery,” said Nick Grono, chief workers, policy-makers, women. executive of the Freedom Fund, the development specialists and social Saudi Arabia ranked fifth, with first private donor fund dedicated to commentators. women’s rights experts saying there had been some progress in recent years, but the recent arrests of female Chavismo: Part VII activists ahead of the lifting of a ban The concluding part of a seven part series of articles by Marco Teruggi on on women driving showed much the ongoing socialist revolutionary project in Venezuela that the Venezuelans more needed to be done. fondly call Chavismo, in memory of Hugo Chavez, the brilliant and “One of the worst laws that charismatic leader of the Venezuelan revolution who died in 2013. Chavez prevent women from having equal himself called it Bolivarian Revolution, to commemorate Simon Bolivar. opportunities is guardianship— because every woman is subjected The Barracks and the Revolution to a male guardian. She cannot get a passport, cannot travel, Marco Teruggi sometimes she cannot work,” said Ahlam Akram, founder of BASIRA It is a forested area near the end of the day, they will change into (British Arabs Supporting Universal border with Colombia. The members their civilian clothes once again and Women’s Rights) in the UK. of the militia gradually arrive, in go back to their daily activities. motorcycles, buses, trucks. The The militia is a key element #MeToo Puts US on List are coming from the shanties in the of the Chavista project. Just as a outskirts of the nearby town. They revolution cannot be built from Experts said the surprise addition have come for a day-long training above, through the state apparatus, of the United States in the top 10 camp of the National Bolivarian it cannot be defended in the classical most dangerous countries for women Militia of Venezuela, which is way, with doctrines learnt from came down to the #MeToo and a part of Venezuela’s National North America in the School of Time’s Up campaigns against sexual Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB). the Americas. This becomes all the harassment and violence that have They are proudly wearing their beige more important in a situation where dominated headlines for months. uniforms, with insignia denoting the enemy is attacking you through “People want to think income their different ranks. They include methods that do not correspond to means you’re protected from people of all ages, both young traditional forms of warfare—it does misogyny, and sadly that’s not the and old, many are women, they not have uniformed armies, declared case,” said Cindy Southworth, are people from various walks generals and regular armaments. It executive vice president of the of life, but what is common to is not even easily identifiable. Most Washington-based National Network them all is, they are all Chavistas. importantly, it is all the time seeking to End Domestic Violence. They practice formation drills and to create the illusion that it does not Rounding out the top 10 most shooting, learn how to quickly exist. dangerous countries for women were respond to emergencies, etc. At the JANATA, July 8, 2018 11

Popular Participation advancing the revolution. “The also revolted again the military union of the people with the soldiers, leaders who participated in the coup, The premise for building the and the soldiers with the people, notably the Maracay Battalion and militia is the same as that for every is one of the fundamental pillars the presidential honor guard. aspect of the socialist construction of the Bolivarian revolution,” said project in Venezuela: there is Chavez, who was himself an officer The Military in Economic Life no possibility of revolutionary in the FANB. The genesis and The military in the ongoing transformation of society, the society development of the revolution Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela cannot advance towards socialism, cannot be understood without has been involved in playing without incorporating new forms understanding the development several roles simultaneously. One of organisation which encourage of this unity. The first important of its important roles is obviously maximum possible participation incident was the massive popular defending the country’s borders of the people. Chavez described uprising called Caracazo that against external threats. But apart the militias as “a first sign of took place on 27 February 1989 from that, military officials, both developing a popular armed force in response to the IMF-imposed serving and retired, have been to safeguard our integrity and our structural adjustment reforms that appointed to important posts in sovereignty” and “expressions of the had led to a dramatic fall in living government offices and public new communal state; an integral part standards. As angry protestors from administration, and military of the new structures of communal the shantytowns of Caracas poured personnel have been extensively power that we are building”. And so, out into the streets, the government involved in executing public in 2008, the government passed a called in the army to quell the policies, often in collaboration with law forming the National Bolivarian protests. The army peppered the grassroots movements. Some of the Militia. The doctrine on which the protestors with machine guns— important economic responsibilities militia was formed was that it was more than 3000 people were killed. that have been carried out by the necessary to have “the people in The government’s willingness to military include Great Mission arms” both for supporting the FANB use indiscriminate violence against Sovereign Supply (La GMAS), against imperialist aggression and for its own citizens not only shocked AgroFanb, Military Corporation defence of the nation against internal the people but also the lower- for Mining, Petroleum and Gas, and enemies. The National Militia of level soldiers who were from poor the Military Transport Company Venezuela is an autonomous and backgrounds themselves—they (Emiltra). auxiliary force of the Armed Forces' were deeply dismayed at being La GMAS, for example, was service branches, with its own chain ordered to kill “their own people”. created in 2016. It is headed by of command and service arms, and This created the conditions for the Venezuela’s Defence Minister, and reports directly to the President via military uprising of 4 February 1992 has the responsibility of boosting the Operational Strategic Command by a section of the military whose production and guaranteeing the of the FANB. Responding to the call aim was restoration of democracy smooth distribution of food and made by Chavez, tens of thousands and inaugurating a new political era medicine supplies. It has also been of young men and women from in Venezuela based on Bolivarian given control of the country’s all over the country, including the and nationalist principles of justice, ports to root out corruption and barrios in cities and the rural areas equity and national sovereignty. mismanagement at the point of entry which constitute the social base of The coup failed, but its leaders, for imported food. Chavismo, have joined the militia, including Chavez, gained enormous described by Chavez as a strategic support among the population. It Expanding Role for the Army arm for the defence of the revolution. was this growing unity between the Why is the army being given an There is a deeper concept military and the people that led to extended role in economic affairs? underlying the formation of the the failure of the 11–13 April 2002 One reason is that following the militia, and that is the doctrine of coup d’etat—not only was there defeat of the Chavistas in the “civic–military” alliance as the massive mobilisation on the streets, elections to the National Assembly cornerstone for safeguarding and but large sections of the military in 2015, the right wing opposition 12 JANATA, July 8, 2018

in Venezuela launched a wave of which is defending the border with to the Ayala Battalion, which in one economic sabotage attempts to Colombia from where innumerable of the important battalions in the cripple the economy. Simultaneously, attempts are continually being made country and is located in Caracas. the imperialist forces led by the by the USA to infiltrate and weaken How much were they offered by the USA launched a renewed attempt the country. It is because of the empire to carry out a coup? to destabilise the Venezuelan loyalty of the army to Chavismo It is important to study, deepen government. Faced with attacks from that the revolution has been able to the understanding, and implement both external and internal flanks, in survive the attacks by the right wing with renewed vigour the military order to restore government control and advance so far. doctrine laid out by Chavez on over the economy, the Maduro Of course, there are chinks in the how to build an armed forces at government decided to hand over armour of the army too. In March the service of the revolution, which crucial economic departments to the this year, a conspiracy inside the staunchly refuses to work for the army, which is spread out all over the FANB was nicked in the bud. Six interests of the ruling classes and country, is a well-disciplined force, lieutenant colonels, a first lieutenant the empire. It is a crucial theme can implement decisions quickly and two sergeants belonging to a for a continent where the army has due to a centralised command right wing movement called the historically always been associated structure, and most importantly, its ‘Movement of Transition towards with corrupt right wing dictatorships soldiers have close connections with the Dignity of the People’ were and the empire. the people of the country as they arrested. All the soldiers belonged have been involved in innumerable community projects all over the Bhindranwale Still Lives country. Despite this, the economic crisis continues, and the picture Kuldip Nayar in Venezuela remains complex and the revolution is facing its Indian history is replete with community. I was criticised for greatest challenge since the 2002 tragedies which, when retold, having offended the Sikhs. coup attempt. The international suggest that the happenings could Indeed, Prime Minister Indira blockade imposed by the United have been avoided. Operation Gandhi wanted to finish the Akalis States continues. The plots of the Bluestar is one of them. Jarnail and found an opportunity while opposition to destabilise and weaken Singh Bhindranwale, a militant, challenging Bhindranwale. In fact, the revolution continue; these affect holed himself up at the Akal Thakt, there was more to it than just what the army too. The resolution of the highest Sikh seat, and created a meets the eye. According to one this crisis is not going to depend state within state. Prime Minister story which was later confirmed by on changing the leadership of the Indira Gandhi used the army to her personal secretary R.K. Dhawan, revolution, but by strengthening the silence his guns and sent tanks into the plan was to garner voters for the participation of the people in the the Harmandir Saheb. Whatever one 1984 Lok Sabha elections which struggle to rejuvenate the economy, may say, Bhindranwale continues to were due a few months later. including both the production and enjoy respect in the hearts of Sikhs. Indira Gandhi’s son Rajiv the distribution systems. I had a taste of it the other day Gandhi, nephew Arun Nehru and when, unwittingly, I referred to Rajiv’s adviser Arun Singh were Civic-Military Myth him as a terrorist. Sikh historian behind the decision which forced It is undoubted that there can be Khushwant Singh could get away Mrs. Gandhi to order the army no Chavismo without the unity of the with the remark that Bhindranwale to storm the Golden Temple in people and the armed forces, without was a terrorist. But I could not. Amristar to flush out the militant the civic-military alliance. This bond Although I explained that it was an leader and his cohorts. Dhawan was is being stretched to its limits both off-the-cuff remark, not meant to quoted as saying that the trio—Rajiv, by the numerous tasks that the army cast any reflection on Bhindranwale, Arun Nehru and Arun Singh— is being called out to do, one of there was a furore in the Sikh believed that a successful army JANATA, July 8, 2018 13

operation could enable them to win with the biggest mandate (421 seats Community’, an official with the the elections hands down. in a house of 544 members) in Indian Foreign Secretary told the private Operation Bluestar was not history following his mother’s secretary to the Home Secretary that just Mrs Gandhi’s last battle. It assassination. “the Foreign Secretary wishes him to was the first, and perhaps the most I was a part of the team which be made aware of some background disastrous, of Rajiv’s blunders. A comprised General Jagjit Singh which could increase the possibility report in the Caravan magazine Aurora, Air Marshal Arjun Singh of repercussions among the Sikh said that “Indira Gandhi, who had and Inder Gujral, who subsequently communities in this country”. evidently approved Bluestar with became the Prime Minister, to span The letter went on to say that if the greatest reluctance, regretted the the distance between the Akalis and the British advice were to emerge operation immediately, according to the government on the one hand in public, it could increase tension Dhawan, who was with her when and Sikhs and Hindus on the other. in the Indian community in Britain. she first saw images of the damage All the people whom we spoke to However, there is no evidence in any to the shrine.” President Giani Zail made a case where it was clear that of the declassified communications Singh wanted to visit the shrine to the government had overreacted. if the British plan was finally used make amends but was dissuaded. He Our finding also was that the Army for the June 1984 operation. took a civilian plane on his own and operation was not necessary and that When I was posted as High visited the Golden Temple to offer Bhindranwale could have been dealt Commissioner in 1990, I found that his apology. with differently. We said so in our there was a prejudice against the The deepest cut was that he was report to the Punjabi Group which Sikhs entering the building and one asked to defend the operation on had deputed us to probe the anti-Sikh of my first actions was to throw open AIR. Subsequently, he told me that riots that followed Mrs Gandhi’s the doors to all. The search of only he wanted to say no but realised that assassination. the Sikhs when entering the High it would create a crisis in the country, The anti-Sikh riots in Delhi Commission was discontinued. the President taking one line and the and neighbouring areas could have Email: [email protected] government the other. He did go on been suppressed immediately. But air and defended the operation. He then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi literally wept while addressing the intentionally did not ask either the Janata nation. police or the Army to intervene. He is available at Mrs Gandhi, too, was horrified reportedly remarked that the riots to see the footage of the Golden were spontaneous. He even reacted www.lohiatoday.com Temple which was brought by Arun by saying that when a big tree falls, Singh. Arun Nehru told me that his the earth is bound to shake. Janata Subscription phupi (aunt Indira Gandhi) was not Now 34 years after the Army willing to carry out the operation stormed the Golden Temple, the Annual Rs. : 260/- until the last minute. But then declassified British documents show Three Years : 750/- the army chief and also the trio, that the UK military had advised Demand Draft / which guided Operation Bluestar, India on retaking the temporal seat eventually changed her mind. This of Sikhs, kicking off political storms Cheque on was mainly because Rajiv Gandhi in both London and New Delhi. The Mumbai Bank had started dealing directly with British Government has ordered an in favour of Punjab affairs which until some inquiry into the revelations and the time ago was handled by his brother, BJP has demanded an explanation. JANATA TRUST Sanjay Gandhi. The revelation is contained in a It is another matter that Mrs series of letters declassified recently D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Gandhi had to pay with her life for by the National Archives of the UK Naushir Bharucha Marg, the attack on the Golden Temple after the 30-year secrecy rule. In Grant Road (W), when her security guards gunned her an official communication, dated down. Rajiv Gandhi swept to power February 23, 1984 and titled ‘Sikh Mumbai 400 007. 14 JANATA, July 8, 2018 Nonviolence or Nonexistence? The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Robert J. Burrowes

Fifty years ago, on 4 April 1968, humanity on a path to peace, justice was in New Zealand to deliver a the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and sustainability. paper on the Great Lakes conflict. was assassinated. Let me tell you about some of In Rwanda, the Institute for Conflict The night before he died, King these people and organisations and Transformation particularly works gave another of his many evocative invite you to join them. on nonviolence education in schools, speeches; this one at the packed In Bolivia, Nora Cabero works universities and refugee camps. Mason Temple in Memphis. The with the Movimient Humanista. Another initiative is the conduct speech included these words: The Movement has many programs of workshops on nonviolence and Men for years now have been including the Convergence of peace through sports for head talking about war and peace. Cultures which aims to facilitate and teachers in the country but it also Now no longer can they just stimulate true dialogue—oriented has programs to fight early marriages talk about it. It is no longer a towards the search for common points and pregnancies, as well as offering choice between violence and present in the hearts of different trauma counseling to refugees. non-violence in this world, it is peoples and individuals—to promote In Russia, Ella Polyakova is a non-violence or non-existence. the relationship between different key figure at the Soldiers’ Mothers That is where we are today. cultures and to resist discrimination of Saint-Petersburg. Ella and her In clearly identifying this stark and violence. Another program, colleagues work to defend the rights choice and having been inspired World Without Wars and Violence of servicemen and conscripts in the by Mohandas K. Gandhi’s wide- emerged in 1994 and was presented Russian military. Ella explains why: ranging social concerns, King’s for the first time internationally When we were creating our concerns were also broad: in 1995 at the Open Meeting of organisation, we understood that The Triple Evils of poverty, Humanism held in Chile at the people knew little about their racism and militarism are forms University of Santiago. It is active rights, enshrined in Russia’s of violence that exist in a vicious in about 40 countries. It carries out Constitution, that the concept cycle. They are interrelated, all- activities in the social base and also of “human dignity” had almost inclusive, and stand as barriers promotes international campaigns disappeared, that no one had to our living in the Beloved such as Education for Nonviolence been working with the problems Community. When we work to and the World March for Peace and of common people, let alone remedy one evil, we affect all Nonviolence. those of conscripts. We clearly evils. Eddy Kalisa Nyarwaya Jr. is understood what a soldier in So what has changed in the past Executive Secretary of the Rwanda the Russian army was, a mere 50 years? The world has traveled Institute for Conflict Transformation cog in the state machine, yet a great deal further down the path and Peace Building and is also with an assault rifle. We felt how of violence. So far, in fact, that President of the Alternatives to important hope, self-confidence nonexistence is now the most likely Violence Program. For the past 18 and trust were for every person. outcome for humanity. years, he has been active in the At the beginning of our journey, Despite the vastly more perilous fields of ‘peace, reconciliation, we saw that people around us, as state of our planet, many people nonviolence, healing of societies, a rule, did not even know what it and organisations around the world building harmonious communities’ meant to feel free. It was obvious are following in the footsteps of in many countries including for us that the path towards Gandhi, King and other nonviolent Burundi, Chad, eastern Congo, freedom and the attainment luminaries like Silo, and are engaged Darfur (western Sudan), Kenya, of dignity was going through in what is effectively a last ditch Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and enlightenment. Therefore, our stand to end the violence and put northern Uganda. Late last year he organisation’s mission is to JANATA, July 8, 2018 15

enlighten people around us. system, and for the crumbling and biodiversity hotspots of global Social work is all about showing, physical infrastructure as Maine significance. If you would like to explaining, proving things to joins Mississippi in the ‘race to the read more about this campaign and people, it is about convincing bottom’.” You can read more about what you can do to help, you can them. Having equipped ourselves this ongoing campaign to convert the do so in John’s article ‘Ecuador with the Universal Declaration Bath Iron Works into a location for Endangered’. of Human Rights and Russia’s the production of socially useful and Apart from the individuals Constitution, we started to ecologically sustainable non-killing mentioned above, signatories and demolish this dispossession belt technologies on their website. endorsing organisations are engaged between citizens and their rights. Gaëlle Smedts and her in an incredibly diverse range of It was necessary to make sure partner Luz are the key figures activities to end violence in one that people clearly understood at Poetry Against Armsbased in context or another. These include that, having a good knowledge Germany. “The inspiration for individuals and organisations of rights, laws, and situations this campaign is the life, work working in many countries to end at hand, they would be able to and legacy of the Latin American violence against women (including take responsibility and protect poet, philosopher and mystic Mario discriminatory practices against themselves from abuse. Rodriguez Cobos, also known as widows), to rehabilitate child Bruce Gagnon, coordinator Silo. His total commitment to active soldiers and end sexual violence of the Global Network Against nonviolence, his denunciation of all in the Congo, activists engaged in Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, forms of violence, his doctrine for nonviolent defense or liberation was recently part of a committed overcoming pain and suffering and struggles—see Nonviolent Defense/ effort to convince the Maine state his magnificent poetry are a great Liberation Strategy—in several legislature not to give warship- affirmation of the meaning of life countries and occupied territories, builder General Dynamics, which and transcendence.” Poetry Against as well as campaigns on a vast has already received more than $200 Arms publishes poetry/songs of range of environmental, climate and million in state and local tax breaks people around the world who take indigenous rights issues, campaigns for the Bath Iron Works (BIW), any action to resist militarism. to promote religious and racial more ‘corporate welfare’. Bruce Since the 1970s, the world’s harmony as well as campaigns for recently completed a fast, which leading rainforest activist, John nuclear disarmament and to end war. lasted for more than a month, as Seed, has devoted his life to saving Given the perilous state of the one of the actions that Maine peace the world’s rainforests. Founder global environment and climate, activists took to try to prevent this and Director of the Rainforest still others are focusing their efforts welfare payment to a company that Information Centre in Australia, on reducing their consumption and has spent $14.4 billion buying back one of his latest projects is to save increasing their self-reliance in its own stocks between 2013–2017 the tropical Andes of Ecuador, accordance with the fifteen-year and whose CEO was paid $21 which is “at the top of the world list strategy outlined in ‘The Flame Tree million in 2016. of biodiversity hotspots in terms Project to Save Life on Earth’. Despite their efforts, the Maine of vertebrate species, endemic If you would like to be part of House of Representatives voted vertebrates, and endemic plants”. the worldwide movement to end 117–31 in favor of the $45 million From the cloud forests in the Andes violence that has drawn so many General Dynamics corporate welfare to the indigenous territories in people and several organisations bill and the Senate supported it 25–9. the headwaters of the Amazon, mentioned above together, along The decision was announced on the the Ecuadorean government has with many others in 103 countries same day that General Dynamics covertly granted mining concessions around the world, you are welcome sacked 31 workers from the BIW. to over 1.7 million hectares (4.25 to sign the online pledge of ‘The As Bruce noted: “It was an honor to million acres) of forest reserves and People’s Charter to Create a work alongside [those] who stood indigenous territories to multinational Nonviolent World’. up for the 43,000 children living in mining companies in closed-door Reverend King posed the poverty across Maine, for the tens deals without public knowledge or fundamental choice of our time: of thousands without health care, consent. These concessions will nonviolence or nonexistence. What for our starving public education decimate headwater ecosystems is your choice? R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, July 8, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, July 8, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, July 11, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 25 Why Was Gandhi Killed? July 15, 2018 Salil Misra Globalisation and Employment Situation in India Why was Gandhi killed? Those were needed to eliminate Gandhi. It Neeraj Jain who killed him claimed that he was is quite clear that if somebody really the greatest enemy of the Indian wanted to kill Gandhi, it was not at Communal Harmony and nation and also of Hinduism. They all difficult to do so. Popular Music had a particular picture of India and In retrospect it seems difficult Amarendra Dhaneshwar of Hinduism in mind and believed to believe why would anyone Gandhi to be an obstacle in the want to kill Gandhi. His life was Kabir: Love, Mysticism and implementation of that picture. dedicated to serving others. His an Alternative Vision To get the facts straight, Gandhi activities were not against any one Neha Dabhade was killed on 30 January 1948, in particular. For instance he fought by Nathuram Godse, directly British imperialism but was always Targeted Tamil Nadu: Indian assisted by Gopal Godse, Narayan friendly to the British people. He Civil Society Must Intervene Apte and Vishnu Karkare, all of was convinced that the system S.P. Udayakumar them associated with the Hindu of imperialism was bad above all Mahasabha. It is possible that more for the people of England. They Book Review may have been involved in the needed to be liberated from the evil Champaran Satyagraha conspiracy to eliminate him. Killing of imperialism. In a famous appeal, Gandhi was not a spontaneous, on Gandhi called on the British to get Editor : G.G.Parikh the spot decision. Considerable off the back of Indian people so preparation had gone into it. A bomb that they could all walk together. Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain was thrown at his prayer meeting on Even though he maintained total Managing Editor : Guddi 20 January. It was suggested that, opposition to anti-human ideologies given the threat to his life, security such as racism, fascism, imperialism Editorial Board : at his meetings should be increased. and—in the Indian context— B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali But Gandhi refused to allow it on communalism, he expressed love Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah the ground that it would create for the individuals and leaders Amarendra Dhaneshwar, inconvenience for common people practising those ideologies. There Sandeep Pandey who regularly attended his prayer was not a trace of any personal meetings. He was completely against hatred or animosity in his speeches D-15, Ganesh Prasad, security arrangements that would and writings. Gandhi truly practised Naushir Bharucha Marg, separate him from his own people. and popularised the Biblical maxim: Mumbai - 400 007. Given the lack of these restrictions, Hate the evil, not the evil doer. Given Email : [email protected] it is surprising that such meticulous these traits, it is difficult to believe Website:www.janataweekly.org and comprehensive preparations that someone, anyone, should want 2 JANATA, July 15, 2018 to physically eliminate him. the strongest word in his dictionary. descending on Punjab with full However, attempts had been However, in the 1940s, the fury. Muslims were the aggressors made on Gandhi’s life even earlier. demand for Pakistan gathered in Bengal and Hindus in Bihar. This He was assaulted twice in South momentum. It was generally aided was the first time in Indian history Africa, in 1897 and in 1907, but by the politics of the British and that the country had experienced survived miraculously. In India a the activities of Muslim League communal violence on such scale hand grenade was thrown at his car and Hindu Mahasabha. The two and intensity. It was also the first in Pune in 1934 in a violent reaction organisations were in principle time that communal violence had against his campaign to open wells, opposed to each other, claiming spread like wildfire, forming a temples and public roads for lower to represent Muslims and Hindus chain of barbarity. With the possible castes. But the determination by respectively. But through their exception of 1857, never before and some to eliminate him became much activities, they actually ended up certainly never after, had India come more sustained in the 1940s. helping each other. The leaders of so close to a civil war-like situation. National unity of all the Indian both the organisations—Jinnah and Certainly, incidents of communal people, cutting across religion, Savarkar—succeeded in creating violence have been quite frequent caste, language and region was a a deep communal divide between in independent India, but nowhere mission with Gandhi. This mission Hindus and Muslims. Never before in near the scale and intensity reached of achieving national unity received Indian history was the divide, mutual during 1946–47. a severe setback with the demand contempt and suspicion between Gandhi understood that these for Pakistan in 1940. Muslim the two communities as deep as events were inevitably taking India League, under Jinnah’s leadership, it was in the 1940s. Gandhi was closer to partition, but felt helpless in declared that Indian Muslims distraught by these developments the face of the deepening communal were not a religious minority but and tried to counter it in his own divide. In his prayer meetings he a nation and therefore entitled to way. He was uncompromisingly often gave into a feeling of despair: their own separate nation-state. This opposed to the partition of India. “As a result of one year of communal extraordinary demand, for which But he also knew that partition riots, the people of India have all there was no proof in history, was could be prevented only by the become communal. They are tired based on the famous two-nation- concerted efforts of Muslims and and frightened. . . . The popular theory, according to which there was Hindus. However, intensification of view is contrary to mine. . . . No one no single nation of Indian people. communalism made this difficult. listens to me any more. I am a small Rather there were two separate Gandhi spent all his energies against man. . . . neither the Congress nor nations—Hindu and Muslim. Jinnah communalism but also witnessed the Hindus nor the Muslims listen to also asserted that there was nothing somewhat helplessly the growing me. . . . I am crying in the wilderness. in common between Muslims and tide of communalism. . . . Everybody is eager to garland Hindus and that the two could not The events of late 1946–early my photos and statues [but] nobody possibly live together in peace and 1947 shattered all of Gandhi’s hopes really wants to follow my advice.” harmony. Therefore, according of finding an amicable settlement of However, since Gandhi realised to Jinnah, the only solution to the the communal problem. In August that he did not have the support of the Hindu–Muslim problem was a 1946, the Muslim League–led people to fight against the partition, physical and geographical separation government in Bengal gave a call he decided to do the next best of Hindus and Muslims and their for ‘direct action’. The result of the thing—to try and prevent communal constitution into separate nation- call was sheer mayhem. Calcutta violence, reach out to the victims of states. The British government witnessed massive communal communal violence and provide his appeared sympathetic to this demand violence for the next four days in healing touch to them. He reached purely for tactical reasons. Gandhi which around 5000 people died. Noakhali in November 1946 and and other national leaders were Soon communal violence engulfed stayed there till March 1947, giving quite taken aback by this demand. large parts of India, spreading to solace to Hindu victims and making Gandhi called the demand for Noakhali in East Bengal, Bihar, appeals to Muslims for sanity. From Pakistan a “basic untruth”, perhaps Bombay and UP, before finally there he went to Bihar to provide a JANATA, July 15, 2018 3 similar healing touch to Muslims the biggest obstacle to their agenda Muslims and of being an enemy of and appealing to Hindus to give up of creating a communal divide. Hindus. In reality Gandhi was only violence and provide all security They renewed their efforts against working for Hindu–Muslim unity to Muslims. Hearing of renewed him. The partition of India had been and India–Pak friendship. He sent violence in Calcutta, Gandhi again opposed by nationalists like Gandhi a message to Jinnah, the Governor rushed to Calcutta to spend time with but also by Hindu communalists. General of Pakistan, expressing a Hindus and Muslims. On the eve of They were opposed to partition for desire to visit Pakistan to speak to independence he refused to come to entirely different reasons. Gandhi the people. It was agreed that he Delhi and decided to observe India’s saw it as a violation of national unity would visit Pakistan in February independence—a day he had eagerly but the Hindu communalists saw it 1948. looked forward to—with silent as a concession to Muslims and were It was always an integral part prayers and fasting. opposed to it. The truth was that both of Gandhi’s politics that he did not After partition in August 1947, Hindu and Muslim communalists simply preach or talk; he backed it communal violence increased further had contributed to partition by up with concrete action. When he and was particularly severe in the preventing Hindu–Muslim unity. found that the Muslims of Delhi provinces that were partitioned, However, once Gandhi accepted had become unsafe and vulnerable Punjab and Bengal. The fury was partition, he continued to work to violence at the hands of Hindu much greater in Punjab than in for Hindu–Muslim unity. Now his and Sikh refugees from Pakistan, Bengal. One simple reason was efforts for communal unity acquired themselves victims of communal Gandhi’s presence in Bengal. His a new dimension. He also became fury in Pakistan, Gandhi promptly appeal to people worked like magic active in promoting India–Pakistan went on what became his last fast on and helped subside communal fraternity. Gandhi understood 12 January 1948, making an appeal passions considerably. Gandhi went better than anyone else that if the for peace and sanity. And as always, on a fast against violence, drawing two countries did not develop and his appeal found a positive response very positive response from the maintain friendly relations, this from the people of Delhi, including people, both Hindus and Muslims, would lead to disaster, taking its toll refugees. The violence on Muslims who laid down arms and promised on both. Neighbouring countries like of Delhi came to a dramatic end in to Gandhi not to indulge in violence India and Pakistan simply could not a week’s time, leading Gandhi to and arson. But unfortunately there afford to remain antagonistic to each break his fast on 18 January. Gandhi was no Gandhi in Punjab (and no other. It was clear that in promoting had once again been successful Gandhi-like figure in Pakistan) Indo–Pak friendship, Gandhi was in bringing to an end large-scale which experienced the worst form thinking not only of present but also violence through his personal efforts. of violence. The power of Gandhi’s of future. In a statement, remarkable It was this success of Gandhi magic was recognised even by the for its prophetic value, made in July with his people which made him last British Viceroy, Mountbatten, 1947, Gandhi said: “The Pakistanis the object of deep visceral hatred who called Gandhi a “one man will say that they must increase their by the communalists and they boundary force” and wrote in a armed forces to defend themselves became determined to eliminate letter: “My dear Gandhiji, In the against India. India will repeat the him. Nathuram Godse later declared Punjab we have 55 thousand soldiers argument. The result will be war. . . that Gandhi with his “pro-Muslim and large scale rioting on our hands. . [Shall] we spend our resources on fast” had acted “treacherously to In Bengal our forces consist of one the education of our children or on the nation” and had proved to be man, and there is no rioting.” This gunpowder and guns?” a “father of Pakistan” instead. was an open recognition of Gandhi’s Such statements and efforts of Godse was therefore determined miracle and his remarkable influence Gandhi really offended the members that Gandhi’s life “had to be brought on the people of India. of Hindu Rashtra Dal, an organization to an end immediately” so that the It was this success of Gandhi set up in 1942 by Savarkar, whose “Indian nation could be saved”. On which actually cost him his life. members were to act like storm 30 January, Godse implemented his His activities really offended the troopers of Hindu Mahasabha. resolution by pumping three bullets communal leaders who saw in him They accused Gandhi of placating into the frail 78 year-old body of the 4 JANATA, July 15, 2018 apostle of peace and love. who killed him. This pertained “Those [behind the attack] should Godse killed Gandhi. But was he to the nature of Hinduism and know that this sort of thing will not able to eliminate Gandhi? Gandhi’s the direction in which it should save Hinduism. If Hinduism is to efforts towards the end of his life grow. Both Gandhi and Godse had be saved, it will be saved through were geared towards ensuring that contrasting images of Hinduism they such work as I am doing. I have India would not become the Hindu wanted to build. For Godse, it was been imbibing Hindu Dharma from equivalent of a Muslim Pakistan. a militant, aggressive, violent and my childhood . . . Do you want to Gandhi wanted India to develop intolerant Hinduism, suspicious of annihilate Hindu Dharma by killing as a secular, democratic republic. Islam and Muslims, driven towards a devout Hindu like me?” Those who wanted India to be a a physical conquest over adversaries. This debate on Hinduism has Hindu mirror image of Pakistan, The Hinduism Gandhi practised its reverberations even today. Both also knew that Gandhi was the was just the opposite— inclusive, the possibilities—the Gandhian biggest obstacle to their plans. And compassionate, harmonious, and at and the Godse-ite—are present so they killed him. But in the end it peace with itself and with others. within Hinduism today. Which one was Gandhi who won. The people Godse understood, quite correctly, will eventually prevail? The fate of of India backed him rather than the that Gandhi was the real obstacle Hindus, and indeed of India, bill be Hindu communalists, by choosing to his brand of Hinduism. And so eventually decided by the course a secular and democratic polity for in order to save “his” Hinduism, he taken by Hinduism—Gandhi’s or independent India. Gandhi’s magic decided to kill the “greatest Hindu”. Godse’s. worked even after his death. As Gandhi himself said in his prayer There was another arena of meeting of 21 January 1948 referring Email: [email protected] contest between Gandhi and those to the bomb attack a day earlier:

Globalisation and Employment Situation in India

Neeraj Jain

India began the globalisation the creation of jobs in the economy. The economies of the capitalist of its economy in 1991, when the All economics text books in the countries now came to be dominated Indian Government, in exchange for country teach this; all academicians by giant monopolies, which not a huge foreign loan to tide over the and intellectuals also assert this. only had an enormous capacity foreign exchange crisis, agreed to Before we examine the impact to expand production, but also implement a Structural Adjustment of entry of foreign corporations were in a position to earn super- Programme as demanded by its on employment, it is important profits by forming cartels and foreign creditors. One of the to understand the nature of these manipulating prices upwards. Since conditionalities of these economic corporations whom we have given these corporations were huge, and reforms imposed on the country was an unfettered entry into the Indian had an enormous capacity to expand removal of all restrictions on foreign economy. production, and since such a huge investment, thereby allowing giant quantity of production obviously foreign multinational corporations Origin of Multinational required huge raw material resources to enter and invest in all sectors of Corporations and enormous markets, these giant the economy. By the early 20th century, a firms now entered into intense Ask any college student about profound change took place in the competition with each other for the benefits of globalisation for the capitalist economies of Western controlling raw material sources Indian economy, and he / she will Europe and the United States: and markets of other countries. One immediately answer that the entry the typical small firm came to consequence of this was that their of foreign corporations is leading to replaced by the giant corporation. international operations began to JANATA, July 15, 2018 5 expand, as they began investing its management headquarters in that particular sector. To take an heavily in other countries. By the late one country, operates in several example, today five multinational 1970s, the international operations countries. The majority of the firms produce nearly half the world’s of the monopoly corporations of the world’s MNCs are headquartered in motor vehicles, and the ten largest developed capitalist countries had the rich nations—the United States, firms produce 70 percent of the expanded to such an extent that they European Union and Japan. world’s motor vehicles. came to be known as multinational Globalisation has enabled these Some more examples: corporations (or MNCs). MNCs to spread their tentacles into • The world’s top 10 semiconductor By the late 1970s–early 1980s, each and every country throughout makers account for more than another important change took the globe. They have become so big half of the global market. place in the world economy. The that they are now bigger than entire • Ninety percent of the global economies of most of the developing countries! A study made by the anti- music market is accounted for countries, who had become free poverty charity Global Justice Now by just 5 corporations. from colonial rule during the post- found that in 2015, of the 100 biggest • Fifteen companies dominate the Second World War years and had economic entities in the world, 69 world’s pharmaceutical industry attempted to implement economic were corporations (measured by and account for 50 percent of the policies aimed at the indigenous their corporate turnover) and only global sales revenues (in 2016). capitalist development of their 31 were countries (measured by • Just 2 companies, Coca-Cola and economies—one of whose important their government revenues). The Pepsico, account for 60 percent components was limiting the combined revenue of the 10 biggest of the global non-alcoholic penetration of foreign capital in corporations was more than the beverage market. their economies—began to fail, combined taxes raised by the bottom • Just 2 corporations supply most and they became deeply mired in 180 countries. of the world’s large commercial foreign debt (discussing the reasons Since they are so big, competition jets: Boeing Co. and Airbus for this is beyond the scope of this with them is simply not possible. Industrie. essay). The developed countries Therefore, when MNCs enter a • The world’s top 10 seed now arm-twisted these countries country, they quickly gobble up companies control 75 percent into opening up their markets for the local corporations (or the latter of the global commercial inflow of foreign goods and capital become their junior partners). seed market (2011); the top (this is precisely what happened Consequently, only a few MNCs 10 pesticide firms control 95 with India also in 1991). Thus began today dominate each and every percent of the $44 billion global what has come to be known as the economic activity at the global level, pesticide market (2011); and 10 globalisation of the world economy. be it manufacture of automobiles corporations control 55 percent It has enabled the corporations of or semiconductors or medicines, of the global fertiliser market. the developed countries to enter or be it retail or transportation or • In the animal pharmaceutical into these economies and once information technology, or be it industry, the top 10 companies again acquire control over their raw banking and finance, or be it the control 76 percent of the world material sources and markets. various sectors of agriculture, from veterinary pharmaceutical The onset of globalisation in the seed and pesticide manufacture to market. 1980s has enabled the MNCs into wheat and rice production. Note The power wielded by these becoming truly giant behemoths that here we are not talking of a giant corporations over the global with operations straddled across the few firms dominating a particular economy is best illustrated by globe. economic activity in a particular a single statistic: the combined country but their dominating that revenue of the top 500 corporations MNCs in the Twenty-first Century economic activity at a global level. in the world is of the order of 35–40 The world economy today is The same MNC operates in twenty percent of world GDP! dominated by a relatively few or fifty or more countries, and along giant MNCs. A MNC is a giant with a handful of other such MNCs, MNCs and Employment corporation, which, though it has dominates global production in Generation 6 JANATA, July 15, 2018

The MNCs are so huge, they after India began globalisation, in With very little job generation have so much capital at their 2009 only 10.5 percent of India’s taking place in the private sector, disposal, that they are able to employ manufacturing workforce was and jobs declining in absolute terms the latest labour-saving technologies employed in large firms having more in the public sector, the net result of to produce an enormous amount of than 200 workers, while 84 percent the neoliberal economic reforms has goods with very few workers. And so was employed in firms with less than been a slowdown in employment MNCs create very few jobs. In 2015, 50 workers. growth rate in the country. the world’s 500 biggest corporations Additionally, the neoliberal This is borne out by employment (the Fortune Global 500) generated economic reforms have also pushed growth rate figures for India. NSSO $27.6 trillion in revenues, which India’s agriculture into deep crisis, so survey data show that employment equalled roughly 38 percent of the much so that employment generation growth rate (even with the world’s GDP. Yet, they employed a in this important sector that accounts government’s fudged figures which mere 67 million people worldwide, for half of India’s employment consider all underemployed people which is just 1.7 percent of the global has slowed down to near zero (we in ‘involuntary employment’ as labour force. [The global labour discuss this in greater detail below)! employed) has been decelerating force totalled nearly 4 billion people ever since the economic reforms in 2015. ] ii) Globalisation and Public Sector began. The compound annual Employment growth rate (CAGR) of employment Globalisation and Employment The WB-dictated SAP imposed in the country fell from 2.44 percent Generation in India on India demands that the Indian during the period 1972–73 to 1983, i) Private Sector Government privatise public to 2.04 percent during the period This is precisely what is sector enterprises and also reduce 1983 to 1993–94, 1.84 percent over happening in India too. As mentioned investment in welfare services such the period 1993–94 to 2004–05, to earlier, India began globalisation in as education, health and agricultural an abysmal 0.12 percent during the 1991. While globalisation has led extension and privatise these period 2004–05 to 2009–10. This to an increase in the country’s GDP services. This has led to a drastic slowdown has taken place despite growth rate, it has not led to an fall in public sector recruitment. globalisation having led a sharp increase in employment generation. Public sector employment in the acceleration in the country’s GDP The foreign corporations entering country continuously increased in growth rate (see Table 1). the Indian economy are creating the decades after independence, Employment growth during very few jobs. But at the same time, from 70.5 lakh in 1961 to 190.6 lakh 1999–2000 to 2009–10 was 1.49 they are destroying many more in 1991. But with the beginning of percent per annum, lower than jobs than they are creating, as their globalisation, this has got reversed. any previous ten-year period. And entry is forcing many companies, Public sector employment [including employment growth for the entire especially the small companies, to every form of government—Central, post-reform period, that is, for the close down, while the big Indian state, local government as well as 16-year period 1993–94 to 2009–10, private business houses are being quasi-government (public sector was only 1.3 percent per annum. So forced to restructure their operations, enterprises, electricity boards, road the reforms, in spite of high GDP reduce their workforce and replace transport corporations, etc.)] over growth, have completely failed to permanent workers with contract the period 1991–2012 has fallen in deliver on the employment front. workers. absolute terms, from 190 lakh to 176 It is estimated that in India, the That big corporations are not lakh. This decline has taken place in total number of new people who creating large number of jobs in every sphere of economic activity, enter the job market every year in India is admitted even by Arvind from manufacturing, construction search of jobs is around 13 million. Panagariya, the Vice Chairman of and transport to community, social That means that during the 16 years India’s Niti Aayog (he has since and personal services. from 1993–94 to 2009–10, a total resigned) and a staunch supporter of 208 million people entered the of globalisation. According to iii) Globalisation: Net Impact on job market. The NSSO data given in statistics given by him, two decades Employment in India Table 1 indicate that of these, only JANATA, July 15, 2018 7

86 million or 41.3 percent got any in 1991, very few factory jobs have 1. Duncan Green, “The World’s kind of jobs. been created. The total number Top 100 Economies: 31 And of these, only a very few of people working in factories Countries; 69 Corporations”, got factory jobs! According to two decades after globalisation, September 20, 2016, https:// the Annual Survey of Industries, in 2010, was only 11.72 million, blogs.worldbank.org; “Study: the principal source of industrial or 2.5 percent of the total official Big Corporations Dominate statistics in India, total employment workforce in the country of 460 List of World’s Top Economic (workers plus sales and supervisory million (see Table 2). Entities”, September 12, 2016, and managerial staff) in all of India’s To conclude, globalisation is https://www.theguardian.com. registered factories (both small and not leading to the creation of jobs 2. John Bellamy Foster et al., large scale industries combined) in the country; rather, it is the main “Monopoly and Competition increased by only 3.01 million reason for the terrible employment in Twenty-First Century during this 16-year period (Table crisis gripping the country. The Capitalism”, Monthly 2). This means only 1.5 percent of acceleration of economic reforms Review, April 2011, http:// the total people who entered the job under the Modi Government has led monthlyreview.org. market during these 16 years got to a further worsening of this crisis. 3. “Worldwide Semiconductor any kind of factory jobs. In other We shall discuss that in a subsequent Revenue Grew 2.6 Percent in words, despite the massive entry of essay. 2016, According to Final Results foreign corporations into the country by Gartner”, May 15, 2017, since the beginning of globalisation Email : [email protected] http://www.gartner.com. Table 1: Total Employment, Employment Growth Rate 4. “The Global Music Machine”, and GDP Growth Rate http://www.bbc.co.uk. 1983 to 2009–1016 5. “Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies 2017”, March 14, 2017, https://igeahub.com. 6. J.B. Maverick, “How Much of the Global Beverage Industry is Controlled by Coca Cola and Pepsi?” June 4, 2015, http:// www.investopedia.com. 7. “What Companies are the Major Players in the Airline Supply Business?” May 4, 2015, http:// www.investopedia.com. 8. “Agropoly – A Handful of Corporations Control World Food Production”, 2013, http:// www.econexus.info. 9. Ibid. 10. “Who Will Control the Green Economy?” November 1, 2011, http://www.etcgroup.org. 11. John Bellamy Foster et al., Table 2: Total Number of Employees in Registered Factories, “Monopoly and Competition 1993–94 to 2009–10 (in million)18 in Twenty-First Century Capitalism”, op. cit. 12. Christopher Tkaczyk, Stacy Jones, Grace Donnelly, “Everything You Need to Know 8 JANATA, July 15, 2018

About the Global 500 in 6 Charts”, July 22, 2016, http:// Communal Harmony and fortune.com. Popular Music 13. R. Jamil Jonna and John Bellamy Foster, “Marx’s Theory of Working-Class Precariousness: Amarendra Dhaneshwar Its Relevance Today”, Monthly Review, April 2016, http:// “There is an enduring empathic of many youngsters who were in monthlyreview.org. connection with the world of Indian their teens were not only engrossed 14. Arvind Panagariya, “Jobs, popular cinema. Today, this cinema, but they participated in the music Growth and Coastal Economic which draws upon images and making process with claps and also Zones”, http://niti.gov.in. symbols from the traditional regional by tapping their feet and lending 15. R. Nagaraj, “Public Sector cultures and combines them with their vocals wherever they could. Employment: What has more modern Western themes, is the For me, it was not only a satisfying Changed?” op. cit.; T.S. Papola, major shaper of an emerging, pan experience but also reaffirmation Partha Pratim Sahu, “Growth Indian, popular culture. The cinema of dearly embraced humanitarian and Structure of Employment has striking parallels with traditional values and principles. in India”, March 2012, http:// folk theatre. The popular culture as Cinema is a popular art and it has isidev.nic.in. represented by cinema goes beyond always reflected the aspirations of the 16. GDP growth rate figures taken both classical and folk elements society and nation in general. There from: T.S. Papola, Partha Pratim even while it incorporates them. The is an innate tolerance in our society Sahu, ibid.; CAGR for 1972–73 appeal of the film is directed to an which has accommodated various to 1983 taken from: S. Mahendra audience so diverse that it transcends religious groups and followed the Dev, “Employment and Growth social and spatial categories,” writes 'Live and let live' policy, not just as in India”, http://www.aiggpa. the eminent psychoanalyst Sudhir a slogan, but as a deeply ingrained mp.gov.in; employment figures Kakar in his book Indian Identity. precept. This finds reflection in for 1983 and 1993–94 taken Cinema has an enviable grip on works of art as well as in popular from: Economic Survey, 2001– popular imagination. The moving cinema.In the pre-independence 02: Social Sectors – Labour and image on the screen continues to times, films like Padosi ('Shejari' Employment, http://indiabudget. fascinate the viewer even though it is in Marathi) were made and ran for nic.in; employment figures for no longer restricted to the cinema hall weeks together amidst the tense 1999–2000, 2004–05 and 2009– or the television set. It has invaded communal atmosphere triggered 10 taken from: Twelfth Five the cell phone and is most easily by the pre-partition animosities Year Plan: Volume 3 – Social accessible through networks like You generated by the hateful campaign Sectors, op. cit., p. 160; CAGR Tube. It is necessary to harness the run by Jinnah and the Muslim calculations done by us. popular medium of cinema in order League. In a chartbuster titled Kismet 17. T.S. Papola, Partha Pratim Sahu, to spread the message of communal starring Ashok Kumar and Mumtaz ibid. harmony and religious tolerance. Shanti, there was a song which 18. Annual Survey of Industries This writer can cite his personal became an all time hit—Door Hato 2010–2011 (Factory Sector), experience to prove the point. On E Duniyawalo Hindustan Hamara mail.mospi.gov.in/index.php. June 23 this year, 'Lokayat', a group Hai. The first line of the antara in of activists from Poona, had invited the song is “Yahan Hamara Tajmahal me to perform songs stressing Hai Aur Kutubminara Hai, Yahan communal harmony at the S. M. Hamare Mandir Masjid Sikkhonka Janata Joshi Foundation Auditorium. I Gurudwara Hain”, which proclaims is available at went there well prepared, though multiplicity of faiths in our country a little apprehensive about the and equal tolerance for them. www.lohiatoday.com impact. From the very start till the A comedian like Kishore Kumar end, the audience which comprised was a hero of the film Hum Sab JANATA, July 15, 2018 9

Ustad Hai. The hero exhorts the with any religion as such). The lyrics sung tunefully and with conviction people around to share love with penned by none other than Sahir are bound to tug at the heartstrings everyone irresptive of the religion. Ludhiyanvi proclaim humanitarian of the listener who is otherwise not “Kya Hindu Kya Musalman Hum values which are beyond religion exposed to such song content. Sab Hain Bhai Bhai”, he says. or denomination: “Malik Ne Har Gandhiji used to say that he In a fascinating simile, the song Insan ko Insan Banaya, Hamne could better understand the poetic compares human beings belonging Ise Hindu Ya Musalman Banaya; content of poetry by saints when it to different denominations to a Kudarat ne to Bakshi Thi Hame Ekhi came to him through the medium musical instrument which produces Dharati, Hamne Kahi Bharat Kahi of music. This also applies to the good music when all the strings are Iran Banaya” (God made us human songs which project the message of well tuned. beings, and we made ourselves communal harmony and peaceful We have been witnessing Hindus and Muslims; Nature has co-existence. communal riots which lead to loss gifted us with one land and one of precious human life and damage Universe, we humans divided it into Email: [email protected] to property for all these years. These India and Iran). Such lyrics when riots are triggered by mutual hatred and suspicion. Baiju Bawara, one of the most successful feature films of the early 1950s, has the legendary Kabir: Love, Mysticism and an singer Baiju as the lead character. In Alternative Vision one of the scenes in which the land is devastated by marauding troops who go on rampage, Baiju makes a Neha Dabhade sudden appearance and exhorts the troops to shun violence and become While many wise persons laypersons alike. The Prime Minister good humans. He sings Insan Bano through the centuries the world of India is no exception. On the Karlo Bhalai Ka Koi Kaam, a over have spoken about love and its occasion of Kabir Jayanti, PM Modi moving song sung by Mohammed transformative value, in India, the quoted a famous doha from Kabir Rafi and set in the raga Todi by the message of love has been passed to emphasise his government’s composer Naushad. This song is as down from generation to generation promise of sabka saath, sabka vikas relevant today in order to persuade by different saints. One saint-poet (development for all), “Kabir khada the aggressive rioters. who particularly stands out is Kabir. bazaar mein, maange sabki khair; na The film Dhool Ka Phool by Kabir, through his teachings, poetry kahoo se dosti, na kahoo se bair.” B.R. Chopra was about an unwed and life became the most influential [Standing in the marketplace (the mother. It deals with a serious proponent of the value of love. And world), Kabir asks for prosperity topic in a sensitive way. The his message has left a deep imprint for all. Neither special friendship, pregnant heroine who has been on culture and philosophy in India. nor enmity for anyone.] It is rather unceremoniously forsaken by the 28 June 2018 marked the 500th interesting to see that the ruling hero becomes an outcast and she death anniversary of the mystic poet, dispensation is invoking Kabir, an unwillingly abandons the child born reformer and saint. Kabir’s ideas iconic thinker and prime example out of wedlock on a street. The child are as relevant and revolutionary of communal harmony in India, noticed by a kindly Musilm elder is today as they were during his times. when the General Elections 2019 are brought up in a truly secular fashion. Through this article, the author nearing. Let us take this opportunity In a moving song sequence, “Accha attempts to revisit the message of to examine the tall claims made by Hai Abhitak Tera Kuchh Naam Nahi Kabir in the present context and the the government while incorporating Hai; Tujhko Kisi Mazhabse Koi complex challenges it poses. the message of Kabir in its policies, Kaam Nahi Hai” (Good that you Kabir has a huge following in against Kabir’s own philosophy and have no name which would indicate northern India across communities. teachings. your faith and you are not concerned He is quoted by scholars and 10 JANATA, July 15, 2018

Kabir’s ideas honest introspection and beyond This God can be realised through materialism. He had an alternative devotion to God without the need Kabir, a saint-poet, was one socio-political vision characterised of any pandit or mullahs (priests). of the tallest figures of the Bhakti by transcendence, humility and He rejected organised religion and movement in India. Though his birth spirituality which comes across emphasised a humanistic approach year is contested, he is believed to be clearly through his dohas: towards religion. the contemporary of Sikandar Lodhi. Kabira Garv Na Keejiye, Uncha It is believed that he was born in a Dekh Aavaas Kabir against social hierarchies Hindu family but raised by a Muslim Kaal Pairon Punyah Letna, Similarly, Kabir was also weaver family. He grew up to be a Ooper Jamsi Ghaas. strongly against caste divide in mystic poet in Varanasi. He sharply (Kabir, don't be so proud society. At a time when identities critiqued not only the inequality and vain, living in your high based on religion and caste are and social hierarchy in the Hindu mansion. Tomorrow, you'll be fracturing social cohesion and social philosophy but also the orthodoxy lying under the feet, with grass justice, when the State which is duty in Islam. Through his life and growing on top) bound to promote equality, fraternity dohas, he encouraged others to think One aspect of Kabir that can’t and liberty of all citizens has failed critically about social hierarchies be ignored is that he was not just a to do so, it is important to recall the and embrace love, compassion and saint-poet but also a reformer. His teachings of Kabir. honest introspection of self and contribution in this area needs more A direct criticism of the caste the world. Kabir’s fundamental elaboration. As mentioned above, system by Kabir can be found in message is love. One of his most he was against social hierarchies these couplets: famous dohas which encapsulates and injustice and therefore has a “If you say you're a Brahmin, this message beautifully is: large following amongst the Dalits Born of a mother who is a Poti padh padh jag mua, Pandit even today. He critiqued the dogmas Brahmin, bhayo na koye and superstitions in the Hindu Was there a special canal, Dhai akshar prem ke, jo padhe philosophy. One example of where through which you were born?" so Pandit hoye he took on the orthodoxy and defied "Were the Creator concerned (Reading books everyone died, tradition was his decision to move about caste, none became wise; one who to Maghar from Kashi (Benaras). We’d arrive in the world, with understands love is greater than While Kashi is a holy city for the a caste mark on the forehead.” any learned scholar) Hindus who believe that it is the The Dalits in India are still Though the message of love gateway to heaven, it is believed that violently denied equal opportunities seems to be simplistic, yet it is Maghar is a gateway to hell. In order and rights despite constitutional revolutionary for the times torn to explain his move he says, provisions which call for equality. by conflicts, identity politics and Kya Kaasi, Kya Oosar Maghar, The dominant Hindutva politics inequalities. The time he was living Ram hriday basu mora which also shapes the policies of in was marked by the dominance of (What's the difference between the ruling dispensation upholds Brahmins, rigid religious traditions, Kashi and a barren Maghar, the caste system and its inherent rituals and customs, feudal laws when divinity resides within?) hierarchy. Atrocities against Dalits and orthodoxy. These hierarchies Similarly, Kabir tore into the are common news in the media and rigidity were an anathema to orthodoxy of Islam too. He bitterly almost every day. Ghastly violence is love and humanism which Kabir criticised the rituals and rigidity perpetrated against Dalits on account sought to underline. Kabir sought in Islam. Criticising the clergy, he of reasons like marrying persons to provide a broad overarching says, “Mullah, why do you go up from upper castes, using wells or framework of love, compassion and the minaret to call so loudly? Is roads used by the upper castes, mysticism which was extraordinary your lord deaf? For whose sake do wearing new clothes or showing and rebellious, in that it defied you make a loud prayer-call, He is any signs of wealth or even sporting tradition. He urged the people to in your heart.” a mustache—all these actions are re-imagine a world order based on He advocated the oneness of God. considered as prerogatives and JANATA, July 15, 2018 11 privileges of the upper castes. essentially speak of love) monuments named after Muslim One is compelled to then think “My one God is devoid of all rulers are being renamed. whether the ruling dispensation attributes; He is neither Hindu nor This hatred has spread to such really adheres to Kabir’s teachings? Muslim; an extent that there have been 60 The violence against Dalits are I perform no puja nor namaz.” incidents of mob lynching from not merely physical assaults by “Brother, where have these Gods 2010 to 2017, according to the India isolated individuals. These assaults come from; who has misled you; Spend report. Most of these incidents are manifestations of the deep- Allah, Ram, Karim, Keshav have taken place in BJP ruled states. rooted hatred against Dalits, and Hari, Hazrat, they are all the names The most recent incident took place mindset of a society which still of The One.” in Hapur in Uttar Pradesh in June believes in the notion of inferiority For Kabir, love and compassion 2018. Two Muslim men, Qasim and based on pollution. To add to this for all was more important. However, Samayuddin, were attacked by a dehumanising idea is the concoction one can’t say that this legacy of love mob, allegedly over rumours of cow of nationalism promoted by the is carried out untainted in India slaughter. In a photo of the incident right-wing extremists which makes today. The social fabric of India that has gone viral over the social the cow holy while justifying is under immense strain due to media shows Qasim being dragged and normalising violence against communal violence, distrust, hatred by the mob in the presence of the Dalits. Dalits and others are severely and overwhelming stigmatisation UP police; he later succumbed to his punished on the suspicion of cow of communities based on religious injuries. In another video, a panting slaughter. Cow becomes a religious identities. The boundaries of Samayuddin bleeding profusely from symbol to be revered and protected religious identities are hardening, his head can be seen pleading with over human beings. This symbolism creating political binaries. The the mob. This case unfortunately and ritualism is precisely what Kabir dominant discourse being promoted is not unique in its brutality. Such sought to counter. He wonderfully is that of homogeneity. The Hindutva cases of mob lynching, starting captures the need to self-introspect ideology which proclaims that from Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri and not project hatred towards others Hindus are the original and rightful to Afrazul in Rajsamand, have been in the following couplets: citizens of India has set its own a heart wrenching tale of inhumanity Bura jo dekhan main chala, bura standards and litmus test for and pure hatred. In Dadri, the call naa miliya koe, nationalism. Its idea of nationalism to attack Mohammad Akhlaq was Jo dil khoja aapna, toh mujhse is based on upper caste Hindu given from the temple! bura naa koe. traditions and negates the pluralism If the government was indeed (I set out to find the crooked present both in Hinduism itself keen on spreading the message of ones, but couldn’t find anyone; as well as in the culture of India, Kabir in Indian society, it would when I looked into my own which has borrowed from different have worked on multiple levels heart, I found there was nobody religions and traditions. to arrest this trend. On one level, more crooked than me!) As opposed to this, Kabir’s there would be an honest quest teachings provide space for for justice. However, instead, the Kabir: A Bridge between Cultures inclusion of multiple narratives State is leveling charges against the The iconoclastic saint Kabir is a because he recognised multiple victims instead of the perpetrators. symbol of India’s syncretic culture. truths. The Hindutva supremacists On another level, it would work Kabir didn’t identify himself as a attempt to shrink this inclusive for social harmony and cohesion Hindu or a Muslim. He renounced space and uphold a single narrative by treating all religions equally. the orthodoxy in both religions: of homogenisation. This is being Hindu Rashtra, which is directly Chahe Geeta baanchiye, ya manifested in the constant attack on antithetical to the slogan of “Sabka padhiye Quran, Muslims, by attacking or discrediting Saath Sabka Vikas”, would not be Mera tera pyaar hi har pustak the contribution of the Muslim the stated objective of the ruling ka gyaan! community to Indian culture. For dispensation. (Whether one reads the Geeta example, the history of India is It is unfortunate if not surprising or the Quran, all holy texts sought to be rewritten, or roads and that BJP seeks to appropriate Kabir, 12 JANATA, July 15, 2018 given his colossal legacy and Press Release following amongst the marginalised. A similar attempt is being made to US Pressure on Modi's Foreign Policy appropriate Ambedkar and other tall leaders by the party for electoral Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Here, the real question arises: Is gains. However, one hopes that so-called aggressive foreign policy India's tilt under American pressure Kabir’s ideas are remembered in is once again ready to surrender the not a challenge to its political and earnest and not for political gains. political sovereignty of the country economic sovereignty? The ruling His idea of love has the power to to American imperialism. After class of India and the advocates of breaking the nuclear treaty with capitalism the world over do not work as an antidote to the violence Iran, the American President Donald tire of declaring India to be a fast that is sought to be normalised and Trump has told all countries of the emerging superpower. The Socialist polarisation that is prevailing in the world that they should completely Party wants to ask if superpower society. Kabir’s deep spirituality, stop importing oil from Iran until India has no right to decide who to which rests on love and self- November 4. Nikki Haley, the befriend and whom to do business introspection, offers an alternative visiting representative of the United with? It seems that pomposity of to bigotry and hatred being spread States to the United Nations, has 'aggressive' foreign policy of Modi in the name of religion and caste. given the same message to the Prime is only to mislead the people of the He defied traditions to imagine and Minister of India in stern words. She country. construct a vision of society based has said that India should rethink Earlier, when India had prepared on love, devotion and humility. This its relations with Iran, because to build a gas pipeline from Iran, also demands courage to see the truth America considers Iran a threat to the then Bush administration had and accept multiple truths—based world peace. Haley said that Iran pressurised India to break the gas on inclusion and loving others. is going to prove the next North agreement with Iran. Today, when This humanist approach towards Korea. However, in reality, the US India is dependent on Iran for society will help us to remould our has recently made an agreement meeting its energy needs, it is being society and make it more humane with North Korea with great fanfare. forced to rely on Saudi Arabia and and harmonious. Due to the engagement of the US other countries. Meanwhile, under representative in connection with the the pressure of the US, India has Perhaps this last couplet will same deal, the India-US dialogue on continued to vote against Iran in better convey his message of July 7 has been cancelled. the International Atomic Energy courage, transcendence and love: The explanation of Ravish Agency. Yet Iran has continued its Bhala Hua Meri Matki Phoot Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry friendship with India. The reason Gayee of External Affairs, did not have any for this is that India has had a stable Mein to Paneeyan Bharan se special effect on Nikki. Ravish has Iran policy for a long time. Till Chhoot Gayee. said that relations between India and recently, it appeared that Prime (Thank God, that this pitcher of Iran are very old. India is the largest Minister Modi’s friendship with mine is broken; I no longer need importer country of hydrocarbons Iran was growing. But now it seems to keep filling it with water.) from Iran. Indian Oil wanted to buy that under American pressure, he is 7 million tons of crude oil from ready to overturn India's established Email: [email protected] Iran by March next. In May, India Iran policy. imported 771,000 barrels of oil per The Socialist Party would like to day from Iran. The biggest difficulty caution the citizens—if this happens, Spectre of Fascism after the US pressure would be the India's image as a sovereign nation Contribution Rs. 20/- cash payment. It is not clear how will be weakened in the world and its India will pay for the import of interests will be damaged. Therefore, Published by crude oil of $10 billion. India's oil the Socialist Party demands that Janata Trust & Lokayat companies have prepared a flexible the Modi Government should not D-15, Ganesh Prasad, plan for the payment along with sacrifice India's long-tested Iran Naushir Bharucha Marg, making payment to Iran in certain policy under American pressure. Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 items. These items include things - Abhijit Vaidya like wheat and medicines. Spokesperson, SP(I) JANATA, July 15, 2018 13

Letter to Editor: Seminar on: Targeted Tamil Nadu: Indian Civil Society Must Intervene

S.P. Udayakumar

We, the people of Tamil Nadu, oppose the contemporary fascist influence of Left Wing Extremist are being targeted and taunted by development paradigm and the (LWE) organisations, Muslim right-wing political forces and destructive projects that destroy fundamentalists organisations a few wings of the Indian State our ecology, damage our health and and Tamil secessionists (TS) machinery. Resenting our principled wellbeing, and denude our futures. organisations are prevalent in the stand against caste oppression, We are opposed to the Liberalization- genesis, conduct and guidance of communalism and hate politics, and Privatization-Globalization (LPG) all these movements assisted by rebuffing our informed position on policies and projects of the Central the Churches of all denominations” the neo-liberal economic scheme and and State governments, and their (p.17). destructive ‘development’ projects, mindless acceptance and execution The above article goes on the above-mentioned forces despise of structural adjustment policies and to compare the Tamils with the us vehemently. stabilisation programs dictated by the Kashmiris. It says: “[P]olicemen Ever since the massive, international financial institutions were attacked and these attacks nonviolent struggle against the (IFIs) and the multinational were videographed and made Koodankulam nuclear power project corporations (MNCs). viral by these groups to make the at Idinthakarai during 2011–2014, Instead of informing us about perpetrators of those offences as people all over Tamil Nadu have the so-called ‘development’ projects heroes in the eyes of young people as been waging massive struggles with all the relevant reports and was done by Kashmir extremists in against anti-People, anti-Nature documents, organizing public the valley. The practice of exposing and anti-Future projects such as hearings and taking a final call the family details of police/military the hydrocarbon extraction and with transparency, accountability personnel involved in operations petrochemical projects in the and popular participation (TAPs), and inciting people to take revenge Cauvery river basin in central the authorities impose the projects on them has become a regular Tamil Nadu, Neutrino project in unilaterally, undemocratically and in affair like Kashmir” (p.16). In Theni district, GAIL pipeline laying an authoritarian manner. Rather than other words, Tamil Nadu is seen as project in the agricultural fields of accepting the simple facts that the another Kashmir in the making and western districts, Sterlite copper ‘ordinary people’ of Tamil Nadu can the Tamils are being looked down smelter project in Thoothukudi, think for themselves, that they can upon, just as the Kashmiris are. In 8-lane greenfield highway between take a stand on issues that affect their this perspective, the Thoothukudi Salem and Chennai to transport the lives, resources and livelihoods and massacre of May 22, 2018 becomes mountainous minerals, and so forth. that they are capable of safeguarding a legitimate security action carried There has been rampant sand mining their rights and entitlements, the out to keep a bunch of anti-national in all our rivers and in our sea coasts, above-mentioned forces go berserk Kashmiri-like elements at bay. blatant encroachment of our water with all kinds of ludicrous claims To make matters worse, the bodies, and a multitude of stone and accusations. weak and discredited Tamil Nadu and granite quarries on our hills and They call us Maoists, Naxalites, government has been toeing the mountains. The once green and lush Jihadis, Tamil Tigers, anti-Indians, line of the BJP government at the Tamil Nadu is fast becoming a semi- foreign stooges, secessionists, anti- Centre in order to ensure its own arid zone with little or no rainfall, developmentalists, and so on. An longevity and to reap rich dividends persistent drought and severe water article in the Organiser magazine from different sources. They arrest scarcity. (dated June 24, 2018), mouthpiece dissident leaders and activists all The deeply disturbed and of the RSS, sums it all up succinctly: over the state under draconian laws concerned people of Tamil Nadu “It is proved time and again, that the such as the goondas act, NSA, UAPA 14 JANATA, July 15, 2018 and so forth. The state police arrest Book Review ‘ordinary people’ quite arbitrarily, detain them illegally, treat them Champaran Satyagraha poorly, and literally run a ‘police (Second Edition: December 2017) raj’ in the state. They do not grant permission to organise protests or Editor: Ravela Somayya; Published by : public meetings, curtail people’s freedom of speech and freedom of Lohia Vijnana Samithi, Hyderabad assembly severely, and behave in a This is the second edition of the the movement, mixing freely with very high-handed manner. book published to commemorate the the peasants. To put it tersely, the Tamils are centenary of Champaran movement The Marxist historian Irfan being targeted and taunted by both led by Gandhi. It is gratifying to Habib has paid glorious tributes the pro-corporate BJP government note that the book needed a second to Gandhi in the first edition of at the Centre and by their cronies in edition within a short period of four the book. He appreciated the way the State. We are not able to take it months. in which Gandhi managed to earn anymore. We do not want to feel that This second edition comes confidence of the peasants in spite of we are being abandoned by the rest with addition of various reviews being a stranger to them. He moved of India and the larger world. And we and comments on the first edition as one among them. Gandhi also want the Indian civil society to know and also some new writings on impressed them as an ethical person more about our plight and come to the movement. The size of the when he preached non-violence our rescue. book is literally doubled. The new and stood upright against the threat So we are organising a articles are from eminent writers of imprisonment for defying the consultation between some of the like Ramachandra Guha, S.N. Sahu, administration. Indian civil society leaders and local Anil Nauriya and Vadrevu China In his article, Tushar Gandhi, leaders of Tamil Nadu, and a public Veerabhadrudu. They are really the great grandson of Gandhi, has hall meeting afterwards on July enlightening. rightly stated that the Champaran 15, 2018, Sunday, at the Chennai Ramachandra Guha asserts that movement has to be understood Reporters’ Guild, Chennai. the roots of Gandhi’s leadership as a powerful lesson to fight for lie in the Champaran movement. It the rights of the oppressed and Email: [email protected] established his credibility as a leader exploited, not confined merely to the with conviction when he dared the indigo farmers. He regretted that the Janata Subscription colonial authorities to arrest him for condition of farmers is still the same defying the unlawful laws. He has as it was a century ago. We refuse Annual Rs. : 260/- exposed the different vested interests to learn from history. Moreover he Three Years : 750/- that were opposing him. conceded that a similar movement Demand Draft / It is true that there were may not be possible now since the resistance movements by the various associations of farmers Cheque on indigo farmers even before the are divided and represent different Mumbai Bank Champaran movement. But they political parties. It is a matter of in favour of could not succeed against the shame that exploitation of farmers brutal suppression by the colonial has become so intense that it is JANATA TRUST authorities. Those movements were driving them to suicides. sporadic and there was no unifying Anil Nauriya gives the D-15, Ganesh Prasad, force for them. It cannot be gainsaid background to Gandhi’s involvement Naushir Bharucha Marg, that the Champaran movement in the movement. At that time, Grant Road (W), succeeded because of the unifying Gandhi was seeking to understand force provided by Gandhi. He also India as it was different from South Mumbai 400 007. served as an enlightened leader of Africa in many respects. Gandhi JANATA, July 15, 2018 15 was aware of the problems of indigo S.N. Sahu writes that Gandhi movement was successful because cultivators in India as the journal studied the conditions of farmers of the groundwork done by him. Indian Opinion published by him in such detail and truthfully that One hundred years back, the in South Africa had reported on it the report submitted by him to the Champaran movement taught us earlier. But having involved himself colonial government formed the that political and social freedom is into the movement at the invitation basis for the Champaran Agrarian possible through non-violence and of the suffering peasants, he gave Act, 1918 that stopped the forcible truth. But the Naxal movement of it his heart and soul. Instead of cultivation of indigo by the farmers. fifty years back insists that political assuming leadership directly, he Sahu also explains the ramifications freedom is possible only through started to understand the people of the agricultural movement led agitation and violence. The riddle and their actual problems. He mixed by Gandhi in various fields like is that the common people are freely with the peasants to gain their education, gender equality, public indifferent to both the movements. confidence. He had to educate them hygiene and communal harmony. It They while away their time enjoying and infuse confidence that they transformed the agrarian movement cheap entertainments. That is the can get their problems solved. He into a social movement, on which heartfelt agony of Vadrevu China earned their respect by defying the the entire independence movement Veerabhadrudu and it reflects the authorities, inviting imprisonment. was moulded. feelings of intellectuals in the society Nauriya also writes about what The genuine agony felt by now. His reflections are given in was happening all over the world Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu, a Telugu version. It would have at the same time as the Champaran while commenting on the first been worthwhile to give an English struggle was taking place in India. edition of the book, has to be version of the same. When Gandhi entered Champaran, noted. He laments that the most The additions made in the second Lenin entered Russia from important incidents of history—like edition of the book really add weight Switzerland to lead the Bolshevik the Champaran movement—are to the book. The significance of revolution. In June 1917 Annie the least mentioned in writings on Champaran movement is analysed Besant was interned for starting history. Even intellectual members from different angles and from the Home Rule League. There of society do not give due importance different points of view helping the were public agitations all over the to such movements that determine reader get a wholesome idea of its country in her support. Gandhi the real course of history. The place in history. advised them to adopt the method trend is to highlight capitalist and Ravela Somayya and the of “passive resistance”. He told them elite aspects ignoring rural and Lohia Vignana Samiti are to be “it may be illegal but not unlawful”. poverty problems. He described the congratulated for bringing out this He believed in it deeply. As a Champaran movement as an ethical volume. result Annie Besant was released in rather than political movement. September itself. It was an attempt on the part of Email: [email protected] People followed Gandhi with Gandhi to express his indignation confidence not just because he at the injustice being perpetrated on The Unemployment infused confidence in them about the innocent and helpless farmers. their capacity to struggle, but also The subsequent movements like Crisis: Reasons and because of the righteousness of his non-cooperation and Quit India Solutions method of non-violence, which gave were taken up for purely political Contribution Rs. 25/- them the moral courage for their purposes. Gandhi’s willingness to fight. While Lenin was appealing get imprisoned for defying an unjust Published by to industrial workers and soldiers, law was the way to infuse confidence Janata Trust & Lokayat Gandhi in India was looking to among the people to stand by their D-15, Ganesh Prasad, organise the poor peasants spread own convictions. He felt it necessary Naushir Bharucha Marg, over tens of thousands of villages. to liberate the people from mental Grant Road (W), He had to unite them and and set a slavery before making them ready for common goal before them. political freedom. The independence Mumbai 400 007 R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, July 15, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, July 15, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, July 18, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 26 How do We Promote Peace July 22, 2018 in India Today? Some Lesser Known Facts About India’s Past Neeraj Jain Ram Puniyani

Communalism and Development We are passing through times arrests in the case. Irfan Engineer when Hate against weaker sections Now, in the case of Mandsaur of society and religious minorities rape, the incident is being given The Dark Side of Humanity and Legality: A Glimpse Inside Assam’s is increasing by leaps and bounds. false twist to demonise a community. Detention Centres for ‘Foreigners’ The increase in incidents of mob The accused belonged to Muslim Harsh Mander lynching all over the country on the community. Muslim groups took pretext of child lifting is coming out a procession demanding severe Marx@200 – Neither the on the back of mob lynching of punishment for the accused. The beginning, nor the end Muslims on the pretext of cow-beef Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia Dr. A. Raghu Kumar slaughter and numerous incidents joined a candle light procession GM Crops in India: Approval by of public flogging / humiliation of to demand death penalty to the Contamination? Dalits. Mobs seem to be emboldened accused. Social media was used Colin Todhunter by the fact that there has been an to spread the false message that approval of these acts from the top. he was demanding the release of The Politics of Poverty in America Ministers like Mahesh Sharma came the accused. The pictures of the Ebony Slaughter-Johnson to the funeral of Dadri accused; procession were photo-shopped Editor : G.G.Parikh now Mr Jayant Sinha welcomed to present Muslims in bad light. the accused of Alimuddin lynching A message was circulated which Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain case when they got bail. Even more said that members of the Muslim Managing Editor : Guddi worrying and frightening is that community rallied in Mandsaur now several horrid incidents of demanding that the perpetrators of Editorial Board : rape are being given a communal the crime be released because the B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali twist; on the one hand, fake news is Quran sanctions rape of non-Muslim Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah being employed with impunity, and women; the reality is that the text Amarendra Dhaneshwar, on the other, the rape accused are of the placards in the Mandsaur Sandeep Pandey getting social support. It’s a matter procession read: “We won’t tolerate of shame that in the Kathua rape attacks on daughters, stop this D-15, Ganesh Prasad, case, the then Ministers from BJP brutality”. Naushir Bharucha Marg, Chaudhary Lal Singh and Chander A false tweet is being circulated: Mumbai - 400 007. Prakash Ganga attended the event “NCRB report: India is most Email : [email protected] organised by Hindu Ekta Manch, dangerous for women. Reason: In Website:www.janataweekly.org which was protesting against the India, 95% of the rape cases have 2 JANATA, July 22, 2018 a Muslim perpetrator. Of the total and was shared massively. The Mahant from Ayodhya, Yugal 84,734 rape cases, 81,000 rapes One recalls that in recent times, Kishore Sharan Shastri, through had a Muslim rapist and 96% of the BJP has deliberately muddied his less advertised peace marches, the victims are non-Muslims, and the waters of social media by is trying to reach out to various with an increase in their population, employing thousands of trolls, as sections of society with a message number of rapes will also increase.” Swati Chaturvedi’s book I am a of tolerance and peace. Such efforts Nothing can be farther from truth. Troll, tells us. The hate propaganda need to be upheld and broadened. NCRB (National Crime Records began with the demonisation of These are just a few examples of Bureau) does not record the religion Muslim kings for breaking Hindu the initiatives in this direction, there in cases of rape. This tweet and temples in medieval period, for are many more which need to be the one about Jyotiraditya Scindia spreading Islam, for having large projected to promote and preserve was exposed by AltNews, a news families, indulging in polygamy, amity in India. portal which doing a great service being terrorists etc. Now it has Countering Hate and promoting to society by giving the truth and taken a dangerous turn with people amity became the central message exposing such fake news which are trained in communal ideology and of the father of the Nation, Mahatma deliberately trying to demonise the in the use of social media blatantly Gandhi, who struggled to promote religious minorities in the country. twisting facts. There are reports peace in the highest traditions of One recalls that in the case of that in the forthcoming elections, his Hinduism. As the fake news is Muzzafarnagar riots in September the BJP is planning to train lakhs assuming frightening proportions 2013, the violence was incited by of volunteers in the use of social and is doing serious harm to the circulating a video of two young media for electoral gains. The rising concept of fraternity inherent in men being beaten by a Muslim hatred is becoming like a monster, Indian nationalism, we need to mob, creating the impression that propelling itself beyond control. retune ourselves to the core value it was a recording of the killing of Is the social media to be blamed of amity, which was one of the two Hindu youth in Kawal village in for intensifying this hate? Some foundation values of our freedom Muzaffarnagar district. The police control and restraint is needed, movement and is very much a part later confirmed that it was a two-year some fact-check is necessary for of our Constitution. old picture from Pakistan and was this highly impactful media. What available on You-tube and was of a is also needed is that portals like Email: [email protected] crowd beating up thieves. AltNews are made more popular Recently in Kairana, the to counter these falsehoods. It is Mahagathbandhan candidate heartening to note that Twitter has Tabassum Hasan won the election decided to suspend seven crore fake Janata Subscription against the BJP candidate. accounts. We also need to ensure Annual Rs. : 260/- After winning, she stated, that the misconceptions and hate “This is the victory of truth and which are ruling our society and Three Years : 750/- ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (coalition) and our streets need to be countered Demand Draft / defeat of the BJP in the State and by messages of love. What we Cheque on Centre. Everyone has come out and need is that truth is propagated Mumbai Bank supported us. I thank them.” On and the message of peace is made social media and on TV debates, her more effective. We have activists in favour of words were twisted and what was like Faisal Khan, who through his presented was that she said, “This organisation Khudai Khidmatagar JANATA TRUST is the victory of Allah and defeat takes out peace marches. Harsh D-15, Ganesh Prasad, of Ram”. This quote was posted Mander’s Paigam-E-Mohabbat on a number of pro-BJP pages on (Message of peace) has been doing Naushir Bharucha Marg, Facebook, including a page by the yeoman service by meeting the Grant Road (W), name of Yogi Adityanath–True families of victims of lynching and Mumbai 400 007. Indian which posted it on 1 June, creating an atmosphere of amity. JANATA, July 22, 2018 3 Some Lesser Known Facts About India’s Past

Neeraj Jain The Indian Subcontinent till the caste system, social hierarchies and and financiers. Not only was she early 18th century was one of the even the power of religion over the the greatest shipbuilding nation, world’s most developed regions. individual. These thinkers were not but she had great commerce and Europe caught up with it and became marginalised voices, but voices of trade by land and sea which more developed because of its powerful groups like the traders and extended to all known civilised industrial revolution, financed by the artisans.1 countries. Such was the India barbaric plunder of Latin America This socio-cultural development which the British found when and Africa. This made it possible was paralleled by considerable they came.3 for Europe to colonise and plunder economic progress. During the To give just one example about India. It is British colonial rule that period of the Mughal Empire, the development of Indian industry destroyed India and transformed this India was the world leader in during the 16th–18th centuries, thriving civilisation into one of the manufacturing, producing 25 percent in terms of shipbuilding tonnage, world’s poorest countries. of the world’s industrial output up the annual output of Bengal alone This would sound surprising to until the mid-18th century.2 The totalled around 2,232,500 tons, many of our readers who have come American Unitarian minister, J.T. larger than the combined output to believe the propaganda of the Sunderland, has described the wealth of the Dutch (450,000–550,000 Hindu fundamentalists about India’s created by India’s ‘vast and varied tons), the British (340,000 tons) and past. They describe the late medieval industries’ in beautiful words: the North American (23,061 tons) period (the period from around 1200 Nearly every kind of manufacture shipbuilding industries.4 AD to 1700 AD, that is, the period of or product known to the civilised The reason for this social, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal world—nearly every kind of cultural and economic development Empire) as a dark age, during which creation of man’s brain and during the period of the Delhi the Muslim kings looted India, hand, existing anywhere, and Sultanate and the Mughal Empire carried out large scale massacres prized either for its utility or was that these Muslim kings had of Hindus, destroyed thousands of beauty—had long been produced not come to colonise and loot India. temples, and so on. in India. India was a far greater They settled here, integrated with The reality is the exact opposite. industrial and manufacturing the indigenous culture which led The advent of Islam and Muslims led nation than any in Europe or to the development of a beautiful to the intermingling of the diverse any other in Asia. Her textile syncretic culture, and contributed to indigenous culture of the Indian goods—the fine products of India’s development, making India subcontinent with Islamic culture. her looms, in cotton, wool, the world’s most prosperous region. A new syncretic culture was born, linen and silk—were famous This flourishing civilisation resulting in great advances in the over the civilised world; so was destroyed by British colonial realms of art, literature, music, were her exquisite jewellery rule. The British had come with the architecture, painting and the crafts. and her precious stones cut in intention of colonising India, and An important contributing factor every lovely form; so were her so after defeating the native princes was the policy of religious tolerance pottery, porcelains, ceramics of in battle, they systematically went pursued by the kings of the Delhi every kind, quality, colour and about plundering and raping India. Sultanate and the Mughal Emperors. beautiful shape; so were her They destroyed our vibrant industry This period also saw the birth of fine works in metal—iron, steel, and agriculture and turned our cities the Bhakti movement, which has silver and gold. into ruins. Famines ravaged the been described by several scholars She had great architecture— land: one-third of the population of as the Indian renaissance, when equal in beauty to any in the Bengal, or 50 lakh people, starved to thinkers like Kabir, Nanak, Basav world. She had great engineering death during the famine of 1769–70, and Tukaram were questioning the works. She had great merchants, there were another 20 such big feudal social system, including the great businessmen, great bankers famines during the 120 years from 4 JANATA, July 22, 2018

1770 to 1890, and this sequence continued till the Great Bengal Communalism and Development Famine of 1943 which devoured nearly 40 lakh people.5 Irfan Engineer It is the British who first came up with this fraudulent portrayal Communal politics has been city, where many promises were of history that projected medieval viewed from different perspectives. made by the Shiv Sena which India as being under the despotic The left primarily regards religion has controlled the Aurangabad rule of Muslim kings who subjected as opium of people, instilling false Municipal Corporation since about Hindus to immense persecution. This consciousness, giving them a high, three decades. We wish to look provided them with a justification and diverting their attention from at the performance of the Shiv for their colonisation of India— their real issues related to material Sena–BJP alliance in Aurangabad that they had come to liberate improvement in their lives like Municipal Corporation and within it, Hindus from Muslim tyranny. Hindu jobs, better wages, housing, health, try to locate the communal violence fundamentalists have appropriated this distorted colonial history and access to medical facilities, quality which hit the city on 11 May 2018 shamelessly propagate it, as it education for the poor, and so on. just before midnight and continued helps to create the social conditions However, majoritarian communal through the wee hours of 12 May for implementing their agenda of politicians promise their followers 2018. transforming secular India into a that their government would Hindu Rashtra. not only ensure religio-cultural Religious identity politics Email: [email protected] adherence, further the cause of Religious identity politics, Hindu nationalism, but also that they which misuses religious rituals, 1 See for instance, Purshottam are the best bet for the development customs, traditions and other cultural Agrawal, Akath Kahani Prem of the nation and their material dimensions of religion, is better Ki : Kabir ki Kavita aur Unka needs. They promise Hindutva with known in South Asia as communal Samay, Rajkamal Prakashan, development. Hindutva, according politics. Communal politics exploits 2009. to them, brings out dedication and outer manifestations of religion, 2 David Clingingsmith, Jeffrey commitment to the nation; the spirit like festivals and sacred symbols, G. Williamson, India’s of sacrifice for the nation would to construct an exclusive political Deindustrialisation in the 18th ensure development. identity that is superior to other and 19th Centuries, Harvard The BJP had given all sorts of communities, instills the followers University, 2005, http:// promises during the 2014 general of the religion with pride in the www.tcd.ie; Professor Angus elections, including promising jobs superiority of their religion, and Maddison, “The World Economy to the youth, ensuring 50% profits constructs an ideological justification (GDP): Historical Statistics”, for farmers above their production to exclude ‘other’ communities. The http://www.theworldeconomy. costs, development of infrastructure ‘other’ is stigmatised, demonised, org. such as roads, electricity, etc., dehumanised and targeted. The 3 “The Looting of India”, security for women, lowering of fuel reasons for non-development December 10, 2016, http://www. prices and many other such other or slower rate of development, indialegallive.com. promises ensuring that all sections economic crisis, joblessness and all 4 Indrajit Ray, Bengal Industries other problems of the society are and the British Industrial of the society would have a good Revolution (1757–1857), p. 174, life. Their tag line was “sabka saath, attributed to the ‘other’. https://books.google.co.in. sabka vikas” (solidarity with all and Communal politics seeks to 5 Purshottam Agrawal, Akath development of all) and “achchhe instill fear of the ‘other’, through Kahani Prem Ki : Kabir ki din aanewale hai” (good times would exaggerated and illogical arguments. Kavita aur Unka Samay, op. cit., arrive). In this article, it is not our The ‘other’ would over populate p. 118,; “Remembering India’s purpose to evaluate the performance the majority in matter of few years, Forgotten Holocaust”, June 13, of the Central Government. We or they are existential threat to the 2014, http://www.tehelka.com. examine the situation of Aurangabad majority through their foolish and JANATA, July 22, 2018 5 violent means like terrorism and the elections to the Aurangabad they told us that it was true that the communal riots. They conspire Municipal Corporation held in April water connection to the Dargah in to lure women from the majority 2015 is: Shiv Sena – 29, BJP – 22, Motikaranja was disconnected, but community, marry them and convert AIMIM – 25, Congress – 8, NCP – they had been assured that after them to increase their population. 4, others – 24. A Shiv Sena Mayor a few days they could reconnect They resort to conversion of was elected; the present Mayor is and continue to draw water for the members of the majority community Nandkumar Ghodele. The Shiv Sena Dargah, once monitoring of the using coercion or fraudulent means thus retained its 25 year long hold on illegal connections was relaxed. or by offering inducements. They are the post of the Mayor. The city has Therefore, the question of them intolerant and insensitive towards the elected Chandrakant Khaire of the targeting the water post outside the culture and religion of the majority Shiv Sena as its MP. Two of the three Hanuman temple did not arise, it community. Communal politics MLAs of the city belong to Hindutva would have been foolish on their ultimately calls upon the followers parties: Atul Save of the BJP from part to seek revenge in this manner; to close ranks to marginalise the Aurangabad East and Sanjay Sirsat they thus completely denied the ‘other’, establish an authoritarian of the Shiv Sena from Aurangabad allegation. cultural state that would ensure West. After the winning the AMC The water problem of the city that the other is marginalised and elections, Aditya Thackeray—one can easily be solved by transporting relegated to secondary citizenship of the most important Shiv Sena water form Jayakwadi, the largest status if they do not succeed in leaders—said that they would not reservoir in Marathwada located 50 expelling them from their territory. sleep after winning and would work km south of Aurangabad. AMC has A fact finding team of the hard to fulfill all their promises. been planning to construct a pipeline CSSS and CPI recently visited The roads on which we were connecting Jayakwadi reservoir with Aurangabad from 19 to 21 May, driving had large potholes and even Aurangabad since 2008, but it has 2018 to investigate the communal the main city roads were in bad not done so till date. riots that broke out in the city on shape and narrow. The city, we were It appears that the AMC is 11 May 2018 on a flimsy issue of told, receives water once or twice a deliberating creating a water scarcity a Muslim man denying the use of week, even though the metered water in the city to create the ground for his mobile phone to two youth from charges have been increased several privatisation of water supply in the the Valmiki community whom he times. Citizens of Aurangabad are city—the water scarcity would also did not know. The denial later led furious as the supply of water is make the people willing to pay high to the beating up of the Muslim decreasing and charges increasing. water charges that would obviously man and triggered a communal Some of them have found an easy be charged by the private company. riot that night which went on till way out—drawing water from The Shiv Sena–BJP alliance has the wee hours of the next day, until municipal pipelines through illegal been seeking to hand over the the violence was controlled by the connections. The disconnection water supply of the city to a private police. During the fact finding visit, of these illegal connections also company, Essel Utilities, owned we came across a general complaint contributed to the communal riots on by the BJP Rajya Sabha member from all respondents, irrespective 11 May. The Valmiki community in Subhash Chandra. of their community, caste or Gandhinagar alleged that their water Essel Utilities has floated gender, regarding the failure of the post outside the Hanuman temple a subsidiary company, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation was damaged by a Muslim Maulvi Aurangabad City Water Utilities (AMC) in discharging its statutory to take revenge for the disconnection Co. Ltd. (ACWUCL). In 2014, AMC responsibilities. It was evident that of water supply to the Dargah by entered into an agreement with the the city of Aurangabad, ruled by the the Municipal Corporation. The ACWUCL, authorising it to draw Shiv Sena for about three decades, Valmiki Community members, water from the Jayakwadi dam was in utter mess. however, could not back up their and supply it to the entire area of allegations with FIR or any other Aurangabad Municipal Corporation Aurangabad Municipal Corporation evidence. When we talked to the and Cantonment Area which have The partywise position in members of the Muslim community, a consumer population of 12 lakhs 6 JANATA, July 22, 2018 and 1.25 lakh respectively, for a gave directions to the AMC in 2003 be piling up in the city, the situation period of 20 years under public to stop dumping of the waste at the of the Hindus is better than that of private partnership (PPP) model. site, but for a good 15 years AMC the Muslim community because of Under the Rs 782 crore project, made no alternative arrangement the Sena! ACWUCL also had to lay down and continued to dump its waste in Hindu supremacists’ claim that an internal pipeline network, build Naregaon. As the waste was being Hindutva and development go overhead water tanks at different dumped illegally, the villagers again together has not proven to be true locations, instal water meters at approached Bombay High Court in Aurangabad. And Aurangabad the doorsteps of the consumers, and obtained a stay in mid-February may not be an isolated example. We and collect water charges from 2018. The AMC thereafter began to see that promises of development them, which were to be increased dump 436 metric tonnes of garbage and welfare of even the Hindus by 10% every year. While the a day onto a new site at Padegaon have proven to be jumlas at the company delayed implementation Mitmita village. The of residents national level as well. Communal of the project, the contractor’s men of Padegaon Mitimita witnessed polarisation allows the communal started calling people every two the value of their property coming politicians not to worry too much months, asking them to pay their down drastically and burnt two AMC about development and welfare water charges and threatening to trucks which were dumping waste in even of their community. They cut the connections otherwise. With their village. As a result, for several unashamedly serve the interests the city’s water woes worsening, days, the AMC trucks could not lift of the elite and the super-rich, and realising that the contract with the city’s waste! Waste began to confident that the ordinary people ACWUCL had many loopholes, pile up in the city, leading to mass of their community will continue the Municipal Commissioner Om protests. to back them. But recent electoral Prakash Bakoria finally terminated results, like the recent Jinnah vs. the contract in 2016. Communal politics ganna contest in the Kairana by- Despite this bad experience Bad roads, scarcity of water, polls in UP, show that Indian people with ACWUCL, the Shiv Sena MP lack of waste disposal and other are not so gullible. They may be Chandrakant Khaire and the ruling problems have left the citizens misled once, but they have become Shiv Sena–BJP combine who are in of Aurangabad dissatisfied with wiser now and would ask hard power in the AMC are trying to give the functioning of the Municipal questions. In Aurangabad, the Shiv it water distribution rights of the city Corporation. Most persons we talked Sena usually campaigns around once again. to, irrespective of the community the theme of “Khan ki Baan” [that and caste they belonged to and their is, Muslims (Khan) or Shiv Sena Waste management political affiliations, were unhappy. (Baan means arrow, which is the The AMC has utterly failed in The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul election symbol of Shiv Sena)] and another of its statutory duties— Muslimeen (AIMIM)—a Muslim Aurangabad vs. Sambhajinagar managing waste of the city. The interest party and functioning as (Shiv Sena calls Aurangabad as AMC was dumping the city’s waste the main opposition in the AMC— Sambhaji Nagar). The secular and for 35 years at its dumping site and the Shiv Sena–BJP survive by social justice forces will have to at Naregoan village, leading to communalising the crisis, especially work harder, even though their accumulation of 10–20 lakh cubic the water scarcity. Imtiaz Jaleel, resources are scarce, to organise metres of untreated waste near the AIMIM MLA from Aurangabad people around their real issues. village and causing severe health Central, told us that his partymen The choice before lower classes problems for the villagers; the had to seize water pipes and get them and castes of Hindu community is AMC did not even install a waste installed in Muslim dominated areas, Hindutva or development. But we treatment plant at the site to reduce as they were being denied their fair will have to educate people and the waste. The Naregaon waste share. The Shiv Sena convinces its inform them about their limited dumping site had actually been political base that even though the choices. earmarked as grazing land for cows. water supply may be scarce, the In 2003, the Bombay High Court roads may be bad and the waste may Email: [email protected] JANATA, July 22, 2018 7 The Dark Side of Humanity and Legality: A Glimpse Inside Assam’s Detention Centres for ‘Foreigners’

Harsh Mander

As special monitor for the National Human Rights Commission, activist Harsh Mander visited two centres in January. This is his searing account of what he found.

The people of Assam are sitting There are no definite answers would be 50,000 at most”. All of this atop a smouldering volcano, one that from the government. A law was only adds to disquiet and fear. threatens to erupt into catastrophic moved by the Union government in The only other clue we have suffering and injustice. By July 2018 2016 to treat Hindu aliens as people about the possible future of these end, a tortuously extended process with natural rights to the Indian persons who will be judged to be of updating the National Register nation. The majority of the people aliens is the sombre experience of of Citizens will conclude with the of Assam have been very hostile the past decade of several thousand publication of the draft register, to any such arrangement. Assam persons who have been deemed listing residents of Assam who are minister and Bharatiya Janata Party to be foreigners by the statutory judged to be Indian citizens. There leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam. are nine million Bengali-speaking in December that the purpose of These persons, both men and women, Muslims, and a smaller number the National Register of Citizens have been kept in detention centres of Bengali Hindus, in Assam, and is “to identify illegal Bangladeshis carved out of jails, sometimes for each one of them is waiting with residing in Assam” who would close to a decade, in appalling intense trepidation and fear for the “have to be deported”. He added conditions, with no prospect of publication of this list. that “Bengali-speaking Hindus” release. Little is known even in The question looming like would “remain with the Assamese Assam, and even less outside it, of a gathering tempest, laden with people, in conformity with the BJP the condition of these detainees, of momentous legal and humanitarian ideology”. the provisions under which they concerns, is: what will be the fate One news report quoted Prateek were detained, and how the state has of those deemed to be foreigners? Hajela, the officer who led the treated them. These may be a few thousand National Register of Citizens process, women, men and children, or tens as saying that 4.8 million people Unending human tragedy of thousands of them, or hundreds of had failed to provide appropriate These detention centres have thousands. Since there is no formal legacy documents. This triggered not been open to human rights agreement between the governments commentary that if nearly five and humanitarian workers, so the of India and Bangladesh for India million people face the threat of being conditions of their inmates never to deport persons they deem to rendered stateless, they are being came to public attention. Last year, be Bangladeshi foreigners, what thrust into a predicament similar I accepted an invitation from the will be their situation in a country to that of Myanmar’s Rohingyas— National Human Rights Commission they have treated as their home for with India claiming they are illegal to serve as their Special Monitor for generations? This is where they Bangladeshi immigrants and Dhaka Minorities. One of the first missions have family, friends, cultural and not open to accepting deportation. I sought was to make a trip to these emotional ties, employment and, But Hajela later contradicted his detention centres in Assam. After sometimes, farmlands. What will be statement, threatening legal action many reminders, the commission their status, their future, their destiny against the reporter. This weekend, finally agreed to let me visit the if this country is now declared a report in The Hindu quoted Hajela centres with two of its officers. We overnight to be for them a foreign, as saying “the number of people who visited two detention centres in alien land? might get left out [of the register] Goalpara and Kokrajhar and spoke 8 JANATA, July 22, 2018 at length with the detainees. We were being served legal notices. Many A jail for women is anyway far probably the first non-official human claimed they never actually received more confined than one for men, rights workers to gain access to these the notices: we saw omnibus notices and within the Kokrajhar jail, the detention centres in the 10-odd years to large numbers of persons, women’s detention centre is even since they have been established. We sometimes naming some persons more cramped. Think of a situation also met jail and police authorities, and simply adding a number for the in which these women – many barely district magistrates and senior others. Many were migrant workers literate homemakers, some aged officials in the state secretariat, and working far from home, sometimes widows—have not been allowed civil society groups in Goalpara, in another town or even another to move outside a confined space Kokrajhar and Guwahati. We found state, or were not at home, or for of maybe 500 square metres for that these detention centres lie on a variety of other reasons did not close to a decade. In the women’s the dark side of both legality and receive the notice. camp, in particular, the inmates humanitarian principles. For those who did get the wailed continuously, as though in I was profoundly dismayed by notices, we learned that typically, permanent mourning. what I saw and heard at the detention a huge panic set in and many sold We were informed by officials camps. I submitted a detailed report, their meagre properties and took that they have no guidelines or which describes the enormous large loans to hire lawyers to steer instructions from the Centre or State and unending human tragedy of them through this process. Many of about the rights of the detainees. the detainees, and the extensive the lawyers were poorly qualified or The detention centres are therefore flouting of national and international deliberately let them down. de facto, if not de jure, administered laws, seeking urgent corrections. As a humane democracy, we under the Assam Jail Manual, and the However, despite repeated reminders provide legal aid even to people state does not make any distinction, to the National Human Rights accused of heinous crimes like rape for all practical purposes, between Commission, I did not receive any and murder, but in this case, without detainees and prisoners charged with communication about action taken even committing any crime, these or convicted of crimes. In the absence by the commission or the state and people are languishing in detention of a clear legal regime governing the Central governments on my report. centres as they cannot afford legal rights and entitlements of detainees, Now, with the prospect of possibly services. jail authorities selectively apply the lakhs of people being deemed Assam Jail Manual to them, but deny foreigners after the conclusion of Worse than prisoners them the benefits—such as parole the National Register of Citizens On our visit to the two camps— and waged work—that prisoners are process, I felt the only recourse for the one in Goalpara for men and the entitled to under jail rules. Thus, the me was to resign from the office facility in Kokrajhar for women and detainees are treated in some ways of special monitor of the National children—we encountered grave as convicted prisoners, and in other Human Rights Commission, and and extensive human distress and ways deprived even of the rights of bring my report to the public domain. suffering. Each centre has been prisoners. carved out of a corner of a jail. Here, We found men, women and Condemned without a hearing the detainees are held for several boys above six years who had been My first finding was that the years, in a twilight zone of legality, separated from their families, adding majority of persons deemed to be without work and recreation, with no to their distress. Many had not met foreigners and detained in the camps contact with their families save for their spouse for years, several not had lacked even elementary legal rare visits from relatives, and with no even once since their detention. The representation and had not been prospect of release. In a jail, inmates detainees are not allowed legally heard by the tribunals. They were are at least permitted to walk, work to communicate with their family mostly detained on the basis of and rest in open courtyards. But the members but, occasionally, the jail “ex-parte orders”, or orders passed detainees are not allowed out of their authorities facilitate communication without hearing the accused person barracks even in the day, because on humanitarian grounds on their because they allegedly failed to they should not be allowed to mix mobile phones. Parole is not allowed appear before the tribunals despite with the “citizen prisoners”. even in the event of sickness and JANATA, July 22, 2018 9 death of family members. In their detained in jails, and that their status contested or denied. Their detention understanding, parole is a right only is not that of criminals. The UNHCR without due process and adequate, of convicted prisoners, because they also says that detention should not free legal representation violates are Indian citizens. be punitive in nature. The use of their fundamental right to life. The Difficulties for families to meet prisons, jails and facilities designed Indian state must be compelled by are compounded because only a few or operated as prisons or jails should the courts and by humane public jails in the State have been converted be avoided. opinion to formulate and announce into detention centres. Many family Humanitarian considerations a clear long-term policy on how members who have loved ones in the and international law obligations it will treat, and what will be the camps but have not been detained also require that families of consequences of, a person declared themselves do not have the money persons deemed to be illegal a foreigner? This is crucial, because to travel to the detention centres, immigrants not be separated under if the National Register of Citizens especially if these are in another any circumstances. This leads to declares thousands, even lakhs, district. the requirement for open family of people as foreigners, does the There has been worldwide detention centres not housed within state want to detain all of them condemnation this past month of the jails. indefinitely? The policy must also United States government’s policy Indian juvenile justice laws are clarify what happens to those to separate the children of illegal also applicable here. The safety whose appeals are rejected. With immigrants from their parents at the and care of children in situations Bangladesh unwilling to take them, border. But this has been standard in which they or their parents are are they then to be detained in these practice for detainees deemed to deemed to be foreigners must be camps for life, with no relief? Is this be foreigners in Assam for nearly the direct responsibility of the lawful, constitutional and just? a decade, without comment or state through the Child Welfare On June 11, four United censure by the larger human rights Committees established under the Nations special rapporteurs wrote community. Juvenile Justice Act. The law applies to the Indian government expressing to both children who are detained concerns similar to those I raised Right to a life of dignity and those who are free while their with the National Human Rights My paramount recommendation parents are detained. Commission. In their letter, they to the National Human Rights Also, detainees above a certain quoted an Assam minister stating Commission was the urgent age should not be detained. that “the NRC is being done to establishment of a clear legal regime Indefinite detention is a violation identify illegal Bangladeshis to govern the condition of detainees of Article 21 and of international residing in Assam” and “all those that is in conformity with Article 21 human rights standards. The UN whose names do not figure in the of the Constitution and international Working Group on Arbitrary NRC will have to be deported”. law. The state, under Article 21, Detention notes that detention “must They said “that local authorities must ensure a transparent procedure not be for a potentially indefinite in Assam, which are deemed to be and respect the right to life and period of time”. Guideline 4.2 of the particularly hostile towards Muslims liberty of detainees. Their right to UNHRC says detention can only be and people of Bengali descent, may a life of dignity, even in detention, resorted to when it is determined to manipulate the verification system in cannot be compromised. Detaining be necessary, reasonable in all the an attempt to exclude many genuine them as common criminals within circumstances and proportionate to Indian citizens from the updated jail compounds, without facilities a legitimate purpose. NRC”. They also observed that such as legal representation or “members of the Bengali Muslim communication with their families, Needed: A clear, compassionate minority in Assam have experienced is a violation of their right to live with policy discrimination in access to and dignity and the right to procedural The fundamental right to life enjoyment of citizenship status on due process. guaranteed by the Constitution the basis of their ethnic and religious International law also explicitly applies not only to citizens but minority status. We are particularly lays down that immigrants cannot be also to those whose citizenship is concerned that this discrimination 10 JANATA, July 22, 2018 is predicted to escalate as a result of the NRC”. Marx@200 – Neither the beginning, India’s policy must measure up nor the end to many tests. The first of these is India’s constitutional morality, and national and international laws. But Dr. A. Raghu Kumar it must also be compassionate. We must defend the rights to justice Marx and Marxism remain the of mere idealistic pretensions, by and public compassion of large eternal hope of oppressed classes attempting to introduce forcefully numbers of mostly impoverished the world over! Marx’s theories certain scientific methods in social and very powerless people who may evoke extreme reflections, from pure studies. But he didn’t, by any overnight find themselves treated and uncritical love at one end, to stretch of imagination, abruptly as foreigners in their own land, and equally uncritical hatred at another emerge beyond context, and beyond unwanted in any other. They must end, with mixed reactions from time-space matrix. However, his be protected from the possibility of various other shades of thinking. disciples have created a mystique being condemned to the same fate Such reactions for any thinker who image of him in their anxiety to as the inmates of Assam’s detention stands for revolutionary changes are universalise him for all times, and camps have been forced to endure. only natural. Marx, for me, stands for all contexts. In fact, such a Indefinite incarceration of men, for the state of human thought process of universalising Marx, and women and children in conditions process at a particular stage in its for that matter any human being, is worse than those of convicted history, a necessary and compelling unscientific, and anti-Marxian. prisoners, only because they were intervention at a particular point of Maybe, he is one of the greatest unable (or not enabled) to prove time, in the milieu of a particular visionaries this world has ever their citizenship, greatly diminishes factual matrix. He interrupted the produced, and a great mind which India—its government, but even discourse of ideas, and introduced a had trodden some hitherto un- more its people. permanent wedge in the idealistic– trodden paths. Maybe, he can be contemplative philosophies, and considered as one who had re-erected Email: [email protected] it was a powerful disjuncture! He the upended project of philosophy on created an inevitable presence in all its feet. He may also be credited the future intellectual discourse and with the greatness of introducing Janata peoples’ actions, so much so that all the rigour of scientific methods human discourse is today labelled as in social sciences in general, and is available at ‘pre-Marx’ or ‘post-Marx’! political economy in particular, But he is neither the beginning, and as the one who offered course www.lohiatoday.com nor the end. Several of his correction to the dream project predecessors, the so called ridiculed of many of his predecessors of ‘utopian socialists’ such as Henri realising an egalitarian society. But The Unemployment de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, he could achieve all this, not out of Crisis: Reasons and Robert Owen et al, and even the so any vacuum, but on the basis of the Solutions called liberal or capitalist economic received wisdom of his time. His theoreticians such as Thomas dedication to research is unparalleled. Contribution Rs. 25/- Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith His effort to understand the ‘value’ Published by and David Ricardo laid the road for of a produce in terms of the labour- Janata Trust & Lokayat understanding the idea of ‘value’ of time invested into it, is also radical. a ‘produce’. In this process, we can’t But his concept of the accumulation D-15, Ganesh Prasad, even ignore the great contribution of surplus value by the capitalist only Naushir Bharucha Marg, of an anarchist like Bakunin. Marx as a result of exploitation of labour or Grant Road (W), can definitely be credited with a very labour-time may not satisfy further Mumbai 400 007 serious effort to steer through the fog enquiry. As Rammanohar Lohia, JANATA, July 22, 2018 11 one of the greatest contributors to systems established by, and in the was realised in his name, and in the Indian thought of socialism, name of Marx, in Russia, East the name of those who claim to pointed out in his essay, “Economics Europe and China have turned out have understood him better than the after Marx”, the development of to be the centres for violation of all other lesser mortals. The suffocating capitalist societies need also to be human rights. My intellect can’t be citizens of the erstwhile USSR, the understood as a construction on the satiated by terming these rights as German Wall, the cries of Polish blood and sweat of colonial workers. bourgeoisie rights. The fall of empire workers for bread and butter, the The surplus of the capitalist, in a after empire during the 1980s and Tiananmen Square incident, etc., all capitalist system, is not the result 1990s is still fresh in my memory. As ring through my memories. These of pure internal, inter-systemic a young man growing through those are inescapable parts of the Marxist exploitation of labour time by the days, while reading Marxism on history of action, a fact which cannot capitalist. This is one of the reasons one side, and The God That Failed be ignored or brushed aside lightly for the absence any revolutionary on the other side, the unfolding as mere aberration. The sources for action, or if any, only briefly in time, events shook my faith in all theories. these atrocious deviations are not on the part of the working class of Blaming capitalist propaganda or just external. advanced capitalist societies. conspiracy for their fall appeared to Another question that troubled When a generation recollects its me unconvincing then, and continue me always has been—do we have past, assesses the contribution of a to do so today too. There must be answers for all the momentous great thought of earlier periods, the something internally within the main challenges that came in the way memories can’t be restricted to just text that had caused the degradation. of human advancement in Marx writing an elegy. By eulogizing Marx, The element of violence, the roots writings? Post-Marx economies, the by positioning him and his thought of undemocratic approaches, the two World Wars, the developing and as transcendental, by elevating ideas of secrecy, the intellectual underdeveloped nations and regions, his theories beyond questioning, impetuosity, the condemnation of the anti-colonial struggles of India, by ridiculing the questions that all opponents—is within, and not Africa, etc., post-modernism, the continue to haunt the human mind without. The external environment consumer-oriented economic order, about the correctness of some of might have contributed to quicken globalisation, the environmental his propositions, by quoting him the process, but it can’t be accorded degradation in the developmental out of context for every challenge the status of primacy. Some Marxists models of both the capitalists and that has come in the way of later argue that there is nothing wrong in the communists, the big industries, human endeavour, does not do good the basic theory, but incorrectness the unbridled exploitation of nature even to Marx. If, in our enthusiasm crept into Marxist praxis because of for satisfying human greed, the to be called a better Marxist, we its later practitioners. But this also advances of science culminating project him as impeccable–eternal doesn’t quench my intellectual thirst. in the atom bomb, the researches truth for all situations, for all This is one of the oldest explanations into biotechnologies, the advent of times, for all regions and for all given by every religion—“My basic information technology, the artificial momentous challenges, universal texts, the Books, are always correct, intelligence (AI), the robots, the loss and transcendental, by projecting and for any defect in its translation of working hands etc., challenge him as ‘supreme being’ and thus into action the blame is attributable the very human existence on earth. deifying him, we may temporarily to its interpreters and practitioners.” But Marxists try to quote one or the secure some young and uninitiated Marx@200 does not only offer other sentence from Marx to answer minds to our side. But actually, we an opportunity to praise Marx, every challenge—a typical method are rendering the greatest harm to but also for deep reflections on followed by priests of all world the further development of socialist the inadequacies and failures of religions! thought. It is in reaction to this that Marxism, its limits and extent. It is In my humble endeavours, I the Arthur Koestlers and Louis the time to reflect on why it could found some solutions in Gandhi or Fischers have written a different set not convince many countries and in Nehru or in M.N. Roy or in Lohia of elegies, on ‘The God that Failed’. regions. Marx also cannot escape or in Ambedkar. There are some We can’t fail to see that the from his responsibility for all that remedies in Buddha and Jesus, and in 12 JANATA, July 22, 2018

Hinduism and Islam. There are some fall of communist States all over the relentless and ongoing process, and explanations in the simple life of a world is not the end of history. It is the solutions demand more and more tribal living in harmony with nature neither the beginning nor the end; it innovative thinking and action from or in the Asiatic or African lives of is a continuum, where the wheel of many. We have to locate Marx in yester years. I have, of late, found history is imposing its inexorable this process as one of the important more answers in Gandhi. Man’s laws, where the human nature stages of our collective thought, quest doesn’t end with satisfying accepts the challenges of history neither as the beginning, nor as the economic needs, or social equality. from time to time, irrespective of end statement, or an epilogue or a The dream of spiritual realisation is victories and defeats. The human curtain call. not an abandoned project of human endeavor for more equal and more beings, despite Marx’s powerful and more egalitarian social order is a Email: [email protected] intervention or even that of many positive sciences. The need for internal peace continues to haunt human beings even after he or she GM Crops in India: Approval by reaches the peaks of materialist Contamination? achievements. No single person’s thought can be a final statement on human affairs. The ‘Gurus’ are Colin Todhunter the victims of their own disciples. They are preventing the gurus from In India, five high-level reports approvals, a lack of monitoring realising their follies by constructing have already advised against the abilities, general apathy towards the fortified structures around them. adoption of GM crops: hazards of contamination and a lack Marx needs to be rescued from • The ‘Jairam Ramesh Report’, of institutional oversight. Marxists in order to be placed in imposing an indefinite Despite these reports, the drive a historical context, and I hope moratorium on Bt Brinjal to get GM mustard commercialised with all sincerity at my command [Feb 2010]; (which would be India’s first that it doesn’t in any way reduce • The ‘Sopory Committee Report’ officially approved GM food crop) his greatness. By appreciating the [August 2012]; has been relentless. The Genetic inadequacies of a thought, it grows • The ‘Parliamentary Standing Engineering Approval Committee further. Marx had examined the Committee’ [PSC] Report on (GEAC) has pushed ahead by giving conditions of working class at a GM crops it the nod. However, the case of GM particular stage of human history, [August 2012]; mustard remains in limbo and stuck made some great insights into the • The ‘Technical Expert in the Supreme Court due to various problem of value of a produce and the Committee [TEC] Final Report’ pleas lodged by environmentalist accumulation of ‘surplus value’, and [June-July 2013]; and Aruna Rodrigues. anticipated by his theory dialectical- • The Parliamentary Standing Rodrigues argues that GM materialistic historical process an Committee on Science & mustard is being undemocratically intensification of class antagonisms, Technology, Environment and forced through with flawed tests consolidation of classes into the Forests [August 2017]. (or no testing) and a lack of public capitalist and the proletariat, and Given the issues surrounding scrutiny: in other words, unremitting eventual revolutionary change GM crops (including the now scientific fraud and outright in society under the vanguard of well-documented failure of Bt regulatory delinquency. the socially advanced class—the cotton in the country), little wonder Moteover, this crop is also proletariat—which would end all these reports advise against their herbicide-tolerant (HT), which is class contradictions. In the skillful adoption. Little wonder too given wholly inappropriate for a country and creative hands of Lenin and that the story of GM ‘regulation’ like India with its small biodiverse Mao, this theory saw its realisation. in India has been a case of blatant farms that could be affected by its But history did not end. Even the violations of biosafety norms, hasty application. JANATA, July 22, 2018 13

GM crops illegally growing of the GEAC and other official soybean samples for lab testing and Despite the ban on GM crops, bodies who seem to be asleep at the report was sent to the GEAC in 2005, biologist Pushpa Bhargava the wheel or deliberately looking along with a letter of complaint. It is noted that unapproved varieties of the other way. The latter could be also understood that apart from the several GM crops were being sold to the case given that senior figures in BKS, the Government of Gujarat farmers. In 2008, Arun Shrivastava India regard GM seeds (and their also alerted the GEAC to the illegal wrote that illegal GM okra had been associated chemical inputs) as key cultivation. planted in India and poor farmers to modernising Indian agriculture. Kuruganti says: “The fact that had been offered lucrative deals to Even PM Modi has proclaimed that the GEAC is writing now to the plant ‘special seeds’ of all sorts of GM represents a good business- DGFT to take action (on preventing vegetables. investment opportunity. Of course, the illegal GM imports), makes it In 2013, a group of scientists Modi is only accelerating what clear that it lacks any real intent and NGOs protested in Kolkata and former PM Manmohan Singh had to take serious action about the elsewhere against the introduction of set in motion—a politician whose violations of its own regulations. It transgenic brinjal in Bangladesh—a pro-GMO policies were regarded also indicates that it is putting up a centre for origin and diversity of by the late Arun Shrivastava as total show of having ‘done’ something, the vegetable—as it would give treachery. before an upcoming Supreme Court rise to contamination of the crop It doesn’t take a dyed-in-the- hearing on PILs related to GMOs.” in India. As predicted, in 2014, the wool cynic to appreciate that the Her assertion is supported by West Bengal government said it likes of Bayer, which has now Rohit Parakh of India for Safe had received information regarding incorporated Monsanto, must be Food: “Commerce Ministry’s own “infiltration” of commercial seeds salivating at the prospect of India data on imports of live seeds clearly of GM Bt brinjal from Bangladesh. becoming the global leader in the indicates that India continues to In 2017, the Bhartiya Kisan demand for GM. import genetically modified seeds Sangh (BKS), a national farmers including GM canola, GM sugar organisation, claimed that Gujarat Illegal GM imports beet, GM papaya, GM squash and farmers had been cultivating GM HT Despite reasoned argument and GM corn seeds (apart from soybean) crop illegally. There are also reports debate having thus far prevented from countries such as the USA… of HT cotton being illegally growing the cultivation of GM crops or the with no approval from the GEAC in India. consumption of GM food in India, as is the requirement.” CGMFI spokesperson Kavitha it seems we are be witnessing GM Kuruganti concludes that the Kuruganti says that the regulators seeds and crops entering the food regulatory system is a shambles and have been caught sleeping. It system regardless. is not preventing GMOs from being wouldn’t be the first time: India’s Kuruganti says that a complaint illegally imported into the country first GM crop cultivation—Bt lodged with the GEAC and a Right or planted. Moreover, the ruling BJP cotton—was discovered in 2001 to Information (RTI) application has reneged on its election promise growing on thousands of hectares seeking information regarding the not to allow GM without proper in Gujarat, spread surreptitiously illegal GM soybean cultivation in protocols. and illegally by the biotech industry, the country has stirred the apex even as field trials that were to regulatory body to bring the issue to Offshoring Indian agriculture decide whether India would opt for the notice of the Directorate General It is not a good situation. this GM crops were still underway. of Foreign Trade (DGFT), months We have bogus arguments about The GEAC was clearly caught off- after the issue became public. GM mustard being forwarded by guard. Be that as it may, the GEAC In reply to the RTI application, developers at Delhi University went on to approve Bt cotton for the GEAC responded by saying it and the government. We also have commercial cultivation in India in had received no complaint about USAID pushing for GM in Punjab March 2002. such illegal cultivation. Kuruganti and twisting a problematic situation Therefore, calls are being says this is a blatant lie: the BKS had to further Monsanto’s interests by made for probes into the workings collected illegally cultivated GM HT trying to get GM soybean planted 14 JANATA, July 22, 2018 in the state. And we have regulators (deliberately) asleep at the wheel. The Politics of Poverty in America The fact that India is importing so many agricultural commodities Ebony Slaughter-Johnson in the first place doesn’t help. Relying on imports and transnational This summer, UN special and subsequent financial insecurity, agribusiness with its proprietary rapporteur on extreme poverty Philip themselves. Lack of insurance either (GM) seeds and inputs is not a Alston presented his observations on drives the uninsured into hospital recipe for food security. In the 1960s, the state of international poverty to emergency rooms, where they face Africa was not just self-sufficient the UN Human Rights Council. more expensive treatment they have in food but was actually a net food The country at the center of no hope of affording, or promises exporter. Today, courtesy of World his most recent report wasn’t a an amplified public health crisis. In Bank, IMF and WTO interventions, developing one—it was the United a December report, Alston recalled the continent imports 25% of its States. In one of the wealthiest encountering poor Americans who food, with almost every country countries in the world, Alston had lost all of their teeth because being a net food importer. found, many Americans live without they lacked access to dental health Is this want India wants? Despite access to water and public sewage care. its rising import bill, self-reliance services. More alarmingly, at a time The social safety net, which and food security seems to be when 40 million Americans live in plays a crucial role in reducing an anathema to policy makers. poverty—including over 5 million poverty among children, is also In response to the government’s experiencing “developing world” under threat. decision to abolish import duty levels of poverty—congressional The Supplemental Nutrition on wheat in 2017, Ajmer Singh Republicans and President Donald Assistance Program (SNAP) alone Lakhowala, head of the Punjab Trump are jeopardising access to kept 3.8 million children and 2.1 unit of Bharatiya Kisan Union, said the social safety net for millions, the million children out of poverty sarcastically: “The import of cheap report concluded. and “deep poverty,” respectively, wheat will bring the prices down. It Exacerbating poverty won’t in 2014. The Center for American appears the government wants the “Make America Great” for anyone. Progress calculated that childhood farmers to quit farming.” For instance, health care, which poverty alone stunts economic As previously outlined, at the is already prohibitively expensive, output by $170 billion each year behest of the World Bank and could become more so. A new rule and deprives the economy of $500 courtesy of compliant politicians in allowing small businesses to buy billion each year. India, it certainly seems to be the plans without certain “essential More importantly, poverty case. health benefits” required by the is morally reprehensible, Self-sufficiency is not to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is subjecting children to a lifetime liking of the US and the World Bank. expected to increase insurance costs of harm. It portends adverse health Washington has for many decades for people who need those benefits. consequences, limited educational regarded its leverage over global Even now, ACA premiums are achievement, and lower rates of agriculture as a tool to secure its increasing thanks to the president’s employment. Yet SNAP is on the geostrategic goals. decision to stop sharing costs with chopping block for the House Farm Whether it involves the import insurers. Bill. of subsidised edible oils, wheat, Rising out-of-pocket costs and Poverty has also been shown pulses or soybean—alongside the premiums could either push the poor to make communities fertile ongoing neglect of indigenous out of the market or force them to breeding grounds for abuse by law agriculture and farmers by successive contend with even higher medical enforcement. administrations—livelihoods are expenses. And by encouraging America’s homeless have been being destroyed, food quality is being people to opt out of pricier plans, among those most vulnerable to undermined and Indian agriculture is that leaves those who remain this abuse. Instead of addressing slowly being offshored. insured confronting higher costs, homelessness with increased access JANATA, July 22, 2018 15 to affordable housing, however, the Trump administration has suggested cuts to rental assistance programs. These cuts could push more Americans into homelessness—and then into the criminal justice system. Across the country, homeless Americans are arrested and hit with an avalanche of fines and fees simply for trying to survive. The criminalization of homelessness deepens the poverty of the homeless and creates a criminal justice system that discriminates against the poor. No one benefits. Fortunately, such hostility to the poor has been met with a wave of progressive activism. Only a day after Alston presented his report, the Poor People’s Campaign rallied in front of the Capitol Building to cap six weeks of anti-poverty advocacy. Lawmakers are already following the campaign’s lead: Several influential senators and representatives recently heard testimony from struggling Americans. Anti-poverty measures also featured prominently in the winning campaign of Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez, who is likely to become the next congresswoman for New York’s 14th District. As Republicans pursue policies that make American poverty a global concern, at least some progressives are preparing to fight back.

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Vol. 73 No. 27 Why Does RSS-BJP Not Like July 29, 2018 These Hindu Monks? The Making of the Mahatma Salil Misra Sandeep Pandey The Era of 'Teaching Lessons' Prem Singh 86-year-old Swami Gyan Control Board. Dismantling India: A 4 Years Report John Dayal , Leena Dabiru & Swaroop Sanand sat on an He believes that just as hundreds Shabnam Hashmi indefinite fast in Haridwar on 22 of crores of rupees have gone down June 2018 to demand making a law the drain in the name of Ganga FCRA Amended to Condone Illegal Foreign Funding to BJP, Congress; on conservation of river Ganga. Action Plan, now thousands of Challenged in Supreme Court Nobody came to see him from crores will be splurged in the name Neeraj Jain the Ministry of Water Resources, of Ganga River Basin Authority and River Development and Ganga Clean Ganga Mission by 2020. After Nicaragua Defeats the Not-So-Soft Coup Rejuvenation. He was admitted to Narendra Modi became the Prime Tortilla Con Sal and Luis Varese the All India Institute of Medical Minister, ‘Namami Gange’ project Sciences, Haridwar but continued was launched with huge fanfare only Are Africans Made to Feel Unwelcome in India? his fast there even after a month. to yield no results on the ground. Chandra Bhal Tripathi He had fasted earlier in 2008 for In 2011, a 34-year-old ascetic, Neo-Liberalism and the Retreat letting Bhagirathi flow uninterrupted Swami Nigamananda, died at the of Democracy between Gangotri and Uttarkashi Jolly Grant Himalayan Institute David Schultz in a stretch of 175 kms. Because of Hospital in Dehradun on the 115th Editor : G.G.Parikh this fast, the government cancelled day of his fast to demand halt to the 380 MW Bhairon Ghati and the illegal mining in Ganga when the Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain 480 MW Pala-Maneri hydel power Bharatiya Janata Party government Managing Editor : Guddi projects. In 2009, when he got the was in power in Uttarakhand. It feeling that government was not is suspected that a mining mafia Editorial Board : serious about its commitment, he considered close to the Rashtriya B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali started a fast again and this time got Swayamsewak Sangh connived with Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah the Loharinag-Pala hydel power the administration and poison was Amarendra Dhaneshwar, project cancelled. injected into Swami Nigamananda’s Sandeep Pandey Before becoming a saint in body while he in the district hospital 2011, Swami Sanand was known in Haridwar, where he had been D-15, Ganesh Prasad, as Professor Guru Das Agarwal. He admitted earlier before being shifted Naushir Bharucha Marg, had earlier taught and done research to the Himalayan Institute Hospital. Mumbai - 400 007. at Indian Institute of Technology, Otherwise, it doesn’t explain why Email : [email protected] Kanpur and served as the Member- nobody on behalf of the government Website:www.janataweekly.org Secretary of Central Pollution went to have a dialogue with him 2 JANATA, July 29, 2018 during the course of his long fast. made the chairperson of the UN organisations spawned by it consider Now, 79-year-old Swami Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms such people living the ideals of Agnivesh has been thrashed and of Slavery. He has won several Hinduism most truthfully as being abused in Jharkhand by members of prestigious international awards opposed to them? the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha for his work, including the Right Swami Agnivesh and Sanand and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Livelihood Award (also famed as don’t hate Muslims, neither are Parishad. Swami Agnivesh is a the Alternative Nobel Peace Prize) they afraid of them. They don’t follower of the Arya Samaj sect, in 2004 and the Freedom and Human make provocative speeches which which was founded by Swami Rights Award (Bern, Switzerland, can trigger communal violence. Dayanand Saraswati and is based 1994). Through him Hinduism has They want to promote communal on the teachings of the four Vedas. been projected in a good light, which harmony and peace in society, not The ten principles laid down by him is also because he has practiced hatred, discrimination and violence. as the philosophical basis of Arya Gandhian principles in his life. He They don’t identify human beings Samaj ideology include: accept truth has authored a book called Vedic according to their caste, religion or and reject untruth; take decision Samajvad. class. For them humanity is supreme. about every action based on Dharma Swami Sanand and Agnivesh They behave courteously even with after giving due thought to right and both put on saffron robes, are willing their adversaries. wrong; our objective must be the to take any risk for truth, and are If we think about it, what have physical, spiritual and social well committed to the path of non- these Hindutva organisations, which being of all; our conduct must be violence, while also being celibates, project themselves as the sole torch based on love, righteousness and vegetarians and scholarly. Both have bearers of Hinduism, got to do with justice; and that we must encourage given up comfortable lives. While either the principles or spirit of knowledge and dispel ignorance. Professor G.D. Agarwal quit his Hindu religion? In some ways, such Swami Agnivesh has fought government job, Swami Agnivesh as by giving free hand to lumpen against injustice all his life. From relinquished his Haryana assembly elements, they are actually tarnishing liberating bonded labourers, taking membership and ministership. Both the image of Hindu religion. out a 18-day padyatra from Delhi to have complete faith in Hinduism It is up to the wider Hindu Deorala against Sati tradition, leading which guides their lives and actions. society to decide whether the people a movement for entry of Dalits in the Swami Nigamananda sacrificed his who take law into their hands and Nathdwara temple near Udaipur, life at a very young age. His faith indulge in mob lynching of Muslims participating in campaign against in Hinduism is above question too. and Hindutva organisations like female foeticide and launching The question then is, why don’t RSS–BJP who give patronage to a movement for ban on liquor, the Hindutva organisations RSS and them are the real representatives to constructive programmes like BJP like monks such as these? Why is of Hindusim, or people like Swami promotion of multi-faith harmony it that Hindutva organisations either Nigamanda, Sanand and Agnivesh? and establishing of Sarva Dharma completely ignore such monks or Sansad (or All Faiths Parliament), feel threatened by them, to the extent Email: [email protected] he has been an activist all his life. that they have to engineer attacks He has not only lived according to on them? Swami Nigamanand lost the principles of the Hindu reformist his life because the Hindutva forces Spectre of Fascism movement of the Arya Samaj but were dominated by commercial has also served the higher goals of interests with criminal intentions. Contribution Rs. 20/- humanity. Swami Agnivesh is an It is because people like Swami Published by ideal example of what a Hindu monk Nigamananda, Sanand and Agnivesh Janata Trust & Lokayat should be like. He is well respected are truly dedicated Hindus. They D-15, Ganesh Prasad, within the country as well as abroad. don’t put up a show of being Hindus, Naushir Bharucha Marg, His work for abolitioning bonded lab and don’t use religion for political Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 our has been recognised by United or commercial purposes. Is it not an Nations as well, for which he was irony that the RSS and the Hindutva JANATA, July 29, 2018 3 The Making of the Mahatma

Salil Misra

Mahatma Gandhi is generally in a life of service. He of course am concerned with is my call to obey associated with India’s struggle gave importance to many individual the Truth, my God, from moment for independence. He was the virtues such as honesty, integrity, to moment, and, therefore, when unquestioned leader of this struggle courage and compassion. But even anybody finds any inconsistency for three decades from 1918 to 1947. these virtues were not important between any two writings of mine, Being its leader he formulated the in themselves. You could live a if he still has faith in my sanity, he strategy of the struggle. It was to life of honesty and integrity and would do well to choose the latter be based on non-violent non-co- yet be of little value to others. The of the two on the same subject.” Yet operation with British imperialism. important thing was to place these even as he grew and incorporated In the process of the struggle, virtues for larger causes—service new experiences into his practices, Gandhi mobilised the people. Mass of the community. His notion of two major traits remained constant participation was a major strength of community was somewhat restricted throughout—a primacy accorded the struggle. The struggle also had initially—his Ashram inmates at to moral considerations in socio- some interesting features. Gandhi Phoenix near Durban in South political life and a deep commitment maintained high moral standards Africa, or the Indians in South to non-violence. Apart from these during the course of the struggle. Africa. But at crucial moments, two, his subsequent life underwent As he himself said, the struggle was his notion of community included great changes based on his early essentially for the minds and hearts all humanity. His struggle against experiences. of the people, not for simple victory. British imperialism was as much Both England and South Africa, It is generally not realised that for the people of India as for the where he spent his early years, shaped Gandhi joined the Indian freedom people of England. He admired the Gandhi’s personality and politics in struggle rather late in his life, at the British people and felt that they had crucial ways. England exposed age of 49. Before that, he had spent been corrupted by the evil system him to the great contrast between most of his active years outside India, of imperialism. It was necessary for a powerful modern industrial in England and in South Africa. Not the British people to get rid of their civilisation and a traditional world much is generally known about these imperial domination. Gandhi said of rural simplicities. Gandhi spent years. This period is treated either as in an appeal to the British: “Please considerable time studying this a prelude to his active political life or get off our backs so that we may all contrast and then built his Utopia as a kind of a pre-history to Gandhi’s walk together.” of a village republic. In South major involvement with the Indian It is important to emphasise that Africa, he led a struggle against freedom struggle. But, upon a closer Gandhi was constantly growing discriminating laws against the examination, it should be clear and incorporating new experiences Indian community and perfected his that these years were integrally into his life and practices. All his techniques of satyagraha. Both the connected to Gandhi’s political life. previous experiences were like Utopia and the technique stayed with Far from being a pre-history, this crucial investments for his future him for the rest of his life. period shaped Gandhi’s personality ventures. As he himself said in 1933: The years spent in England and politics in fundamental ways. “I am not at all concerned with affected him profoundly. He From very early in his life, appearing to be consistent. In my witnessed an industrial society Gandhi seems to have decided search after Truth I have discarded going through rapid changes. He saw that it was pointless to live just many ideas and learnt many new the remarkable accomplishments of for the sake of living. Life did not things. Old as I am in age, I have no the new order and the enchantment constitute its own justification. It feeling that I have ceased to grow it created in human mind. He had to have a meaning larger than inwardly or that my growth will stop encountered the new converts to itself. Gandhi found that meaning at the dissolution of the flesh. What I progress and also some sceptic 4 JANATA, July 29, 2018 pessimists. The optimists saw the to demonstrate that an alternative hierarchical society and practised key to human happiness in the life was possible and also desirable. graded inequality—the Whites possibility of limitless growth. The He bought 100 acres of land near treated Browns as inferior and the benefits of affluence were bound to Durban and set up the Phoenix Browns treated Blacks as inferior. reach every society, sooner or later. Ashram in 1904. Soon a community The inequality was also connected The pessimists bemoaned the loss of grew in the Ashram. It became a to class and occupation—the Indian culture and meaning, the simplicities place where he could carry out his traders were treated differently from of traditional life, the loss of cosy experiments in community life. the Indian indentured labour. Gandhi cocoons. They looked at the new If an alternative to industrialism also soon discovered that equality order with distaste and concluded was to be found, it had to begin by in formal political rights was not that the past was better than present. community life. The life at Phoenix the way out. Social recognition of Industrialism had created a cold and was kept uncontaminated, as far as equality was more effective. He also arid world, devoid of all warmth and possible, from modern amenities. very soon realised that discrimination ‘pastoral care’. Loss of culture and At Phoenix, Gandhi developed in South Africa was based not simply community was too great a price to a taste for Ashram life. Later he on wealth or power, but on deeply pay for affluence. built three more Ashrams—Tolstoy held prejudices that had taken deep Gandhi came into contact with Farm outside Johannesburg in 1910, roots in the mind. Gandhi therefore both but was instinctively drawn Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad in came to the conclusion that the fight towards the sceptics. He later 1915, and Sevagram near Wardha in for civic rights was bound to be read Tolstoy and Ruskin and was 1936, where he lived through most more effective than simply a fight profoundly influenced by Ruskin’s of the 1930s and 40s. The organising for political rights. Unto His Last, a book he read during principles of social life remained the Gandhi formed the Natal Indian a train journey from Johannesburg same in all the Ashrams. Congress in 1894 and started a to Durban in 1904. The book was a The refusal to treat any campaign against anti-Indian racial powerful critique of industrialisation unsatisfactory situation as ‘given’ laws. At the same time he also and a plea to return to traditional became an important trait in Gandhi’s organised a volunteer force of social ideals. In Gandhi’s own politics and he practised it during his Indians to help the British in the words, the book cast a “magic spell” leadership of the freedom struggle. second Anglo-Boer War in 1899. on him. He paraphrased it into He was even ready to fight, at the age This was clearly an attempt to put Gujarati and again re-paraphrased of 76, against the partition of India moral pressure on the British and it back into English. but he found very little support for to persuade them to take Indian Even though Gandhi identified his ideas. demands seriously. In 1903, he started himself with the sceptics, there It was however South Africa, a journal Indian Opinion and started was one major difference. Both where Gandhi lived for 21 years, a press of his own, the International the optimists and the pessimists that provided Gandhi with a Printing Press (IPP), to mobilise looked upon the new order as fait framework for his struggle against opinion against discriminatory accompli. The optimists celebrated injustice. South Africa virtually laws. Soon he launched a civil its inevitability and the pessimists became a political laboratory where disobedience movement against expressed helplessness before the Gandhi made experiments with his racial laws. He visited London as juggernaut of industrialism. Gandhi techniques of satyagraha. Gandhi part of an Indian delegation to make refused to go under. He grew more initially went there to work as a an appeal to the British people. It and more convinced that through lawyer for a trading firm of an Indian was around 1908 that he organised collective human intervention, Muslim. However he was soon a mass burning of registration major wrongs could be set right. drawn into a fight with the racial certificates by all Indians. These Any system, however much brutal discrimination being practised there. certificates were issued to Indians and unjust, was in the end a sum The South African society was and were reminders of their unequal total of the individuals who lived in some ways similar to India and status in South Africa. This was the under it. They should be able to would have reminded Gandhi about beginning of satyagraha. As his change it. Gandhi was determined the caste system in India. It was a struggle intensified, imprisonments JANATA, July 29, 2018 5 inevitably followed. Gandhi leading the strike. The industrial and that those who wield it are went through three rounds of lobby of Ahmedabad was in no mood strangers to disappointment and imprisonment during 1908–9. In to relent and the workers’ morale defeat.” Gandhi claimed that true 1913, Gandhi led a great march of was gradually sagging. It was at this satyagraha would be an effective over 2,000 satyagrahi Indian men, point that Gandhi announced that he weapon in most situations in which women and children to protest would undertake a fast. Gandhi’s fast those holding formal power were against anti-Indian legislations. He did help to break the stalemate and unjust and tyrannical and their was arrested for the fourth time. a settlement was reached, partially victims powerless and helpless. Finally, there was an agreement in accepting the workers’ demands for For all such situations, Gandhi 1914 between Gandhi and Smuts, a wage increase. offered his remedy of satyagraha. a British official in South Africa. Gandhi’s life was a series of The pre-condition of course was The settlement ended the struggle, experiments carried out in South that the practitioners had to first but it was far from a total victory Africa and then in India. All that was learn thoroughly what he called the for Indians. Gandhi later stated that practised in South Africa was also “science of satyagraha”. Gandhi thus Indians needed to continue their tried out in India with considerable liberated the idea of satyagraha from satyagraha. He defined satyagraha success. His transformation began the constraints of time and space and as a technique of everyday resistance. in South Africa in which he established it as a universal principle, The resistance was to be peaceful systematically liberated himself a moral framework, capable of being and meant to restrain and convert the from the bonds of money, property, applied to any concrete situation adversary rather than to defeat him. fame, sex and formal power, and desiring it. It is significant that after On the whole, during the 21 gradually became more and more Gandhi’s death, his techniques of years he spent in South Africa, invulnerable to all the possible satyagraha were creatively applied Gandhi in his political life conducted pressures and inducements that in South Africa and the USA by many experiments—press, journal, could wean him away from what he Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther Ashram, long marches, moral thought was the correct path. This King, respectively. Both the leaders pressures, picketing, bonfire, civil was Gandhi’s real strength and it openly expressed their debt to the disobedience, imprisonment, and enhanced his capacity for single- Mahatma. There is therefore nothing preparedness for a settlement. Each minded devotion to public causes, uniquely Indian about satyagraha. one was considered by Gandhi whether in South Africa or in India. It is not patentable and Gandhi did as effective and successful. It is Gilbert Murray, an English writer, not patent it. interesting that during the course warned the British government as Satyagraha is Gandhi’s gift to all of the Indian freedom struggle, he early as in 1918 to be “very careful legitimate and just protesters. And repeated and relived each one of how they deal with a man who cares Gandhi is India’s gift to the world. those political activities as part of nothing for sensual pleasure, nothing his package of satyagraha. The only for riches, nothing for comfort or Email: [email protected] element in the package that was praise or promotion, but is simply absent in South Africa was fasting determined to do what he believes The Unemployment as a political weapon, which he to be right. He is a dangerous and repeatedly practised in India. During an uncomfortable enemy because his Crisis: Reasons and the course of the Indian freedom body which you can always conquer Solutions struggle, Gandhi fasted around 13 gives you so little purchase upon his Contribution Rs. 25/- times, with good effect. At no time, soul.” This warning turned out to be however, was it targeted against the quite prophetic. Published by British. It was aimed against fellow After practising satyagraha Janata Trust & Lokayat Indians, as a kind of moral force. in South Africa, Gandhi decided D-15, Ganesh Prasad, He first used the fast as a political to codify it by writing a book Naushir Bharucha Marg, weapon in Ahmedabad in 1917, Satyagraha in South Africa in 1924 Grant Road (W), during the strike by the workers in which he presented satyagraha as Mumbai 400 007 of cotton textile mills. Gandhi was a “priceless and matchless weapon 6 JANATA, July 29, 2018 The Era of 'Teaching Lessons'

Prem Singh

Although the recent attack on seeking to teach a lesson to these bashed and beaten up by the RSS! social activist Swami Agnivesh Hindutva lumpen elements through My second submission is that is being widely and strongly a unity of the Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis if the intellectuals of this country condemned, there are many people and minorities is not a positive are planning to unite the Dalits, who, citing some earlier incidents option. It is actually nothing more OBCs, Adivasis and minorities involving Swami ji, perceive the than a short-lived, temporary and to teach a lesson to the Hindutva attack as an inevitable and normal immature indignation. lumpen elements, then, we have to culmination. This is definitely most My first submission in this remember Lohia's more democratic unfortunate. Those who do not agree context is that the Dalits, OBCs and suggestion—‘Live communities do with his earlier or present views and Adivasis are presently not too far not wait for five years’. In order that actions were, and are, absolutely free distanced from the RSS/BJP; the identity discourse and politics are not and within their rights to disagree. RSS/BJP has succeeded in winning co-opted by right-wing forces, Lohia They are also not wrong in trying over large sections of them, and gave a formula for unity between to oppose him in a democratic this solidarity is continuing well. the Dalits, OBCs, adivasis, women manner. However, before doing so, The RSS/BJP's integration with and minorities, based on social they could possibly take a moment neo-liberalism/neo-imperialism has justice. Behind this was his dream to look at the background of Swami become full-fledged and complete; of building a new Indian civilisation Agnivesh. the Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis have which would create its special place Distressed by the continuous been supportive of these policies of in the modern world. In his plan, this violent attacks by Sangh Brigade's the RSS/BJP. As far as the minority largest part of India's population has 'Hindutva lumpen' elements, some Muslims are concerned, how long been, more or less, non-conformist, people are calling for organising a will they remain in alienation and that is, freed from the clutches of united movement of the Dalits, other oppose the RSS/BJP? After all, the pre-colonial Brahminical order backward classes (OBCs), Adivasis they are also Indians, like the rest and the colonial capitalist ideology. and the minorities, in order to teach of the citizens. Apart from their By building solidarity with these the Hindutva groups a fitting lesson. religious identity, they too need marginalised groups, it is possible Such sentiment is also present in some kind of support in terms to democratically win political their response to the recent incident of political power. In any case, a power and establish a new system of of the attack on Swami Agnivesh. Muslim knows well that he cannot equality, different from Brahminism Some friends are confident that even think of thrashing the Hindutva and capitalism, a new socialism if the Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis and lumpen elements. In case he dares which can be an example before minorities unite and come together, to do so, even the Dalits, OBCs and the whole world. Lohia had a great the Hindutva brigade will have to Adivasis will teach him a lesson! It dream to integrate this marginalised look for escape routes. One such is also well known that the RSS is yet non-conformist mind-bank friend recently went to the extent working hard to influence the Shia of India for the building up of of claiming on the social media that Muslim community in the country. socialism vis a-vis capitalism and the only lesson that can be taught to It cannot be denied that the RSS communism. In order to proceed in the lynchers would be to lynch them work’s consistently and eventually this direction, he gave the principle in the same manner. The Hindutva delivers results, even though they of special opportunity (reservation). of the RSS and the pride associated may take time in coming. It is its However, today, this formula of with it is born out of the frustration patient work of many decades that Lohia is being used by the so-called of an insecure and defeated mindset. has brought us to this juncture when champions of social justice only That is why it is forever cursed to all streams of scientific, progressive for capturing power in order to remain a negative voice. However, and revolutionary thought are being implement neoliberal policies. The JANATA, July 29, 2018 7

RSS/BJP too has used the same it can only be called a backward OBCs, Adivasis and minorities tactics, imitating the other leaders step, even within the limited frame to teach a lesson to the Hindutva and parties. of vote-bank politics. The corporate lumpen elements, had also joined If intellectuals in this country capitalist forces are not only making the 'crowd' in support of the anti- are suggesting that the solidarity of the country's leaders dance to their reservationist group of Anna Hazare these marginalised groups should be tunes, but also the intellectuals. Let and Arvind Kejriwal! directed towards teaching a lesson to me remind here that the intellectuals the Hindutva lumpen elements, then, who call for the unity of the Dalits, Email: [email protected]

Dismantling India: A 4 Years Report

John Dayal , Leena Dabiru & Shabnam Hashmi

Four years of NDA’s governance journals. Souradeep Roy, speaking So students have no option but with Narendra Modi as Prime on ‘Unmaking Indian Culture’, said to opt for Sanskrit. The Sanskrit Minister has been reviewed that the attack on culture is not only department has been asked to teach and compiled in a report called on artists and writers but on the the distorted Hindutva version of ‘Dismantling India’. This report common man of India. Talking about history. Speaking on Aadhaar, Usha was launched on 14 July 2018 at the rise of Hindutva in these years, Ramanthan said that this ruling party Constitution Club, New Delhi. In Subhash Gatade said that the right- when in opposition had strongly this detailed report, there are 24 wing which used to work covertly opposed Aadhaar, but when it came articles by eminent writers critiquing has now started working openly and into power it not only took a U-turn this government’s actions, policies defiantly. The trishuls have changed but implemented ADHAAR in such and directives. Some of the writers into swords. The hatred seeded deep a way that it has created havoc in came together with the editors of the inside the common man is at its the country. Vijoo Krishnan said book to discuss and speak on these height. Having failed to fulfill their that the BJP had promised that issues, which has and will change promises, the RSS is now working farmers’ lands will be protected, the picture of the nation if this on strategies to polarise communities but within 6 months they brought government continues to remain in to win the 2019 elections, he said. in the Land Ordinance. Massive power. The report is supported by a Vidya Bhushan Rawat talked about protests were organised across the series of tables which has recorded cow-politics, which has created country, forcing the government four years of mis-rule by the Modi a huge problem for the small and to withdraw the ordinance. Now government, including a list of hate medium farmers; this fear of cows the BJP is implementing these land speeches he and his party members and its protectors is ruining the acquisition bills in the States where delivered in these four years. village economy. it is in power. It had made several The first session, “Rising The second session, other promises to the farmers during Hate and Irrationalism”, had four “Dispossessed India & Fading the 2014 elections, but when it came speakers—Gauhar Raza, Souradeep Rights”, had four speakers—Karen to power it declared that these were Roy, Subhash Gatade and V.B. Gabriel, Kavita Krishnan, Usha only chunavi jumla. Kavita Krishnan Rawat. Gauhar Raza said that this Ramanathan and Vijoo Krishnan. said that the worst kind of attacks government is attacking scientific Prof. Karen Gabriel showed how this on women’s autonomy and rights institutions in a way which will be government has silently introduced have taken place under the present irreversible, and the country will many things in higher education. government. This government has be taken back many years. This For instance, it has introduced diluted many laws related to women. government not only propagates four modern Indian languages as On the issue of triple talaq, women unscientific and irrational views, well as Sanskrit. But there are no rights group fought and won a but in these four years has slowly teachers for four languages, while favourable order from the Supreme reduced the publication of scientific they have teachers for Sanskrit. Court. But this government is now 8 JANATA, July 29, 2018 bringing a law which will give Dayal thanked all the writers and is important that this book reaches powers to the police and the state to the publication house for getting this distant corners of the country. She criminalise Muslim men. book printed and published on time. also thanked the interns who helped The third session, which gave an He spoke of the challenges faced in in collecting the data. Shabnam overview of 4 years, saw speeches getting the book published, and said Hashmi spoke on the need to have by Prof Arun Kumar, Ashok Vajpeyi, it was difficult to even decide the such a document. The difference Harsh Mander, Mani Shankar Aiyar name of the book. One prominent between earlier governments and the and Dr. Syeda Hameed. Prof Arun lawyer advised them to keep a present government is that they have Kumar spoke on the impact of the neutral sounding title for the book, reached the 50% mark on the 14 two attacks on the informal economy or there could be criminal action. points that define fascism, and if they by this present government, It was fortunate that Media House win power again, then fascism will demonetisation and the GST. Harsh came forward to publish the book. be at its peak. She said at the present Mander gave first hand account Leena Dabiru spoke on the tables time where the spaces of dissent are on the horror of the numerous and how the web links were removed receding, it is important that we keep incidents of mob lynching across from the internet. She said that it doing such programs and to preserve India, several of which he visited the democratic spaces. during Caravan-e-Mohabbat. He also talked about the great examples FCRA Amended to Condone Illegal of communal harmony shown by fathers of two boys, one in Delhi and Foreign Funding to BJP, Congress; another in Asansol. In both the cases they appealed to the political leaders Challenged in Supreme Court and the masses to shed communal hatred and preserve harmony. Mani Neeraj Jain Shankar Aiyar spoke on policies of the present government with regards (Based on articles in The Wire by Anuj Srivas and Gaurav Bhatnagar) to our neighbouring countries, and how India’s relations with its The Modi government used The move came even as the neighbours have deteriorated under Budget 2018 to once again give the government was cracking down on this regime. BJP and Congress a get-out-of-jail NGOs for allegedly violating the Dr Sayeeda Hamid highlighted card for having illegally accepted FCRA, freezing the bank accounts of the issue of being a Muslim under funding from foreign companies. Greenpeace and Citizens for Justice this present political and social The parties got a free pass for and Peace and even instituting scenario. She said that it was only violations of the law going back 40 criminal proceedings against the during this government that she years. anti-communal activist Teesta came to realise that she was a In 2016, finance minister Arun Setalvad. Muslim woman. Ashok Vajpeyi Jaitley inserted a surreptitious However, the 2016 spoke on the onslaught on the amendment in that year’s finance amendment—which changed the cultural institutes launched by the bill which shielded both political FCRA to redefine foreign companies present government by appointing parties from having violated the as “Indian” if their ownership in an such people as their heads who don’t Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Indian entity was within the foreign have any knowledge of culture. Act 2010 (FCRA) when they investment limits prescribed by Ashokji said that Hindutva is nothing accepted donations from London- the government for that sector— but a big threat to Hinduism, and if based multinational Vedanta. was made retrospective only from the leaders of Hindus have to protect The amendment was a thinly 2010, which is when the latest their religion then they will have to disguised attempt to overturn a version of the FCRA was introduced. fight the Hindutva forces. 2014 Delhi High Court order that The original Foreign Contribution All the writers and editors found both the Congress and BJP (Regulation) Act commenced in released the report in the afternoon, guilty of violating the FCRA and 1976; it was repealed and re-enacted which was followed by comments ordered the government and Election as a separate piece of legislation in on the book by the editors. Dr John Commission to act against them. 2010 with minor changes. JANATA, July 29, 2018 9

This meant that donations for receiving foreign donations from Chief Justice Dipak Misra and received from foreign companies companies before 2010 as well. Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and prior to 2010 were not covered There are at least 20 instances D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice by the retrospective amendment. of the Congress and the BJP to the Centre on July 2 seeking its Ironically, the impugned Vedanta receiving funding from the ‘Indian’ response. Represented by advocates donation itself was from before subsidiaries of various foreign Prashant Bhushan, Kamini Jaiswal 2010. companies before 2010. As the table and Pranav Sachdeva, the petitioners Jaitley probably realised the below, compiled by Association alleged that the amendments to the limitation of the 2016 amendment for Democratic Rights, shows, the FCRA through the Finance Act, only later, and so sought to parties have received funding in the 2016 and the Finance Act, 2018 were make amends by inserting a new range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 5 crore from introduced in order to overturn the amendment in the Finance Bill the Indian subsidiaries of Vedanta, judgment passed by the Delhi High 2018 that sought to amend that Dow Chemicals and Switzerland- Court in March, 2014, holding the 2016 amendment so that the BJP based Win Pharma over the course two major political parties (the BJP and Congress are off the hook of six years from 2004 to 2010. and the Congress) guilty of taking for any donation received after foreign funding in violation of the August 5, 1976—the date of the Activists Challenge Amendments FCRA Act. commencement of the original in the SC The petition stated that this FCRA Act. On March 30, 2018, On July 2, acting on a petition also went “against settled principle the Ministry of Finance notified the filed by founder-trustee of ADR of separation of powers since it Finance Act, 2018 amending FCRA Jagdeep S. Chhokar and former has overruled the Delhi high court 2010 with effect from 1976. bureaucrat E.A.S. Sarma challenging judgment.” Elaborating on the The new amendment has let these amendments to the FCRA, a issue, it said: “It is a settled law the both political parties off the hook Supreme Court bench comprising legislature cannot over-turn any

Company Amount Year of Political Parent (In Rupees) Donation Party Company Hyatt Regency 5,00,000 FY 04-05 INC American Origin Company Sterlite Industries Ltd 100,00,000 FY 04-05 INC Vedanta Sesa Goa Ltd 12,00,000 FY 04-05 INC Vedanta Adani Wilmer Ltd 2,50,000 FY 05-06 INC A 50:50 joint venture between the Adani Group and Wilmar International Limited Sesa Goa Ltd 10,00,000 FY 05-06 INC Vedanta Sesa Goa Ltd 2,00,000 FY 06-07 INC Vedanta Sesa Goa Ltd 15,00,000 FY 07-08 INC Vedanta Adani Wilmer Ltd 50,00,000 FY 08-09 INC Adani – Wilmer JV Solaris Holdings Ltd 100,00,000 FY 09-10 INC Avantha Group Sterlite Industries Ltd. 5,00,00,000 FY 09-10 INC Vedanta Sesa Goa Ltd 30,00,000 FY 09-10 INC Vedanta Sesa Goa Ltd 5,00,000 FY 05-06 BJP Vedanta Win Medicare (P) Ltd 25,00,000 FY 05-06 BJP Swiss origin company Sesa Goa Ltd 2,00,000 FY 06-07 BJP Vedanta Dow Chemical Int (P) Ltd 1,00,000 FY 06-07 BJP Union Carbide acquirer Sesa Goa Ltd 27,50,000 FY 07-08 BJP Vedanta Adani Wilmar Ltd 50,00,000 FY 08-09 BJP Adani – Wilmer JV The Madras Aluminum Ltd 3,50,00,000 FY 09-10 BJP Vedanta Sesa Goa Ltd 60,00,000 FY 09-10 BJP Vedanta Win Medicare (P) Ltd 25,00,000 FY 09-10 BJP Swiss origin company 10 JANATA, July 29, 2018 court judgment; it can only remove Finance Act, 2018 be declared groups and corporate lobbyists,” the the basis of the judgment.” The “void, illegal and unconstitutional” petition had also claimed that they petition argued that “it is a settled as they have “opened the floodgates were “in violation of Articles 14 and principle of law that the legislature to unlimited corporate donations 21 of the Constitution of India.” can pass an amendment to an existing to political parties and anonymous The petition further cautioned law to cure the defect in that law.” financing by Indian as well as that “if the recent amendments are Therefore, it said, “when the Court foreign companies which can have not set aside, foreign countries and held BJP and INC guilty of accepting serious repercussions on the Indian corporate houses and extremely donations from ‘Financial Source’ democracy.” wealthy lobby groups can have a as prohibited in FCRA, 1976, then Asserting that these stranglehold on the electoral process in no circumstance whatsoever can “amendments pose a serious danger and governance. Such activities, if any political party in power use the to the autonomy of the country allowed, can result in a situation powers vested in the legislature to and are bound to adversely affect that legislation, regulations etc. cure the guilt on its part by bringing electoral transparency, encourage can be ultimately be passed and any law or amendment to an existing corrupt practices in politics and have laws brought in to favour of these law.” made the unholy nexus between corporates and lobby groups at the The ADR had challenged the politics and corporate houses more expense of the common citizens of amendment made in FCRA 2010 opaque and treacherous and is bound the country.” through the Finance Act 2016 in to be misused by special interest Email: [email protected] a petition filed by it before the Supreme Court, on which the Court Nicaragua Defeats the had issued notice on October 3, 2017. Despite this matter being sub-judice, Not-So-Soft Coup the petition noted, “the parliament has now made the amendment with retrospective effect from 1976 vide Tortilla Con Sal and Luis Varese Finance Act, 2018 which has come The July 19, 2018 demonstration trying to destabilize the country into force from 1st April 2018.” in Managua, the capital of and end the peace that had existed The petition recalled that “in Nicaragua, is a massive celebration during the last 11 years of his 1976, the Foreign Contribution of the coup's defeat and a categorical administration. (Regulation) Act, 1976 was enacted vindication of President Daniel by the parliament to serve as a shield Ortega's Sandinista government's Similarities with 1979 in legislative armoury, in conjunction efforts for peace in the country. There exist several similarities with other laws like the Foreign On July 19, hundreds of between the situation existing today Exchange Regulation Act, 1973, and thousands of people from across in Nicaragua and back in 1979, when insulate the sensitive areas of national Nicaragua converged on the capital the revolution had first triumphed. life—like journalism, judiciary and politics—from extraneous influences Managua to celebrate the 39th Then too, the USA had launched a stemming from beyond our borders. anniversary of their historic 1979 three pronged attempt to strangulate It imposed prohibition on candidates defeat of the Somoza dictatorship. It the Sandinistas and force them out for election from accepting foreign signalled the defeat of the soft-coup of power, including (i) economic contribution from foreign sources.” launched by the USA in association strangulation through the economic Though the Parliament repealed with the Nicaraguan opposition embargo and associated U.S.- the earlier FCRA 1976 and enacted to unseat the socialist government imposed trade and credit blockades FCRA 2010, the petition said that of Sandinista National Liberation that ruined the Nicaraguan economy however, the definition of ‘foreign Front, or FSLN, headed by President and pushed most Nicaraguans source” remained unchanged. Daniel Ortega. Speaking during the to suffer significant misery; (ii) The petitioners further contended celebrations, Ortega told thousands financed a terrorist military force before the Supreme Court that the of supporters that right-wing known as the Contras that caused amendments introduced in FCRA opposition groups, believed to be widespread suffering and damage 2010 by Finance Act, 2016 and financed by the United States, are across the entire country through JANATA, July 29, 2018 11 ambushes, assassinations of various opposition staged armed roadblocks, loan institution CARUNA. community leaders, kidnappings bring road movement to a halt, Although the extreme violence and disappearances of other pushing the economy into a deep of the armed opposition activists important citizens, and attacks on crisis. Simultaneously, it launched has been responsible directly and cooperatives—tens of thousands a violent campaign, burning down indirectly for almost all the loss of of Nicaraguans were killed in the and destroying hundreds of families' life and injuries during the crisis, bloody campaign launched by the homes, public buildings and small- international news media such as the contras; and (iii) through the CIA and medium-sized businesses, Washington Post, New York Times, and the National Endowment for as well as attacking Sandinistas, BBC and CNN, and ‘human rights Democracy (NED), financed a government officials and police organisations’ such as Amnesty number of Nicaragua’s opposition officers, in which several people and International have continued parties and pushed them to unite into even police officers were murdered. to publish fake photographs of the United Nicaragua Opposition The overall aim was to create opposition activists being attacked (UNO). Eventually, in 1990, weary conditions for complete breakdown and falsely blame the government of war and hyper-inflation, the of institutionality, thereby creating for virtually all the deaths and people Nicaraguan electorate voted the a beachhead from where the injured. Sandinista Party out of office, and country could be infiltrated with the UNO came to power. "multinational" forces to support an Soft Coup Defeated Seventeen years later, in 2007, insurrection against the government. Ever since the opposition the Sandinistas came back to power It was a strategy that had succeeded began its violent campaign to bring and Daniel Ortega, the leader of the several times in various countries of down the democratically elected Sandinistas, became the President. Latin America in the past. Sandinista government, President The atmosphere in Latin America Ortega called for a process of had changed, several countries Fake News National Dialogue to peacefully were now successfully opposing Simultaneously, the political resolve opposition demands. But US intervention and chalking out opposition used social media to Nicaragua's political opposition independent, socialist agendas. With misrepresent and exaggerate events, and their allies were never really Venezuelan help, the Sandinistas create incidents that never happened interested in a dialogue, and so they too began implementing social and obliterate their own criminal sabotaged all the talks. Nevertheless, welfare programs designed to help terrorist attacks. For example, it the government always attended the the poorest of the poor and advance claimed that the crisis in Nicaragua dialogue table, even when it meant socialism, and Ortega won two began with a fake 'student massacre', listening to absurd proposals such consecutive re-election victories in that actually never took place. The as early elections or even worse, 2011 and 2016. opposition also faked attacks on a Ortega's resignation. The serenity During the last few years, church in Managua, exaggerated demonstrated by Ortega and his the right wing has made a come casualties during the clearance of government won massive support back in some countries of Latin opposition thugs from the national from the people, and the FSLN America. Enthused by right wing university, and covered up their gradually channelised this into a victories in Ecuador and Brazil, own deliberate murders of police in return towards stability. in April 2018, the US intelligence the towns of Morrito and Masaya as While the opposition blamed agencies, together with the NED and well as their gratuitous attacks on the police for the violence and USAID, have once again launched peaceful Sandinista demonstrators. bloodshed, the fact is, the Nicaraguan an offensive through the right It expertly staged phony scenes of police force is considered to be one wing opposition in Nicaragua to students taking cover from gunfire of the most efficient ones in Latin destabilise the FSLN government and used those images to justify America. It has been developed by arming the opposition and their own savage attacks, like those by the Sandinistas as a community imposing an economic embargo. The in which they burned down pro- force, with great insertion in the Catholic Church too openly came government Nuevo Radio Ya and neighborhoods and communities. out in support of the opposition. The the rural cooperatives' savings and It has controlled drug trafficking 12 JANATA, July 29, 2018 and the Maras (the very violent to sabotage efforts at National we must gradually make attempts Central American gangs whose Dialogue and project the false image to expand the socialist sectors origin is linked to the US) have of a repressive government without of production. It is an extremely never managed to enter the country. popular support. However, large complex task and in that difficulty, The Nicaraguan National Police was demonstrations across the country the "Cantos de Sirena" (mermaid's founded by Tomas Borge (FSLN supporting the government's efforts call or siren songs, a seductive or revolutionary commander) as "the for peace show exactly the reverse deceptive call) of corruption and sentinels of the people's joy" and has is true. Majority national opinion using the resources of the state for inherited the best Sandinista ideals. in Nicaragua is well aware of the personal enrichment are always Early in July, the opposition opposition's propaganda ploys and present. reneged on an agreement to false claims. Brazil and Ecuador are the dismantle the roadblocks their armed most recent examples of the right- supporters have used since late Need to Consolidate Popular wing's ability to overthrow socialist April to try to destroy the country's Power governments and reverse socialist economy and intimidate the general The huge public demonstrations advances. The high cost in lives in population. The government then in Managua and other cities prove Nicaragua and Venezuela, during declared on July 9 that it would no the ability of the government and the attempt "to return to the dark longer permit the opposition to abuse FSLN party to summon people to neoliberal night," should lead us to the population's basic rights to peace the defence of the revolution. Those a deep self-critical reflection about and security, and ordered the police who thought that there would be a the role of the different political to dismantle the roadblocks. triumphant counter-revolutionary parties, about the transition towards Subsequently, Nicaragua's government by the end of July have a culture of solidarity and about national police have worked with been left wringing their hands in the need to consolidate and make local communities around the dangerous frustration. more effective the mechanisms for country to clear the opposition But the right-wing will not give participation of people in the running roadblocks. In Jinotepe, they set free up its efforts to seize power. The of the government and the economy, hundreds of trucks and their drivers government must deepen measures or participatory democracy as they held hostage by opposition gangs for to consolidate popular democracy, call it in Venezuela. over a month. In many places, they both as regards citizen participation Today, in Nicaragua, people successfully negotiated agreements and in the construction of an effective from the right-wing thought they to remove the roadblocks peacefully. popular power, as well as in speeding would be able to celebrate the Elsewhere, the process has involved up the redistribution of resources defeat of the FSLN Government but violence and casualties, provoked and the improvement of living they were defeated in every single by very well-armed activists and conditions for the still disadvantaged battlefield—the political one, the associated paid criminals. On July sectors. Moving forward in these economic one, on the streets. 12, opposition activists attacked a two areas simultaneously is the only The ease with which the coup police post and the local municipal way to guarantee the continuity of was defeated can be understood office, murdering four police revolution. by the fact that the government did officers and a primary school The history of the revolutions not find it necessary to call out the teacher, wounding four municipal in South America have shown us army; the triumph was achieved with workers and kidnapping nine police the fragility of our triumphs. These the help of the National Police and officers; on July 13, in Managua, become vulnerable to defeat by organised Sandinistas. However, we two opposition activists were killed capitalist forces when popular power can not claim victory yet, we cannot during the clearance of blockades in is not consolidated and when the let down our guard. We need to and around the National Autonomous alliances with the capitalist sectors consolidate and deepen popular and University. are not properly managed. It must not participatory democracy, street by A desperate political opposition, be forgotten that the latter are only street, block by block, neighborhood finding their counter-revolution fragile alliances, we cannot allow by neighborhood, community by failing, have been desperately trying the capitalist sectors to dominate the community. to keep up their violence so as economy and the government, and JANATA, July 29, 2018 13 Are Africans Made to Feel Unwelcome in India?

Chandra Bhal Tripathi

access to them), the Indian people communities in the country. The Madras Courier of July on the the mainland are not aware In the 17th century, the Nawab 17, 2018 carried an article with the of the existence of these Negrito of Junagadh and the Sultan of above caption giving the first hand tribes. A man named Vinayak Mysore imported some Siddis from experiences of some Africans. In Damodar Savarkar, imprisoned in East Africa. In Gujarat, these tall response to that article I felt like the infamous Cellular Jail at Port Negroes are called Siddi Babas and writing my comments. Blair and on whom his bhaktas live in the Gir forest reserved for In a historical–anthropological endow the title 'Veer Savarkar', has Indian lions in Junagadh district. I perspective, people with an African written cock-and-bull stories about saw some of them walking on the background have been living in the Jarawa without ever coming into streets of Ahmedabad in 1966. There India since prehistoric times. In direct contact with this beautiful was absolutely no animosity towards Andaman–Nicobar islands, four Negrito tribe whom he falsely Siddis, who are included in the list Negrito communities—Great accuses of being ferocious. In early of the Scheduled Tribes. Andamanese, the Jarawa, the Onge 1980s, I found them to be one of the Coming to modern times, and the Sentinelese—living in most friendly people and described drawing inspiration from the the Stone Age have drawn the my experiences in a radio talk from freedom struggle of India and the attention of anthropologists and Port Blair station of All India Radio. internationalism of Pandit Jawaharlal ethographers from all over the I should add here that a gentle Nehru several big countries of world for more than a hundred police officer, Sardar Bakhtawar Africa gained independence from years. The Great Andamanese have Singh, who retired as the Deputy European colonial powers and already vanished due to a high Superintendent of the Andaman & some of their leaders were well- degree of miscegenation, especially Nicobar Police, was responsible for known and respected in India in during the Japanese occupation in establishing contact with the Jarawa 1950s and 1960s. There was a WWII. Due to the wrong policies through sign language in 1974. The spirit of bonhomie between Indians of the administration like opening saga of that expedition, organised and Africans in those days. For of a Grand Trunk Road through the by the Anthropological Survey of instance, Jomo Kenyatta, one of Jarawa territory despite opposition India (AnSI), is well documented the leaders of the Kenyan anti- by anthropologists, it is a matter in a documentary captioned Man colonial struggle, became the first of time before the remaining three in Search of Man produced by the President of independent Kenya in Negrito tribes, none of which AnSI. The Sentinelese were still 1964. Dr A. Aiyappan, a veteran number more than 500 or so (the untouched till then. The political general anthropologist who studied Onge are around 100 only and ignoramus of both the Congress anthropology with Jomo Kenyatta at till the other day the Sentinelese and the BJP, including the Prime SOAS, London, told me in Madras were totally unapproachable), also Ministers, the Home Ministers, the that he was invited by Jomo Kenyatta vanish ethnically, linguistically and Culture Ministers. etc., are blissfully to attend the inauguration of the free culturally. Their destiny is controlled unaware of these facts. Kenyan Government. In Delhi there by the IAS and other generalist On the mainland, nearly a were a few African students, all officials who consider themselves hundred years ago the famous serious scholars, studying at Sapru to be all knowing and have no idea anthropologist Dr. B.S. Guha, who House which later developed into the of the history of vanishing tribes in had a Ph. D. from Harvard and was School of International Studies and the various continents. the Director of AnSI, discovered became a famous faculty of JNU. At It is a shame that barring the Negrito elements in the Kadar tribe Delhi University, the International administrators, anthropologists of Perambicullum hills. But they Student Hostel housed some African and tourists (who have limited too are one of the smallest adivasi students along with other foreign 14 JANATA, July 29, 2018 students, and they studied in the their colonial past, the number of are today being subjected to racial Department of African Studies. African students studying in India discrimination and violence in our During the last few decades, as has considerably increased. country today. Such behaviour more and more African countries It is indeed unfortunate that of the average uninformed and became independent, due to the lack despite having such ancient links 'uneducated' Indians is deplorable. of educational facilities there due to with India, these African students Email: [email protected]

Neo-Liberalism and the Retreat of Democracy

David Schultz Democracy across the world of communist authoritarian or fundamentalism as an alternative to is under siege. The latest Freedom totalitarian governments that made the Keynesian welfare state that had House report that documents this for it possible for Francis Fukuyama to dominated the West since the 1930s. 2017 says, “democracy faced its most proclaim that democracy had won It was adopted both for ideological serous crisis in decades”, as seventy- and emerged as the last grand global reasons and because of what political one countries experienced declines political meta-narrative. economist James O’Connor would in freedom or fair government, Yet, several problems upset this call the fiscal crisis of the state including the United States, and only rosy picture. Most prominently, that affected economics across the thirty-five an improvement. This it was the marriage of these new world in the 1970s. This was a crisis was the twelfth consecutive year of emerging democracies with free of declining profit among private decline in democracy worldwide. market capitalism, resulting in businesses and therefore declining The question is why? Why has the victory of neo-liberalism. revenue for states to fund welfare confidence in democracy retreated? Internationally, as post-colonial and programs. Something had to give, Freedom House does not provide post-communist countries emerged, and it was the welfare state. an answer, but there is a reason. It international organisations such as Neo-liberalism is a political is democracy’s marriage to neo- the World Bank and the IMF forced economic theory of the state liberal capitalism that has fostered them to adopt market reforms, committed to the laissez-faire the conditions leading to its own often pushing them into what was market fundamentalism ideology undoing, similar to the ‘gravedigger then called “shock therapy”. Shock that traces back to Adam Smith and thesis’ given by Karl Marx in the therapy involved rapid privatisation David Ricardo. It includes a belief in Communist Manifesto (“What the of state owned enterprises and comparative advantage, a minimalist bourgeoisie therefore produces, rapid dismantling of welfare state, and market freedom, and is, as above all, are its own grave diggers”) states. This shock therapy was articulated in the 1990s and 2000s, wherein he wrote that capitalism often accompanied by significant driven by finance capital. At the state would produce the conditions that corruption as a few rich oligarchs level, neo-liberalism defines a theory would undermine its own existence. emerged who came to own these of public administration. If neo- From the 1960s until the early newly privatised state enterprises. liberalism includes a commitment 1990s, democracy was in the Simultaneously, emerging to market fundamentalism, then that upswing internationally. African democracies were rapidly pushed also means that it is dedicated to a de-colonisation initially produced into what sociologist Immanuel politics of limited government. This popularly elected governments. Wallerstein would call the world includes privatisation, deregulation, In South America the demise capitalist system. This system and a scaling back of many of dictatorships led to a wave turned politically to the right in traditional functions that capitalist of democratic regimes. And the the 1970s and 1980s as Margaret and communist states had performed fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 Thatcher in the United Kingdom and since at least World War II. But neo- and the breakup of the USSR in Ronald Reagan in the United States liberalism as a theory transcends the 1991 produced the dismantling pushed neo-liberalism or market state, providing also an international JANATA, July 29, 2018 15 economic theory committed to free co-existence, but the neo-liberal trade and globalism. democracy variant demonstrates This emergence of neo- the powerful contradictions in them. liberalism in the 1970s and its Either their linkage is producing linkage to democracy is central outright rejection of democracy or to the crisis affecting the latter. a populist, rightist version that is As neo-liberalism retrenched the merely democracy in form but not welfare state and pushed globalism, in substance. it was accompanied by a dramatic increase in economic inequality in the world, as Thomas Piketty has pointed out. This occurred in the US and much of the Western world. But it also impacted newly emerging democracies in Africa, Eastern Europe and South America. Pressures for shock therapy market reforms, austerity and open borders meant export of jobs to other countries, dismantling of social safety nets and other economic pressures placed on governments and ruling parties. Politically voters turned on globalism and free trade. This happened not only in the USA with Trump voters in 2016, but also in Brexit in the UK. But many voters also blamed immigrants for Janata Subscription the loss of jobs or social unrest in places ranging from France to Annual Rs. : 260/- Italy to Hungary. The increasing economic gap between rich and Three Years : 750/- poor and, more importantly, the Demand Draft / erosion of the economic conditions of the working class soured them Cheque on democracy. This paved the way on for the emergence of strongmen as political leaders, the rise of Mumbai Bank far-right nationalist parties, and in favour of disenchantment with democracy and democratic structures to deliver the JANATA TRUST economic goods. Therefore, what we see today Janata D-15, Ganesh Prasad, in terms of the decline in support is available at Naushir Bharucha Marg, for democracy across the world Grant Road (W), is a product of its marriage to www.lohiatoday.com neo-liberalism. Capitalism and Mumbai 400 007. democracy always had an uneasy R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, July 29, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, July 29, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, August 1, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 28 What Our Children Will Inherit August 5, 2018 Lynching to Nowhere Bharat Dogra Kuldip Nayar Almost every one appears to be especially in children. Water quality MSP as a Legal Right Rudra Deosthali and Sandeep Pandey in agreement that providing a safe remains the largest cause of human and secure future to our children health problems. The number of GST: A Broken Tax Chain (and grandchildren) is a matter of coastal dead zones has increased Arun Kumar very high priority for them, perhaps dramatically in recent years. This National Register of Citizens in Assam: the highest priority. Even people report has voiced a clear warning Need for Responsibility, who may not have their own children that urgent changes are needed “to Caution and Restraint are likely to have the same concern avoid exceeding critical thresholds Dr. Prem Singh, President, SPI for the generations to come. Yet beyond which abrupt and generally UN Raises Concerns Over xclusion of unintentionally and unwittingly we irreversible changes to the life People from NRC in Assam Citizens have become part of a systematic, support functions of the planet could for Justice and Peace relentless ecological destruction occur.” On the 170th Anniversary of the which, unless corrected in time, will This issue of critical significance Communist Manifesto Paul M. Sweezy, almost certainly inflict grave harm has been taken up in greater detail John Mage and John Bellamy Foster on crucial life-nurturing conditions in the work of scientists at the Caracas International Solidarity of earth. Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC). Meeting Declares: “Venezuela Is Not We often think of a secure Johan Rockstrom, director of SRC, Alone, We Are All with Her!” future for our children in terms of says "The human pressure on the Editor : G.G.Parikh property and bank balance, but these Earth System has reached a scale in themselves can never provide where abrupt global environmental Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain protection if clean/ safe air, water change can no longer be excluded. Managing Editor : Guddi and food are not ensured. To continue to live and operate The United Nations Environment safely, humanity has to stay away Editorial Board : Programme issues periodic reports from critical ‘hard-wired´ thresholds B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali on the state of world’s environment, in the Earth's environment, and Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah recent trends and future prospects. respect the nature of the planet's Amarendra Dhaneshwar, The latest of these—Global climatic, geophysical, atmospheric Sandeep Pandey Environment Outlook 5 (GEO-5) and ecological processes." has presented “undeniable evidence Summarising the results of D-15, Ganesh Prasad, that the world is speeding down an this work, the SRC says, “The Naushir Bharucha Marg, unsustainable path.” This report group of scientists including Hans Mumbai - 400 007. shows that already air pollution is Joachim Schellnhuber, Will Steffen, Email : [email protected] among the main causes of premature Katherine Richardson, Jonathan Website:www.janataweekly.org deaths and health problems, Foley and Nobel Laureate Paul 2 JANATA, August 5, 2018

Crutzen, have attempted to quantify be deleterious or even catastrophic existing efforts to cope with new the safe biophysical boundaries due to the risk of crossing thresholds and extremely serious problems, outside which, they believe, the that will trigger non-linear, abrupt “Transgressing one boundary may, Earth System cannot function in a environmental change within furthermore, seriously threaten the stable state, the state in which human continental- to planetary-scale ability to stay within safe levels for civilisations have thrived. The systems. . . . The exponential growth other boundaries. This means that scientists first identified the Earth of human activities is raising concern no boundary can be transgressed for System processes and potential that further pressure on the Earth long periods without jeopardising the biophysical thresholds, which, if System could destabilise critical safe operating space for humanity. crossed, could generate unacceptable biophysical systems and trigger Humanity thus needs to become environmental change for humanity. abrupt or irreversible environmental an active steward of all planetary They then proposed the boundaries changes that would be deleterious boundaries—the nine identified in that should be respected in order or even catastrophic for human this paper and others that may be to reduce the risk of crossing these well-being. This is a profound identified in the future—in order thresholds. Nine boundaries were dilemma because the predominant to avoid risk of disastrous long- identified, including climate change, paradigm of social and economic term social and environmental stratospheric ozone, land use development remains largely disruption. The knowledge gaps are change, freshwater use, biological oblivious to the risk of human- disturbing. There is an urgent need to diversity, ocean acidification, induced environmental disasters at identify Earth System thresholds, to nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to continental to planetary scales. . . . analyse risks and uncertainties, and, the biosphere and oceans, aerosol There is ample evidence from local applying a precautionary principle, loading and chemical pollution. to regional-scale ecosystems, such to identify planetary boundaries The study suggests that three of as lakes, forests, and coral reefs, to avoid crossing such undesired these boundaries (climate change, that gradual changes in certain key thresholds. Current governance and biological diversity and nitrogen control variables (e.g., biodiversity, management paradigms are often input to the biosphere) may already harvesting, soil quality, freshwater oblivious to or lack a mandate to act have been transgressed. In addition, flows, and nutrient cycles) can upon these planetary risks, despite it emphasises that the boundaries are trigger an abrupt system state change the evidence of an acceleration of strongly connected—crossing one when critical thresholds have been anthropogenic pressures on the boundary may seriously threaten the crossed.” biophysical processes of the Earth ability to stay within safe levels of What this paper says about System.” the others.” air and chemical pollution has Thus, from the point of view In this context a key research specific references to children. On of our future generations, the most paper titled “Planetary Boundaries: air pollution, it says that its various important issue is the many sided Exploring the Safe Operations Space health effects “convert to about ecological crisis which is now for Humanity” authored by Johan 800,000 premature deaths and assuming the form of a survival Rockstrom and 26 other scientists an annual loss of 6.4 million life crisis. If we are truly concerned has been published in the journal years, predominantly in developing about the future of our children (and Ecology and Society. This paper says Asian countries. Mortality due to their children), then we should start “Anthropogenic pressures on the exposure to indoor smoke from giving the topmost priority to these Earth System have reached a scale solid fuels is about double that of issues. When we compare this need where abrupt global environmental urban air pollution (roughly 1.6 with the petty issues which dominate change can no longer be excluded. million deaths), and exposure to the current discourse, then we realise We propose a new approach to occupational airborne particulates the urgency of genuine reforms. We global sustainability in which we accounts for roughly 300,000 deaths owe it to our children and the next define planetary boundaries within per year, mainly in developing generation to initiate necessary which we expect that humanity can countries.” changes and reforms before it is operate safely. Transgressing one On a concluding note, this too late. or more planetary boundaries may paper says about the inadequacy of Email: [email protected] JANATA, August 5, 2018 3 Lynching to Nowhere

Kuldip Nayar

More gruesome details about the through steps such as abolishing the Pranab Mukherjee, then a top Alwar lynching have come to light. column of religion from application Congress leader, went out of the Rakbar Khan, the victim, could have forms for admission to institutions house to register his lack of interest been saved if the police had acted and employment. on the issue. Probably, this was his in time. In fact, the force stopped The line drawn on the basis reply to my pointed criticism of for tea and wasted three and a half of religion is haunting us all the the Congress for having failed to hours in reaching the victim to the time. Muslims in India, although 17 galvanise the nation. hospital. He bled to death. If one crore, do not matter in the affairs of Secularism is the ideology were to put all the pieces together, government administration. Over which we have chosen in one would come to the conclusion the years, their habitation also contrast to Pakistan’s Islamic that the police delay was deliberate. has become separate and even order. Unfortunately, the Muslim The religion of the victim— though they have become slums community in India stays distant. It he was a Muslim—has been his they feel safe in living together. feels as if it is somewhat responsible undoing. Inquiry would give details There are separate schools for each for the partition. This is not entirely but there is no doubt that the police community. The madrassa cult has true. The Hindus failed to instill were keener on recovering the two got deepened in the community confidence among the Muslims. cows from him than saving his life. because the Muslims want to save Hindu fundamentalists were openly The cows were taken to a gaushala their identity. propagating their communal (cow shed) 10 kilometres away, a Not long ago, there was a riot in propaganda. good one hour before Khan was Delhi. I was helping the community The ruling Bhartiya Janata brought to the community health as an activist. One sitting judge Party (BJP) has no connection with centre, a six-kilometer drive from preferred to stay in the slums and the national struggle. Its ideology the attack site. told me that he felt safe there. He remains what Shyama Prasad According to data available for found the police contaminated. The Mookerji, a tall leader at that time, some time now on blood-thirsty question we should ask ourselves propagated. The philosophy was to mobs striking fear in the hearts is why the protectors of law are establish a Hindu rashtra. of minorities, 86 percent of those becoming violators themselves. For Jayaprakash Narain was able dead in cow-related violence since a long time, the government kept out to bring even the fanatic Hindus 2010 are Muslims and 97 percent mosque, temple or gurudwara from into the Janata Party and act at his of the attacks took place after the police line. But leaders from bidding. They gave up their caps 2014. Whenever such happenings different political parties saw people which was typical. The sticking took place, including lynching or only in terms of religion and catered point, however, was the relationship attacking people, invariably the to their parochial tendencies. Now with the RSS. When JP asked the Muslims and Dalits had borne the the temple, mosque and gurudwara then Jan Sangh leaders to severe their brunt in the name of so-called cow are allowed in the places where they ties with the RSS, they preferred to protection. live and they blare their propaganda constitute their own party. L.K. This is a sad commentary on our all the time. Advani founded the BJP. efforts to have the society pluralistic. I raised all these points in the That is the time when Atal Mahatma Gandhi would emphasise Rajya Sabha when I was nominated Behari Vajpayee emerged as the on Hindu-Muslim unity all the time to the house in the 90s. My criticism leader because he was acceptable to during his prayers. India’s first was directed at the Congress all. He kept their confidence intact Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, which had ruled the country since because the bus he took to Lahore too stressed on the same point and independence. Instead of giving had members of all political parties. strengthened the argument for unity reply to what I had mentioned, The speech he made at the civic 4 JANATA, August 5, 2018 reception was so appealing to the The BJP has come a long way comes to choose the Prime Minister, Pakistanis that some of them came since then. Prime Minister Narendra the RSS would have its own stamp. to me to seek my services to request Modi looks trying to be another Instances like Alwar lynching are Nawaz Sharif not to speak because Vajpayee but not succeeding in his going to pull down both the RSS and the mood was pro-Vajpayee. Nawaz efforts. Though Modi is emphasizing the BJP because the country’s mood Sharif said he was not a fool to speak on sabka saath, sabka vikas, but RSS does not tally with the intentions after Vajapyee. Instead, he said that chief Mohan Bhagwat seems to have of RSS. The nation wants to stay if Vajpayee were to contest elections initiated a parallel campaign to have pluralistic. today in Pakistan, he would sweep as many candidates in the Lok Sabha the polls. as possible so that when the time Email: [email protected]

MSP as a Legal Right

Rudra Deosthali and Sandeep Pandey

In a programme on 23 June 2018 next year as well as elections before justification to the demand of ‘Right at Lucknow, when the Chief Minister that in some states like Rajasthan to Sell at MSP’. Yogi Adityanath was extolling and Madhya Pradesh. The BJP The procurement mechanism the virtues of his government hailed this move claiming that of the targeted public distribution and boasting about how much the Modi government actually system (TDPS) is riddled with his government had done for the delivers on the promises made by difficulties. There is a huge shortage farmers, Anil Mishra, a farmer it and that acche din are just around of procurement centers in various associated with Ram Manohar Lohia the corner. But almost all major parts of country, due to which the Kisan Sabha from neighbouring farmers’ organisations termed it as farmers are forced to sell their Unnao District and invited by the another jumla of the current ruling produce to traders. These traders Department of Horticulture to the government. The criticism was in turn sell this produce at MSP to meeting, stood up to say that mango mainly centered around the method the procurement centers, thereby farmers were able to get only Rs of calculation of MSP which was earning a huge profit, at the cost of 300 a box compared to Rs 800 adopted by the government. More poor farmers. It is pertinent to note last year and demanded that the importantly, the question of rate of that in some instances, the officers government pay at least the cost of MSP is secondary for most farmers. at procurement centers have to be irrigation. He was whisked out of The reason is the absence of ‘Right bribed just to make sure that their the meeting and then had to spend to MSP’, which implies that the produce is purchased at the MSP. three hours at the Vibhuti Khand farmers will have a right to obtain Apart from these implementation Police Station of Gomti Nagar, at least the MSP for their produce, difficulties, the planning of the Lucknow. The incident highlights and if that right is not realised for any scheme is also faulty. It has been two things—uncertainty famers face reason, they can approach the court noticed that majority of produce is with regard to price of their produce for enforcement of it. But, in the procured from states like Punjab and and government's unwillingness to absence of such a right, the farmers Haryana, where there exists a robust be held accountable. are left at the mercy of procurement procurement mechanism, while the On 5 July 2018, the current officials and unscrupulous traders. North-Eastern states are completely BJP government approved a hike In such a scenario, the guarantee of ignored. in the Minimum Support Price the government to not let prices of The main body responsible for (MSP) for some kharif crops. crops drop below a pre-determined procuring produce at MSP all over This announcement comes in the limit and to conduct open-ended the country is the Food Corporation background of general elections procurement of these crops falls of India (FCI). This was established which are scheduled to take place flat. This article seeks to give a legal under the Food Corporation Act, JANATA, August 5, 2018 5

1964. One of the objectives of FCI is hesitated while recognizing new The opportune time for making to implement ‘effective price support rights under Article 21, according MSP a legal right has long passed, operations for safeguarding the to changing political, social and but better late than never. The interests of the farmers’. According economic situations.iv It has even Committee for Agricultural Cost and to the Agricultural Produce made some of the provisions under Prices (CACP) has recently in its Marketing Committee Act 2006, it ‘Directive Principles’ justifiable and report made a recommendation for is a duty of the Agricultural Produce enforceable, time and time again.v making MSP a right. The Communist Market Committee to prevent sale Under Article 39 (a) the state has Party of India is scheduled to table or produce below MSP.i Along with been directed to provide adequate a private member’s bill on this that, it is an obligation on FCI to means of livelihood to all its citizens, issue in the ongoing parliamentary implement open ended procurement and under Articles 39 (b) and (c), the session. Also, a divisional bench of of produce at MSP. These provisions state is mandated to ensure equality Uttarkhand High Court, has recently have placed enough obligations on of wealth and welfare. According in unequivocal terms recognized the the government agencies to ensure to Articles 46 and 47, the state is need to give MSP a legal backing.ix that no farmer is forced to sell supposed to protect the economic These recent developments in his produce at a price below the interests of weaker sections of this field look quite promising, and MSP. But, without a simultaneous society and strive to improve health raise the hope that at least now, provision conferring a right to and nutrition of its citizens. The even though it is long over-due, the sell at MSP on farmers, there is state is also supposed to organise farmers receive their right to a life no mechanism in place to enforce and improve the conditions of with dignity! the obligations stated under the agriculture and animal husbandry act. Without the enforcement in India.vi Email: [email protected] and mechanisms, the obligations are Amongst the Directive asha [email protected] merely toothless directives. This Principles mentioned above, the situation can only be compared right to adequate means of livelihood i §29(2)(ix) of the APMC Act, to one that would have existed if and remuneration has already been 2006. our Constitution would have had a read into Article 21, as early as ii Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of whole chapter of fundamental rights 1986.vii It has also been recognized India, AIR 1978 SC 597. without Article 32, a provision that that Article 21 imposes a positive iii Francis Coralie vs. Ambedkar described as the heart of obligation on the state and not just Administrator, Union the Constitution! a negative obligation, meaning that Territory of Delhi, AIR 1981 SC Farmers have been demanding the state is also mandated to strive 746. since long that MSP must have legal to protect the rights under Article 21, iv Indian Constitutional Law backing. However, no steps have and not just refrain from infringing (Vol. 1), M.P. Jain, 7th edition. been taken by any government in them.viii v Ibid. the past or even the judiciary. This The question of MSP is a matter vi Article 47 of the Constitution of is quite surprising considering the of life and death for most farmers in India. fact that, post-Maneka Gandhi,ii the India. Without this protection from vii Olga Tellis vs. Bombay Municipal court has mentioned that the right the government, the power to decide Corporation, AIR 1986 SC 180. to life and liberty enshrined in Art. the prices of the crops is transferred viii P. Rathinam vs. Union of India, 21 of the Indian Constitution means from the state to the open market. AIR 1994 SC 1844. more than merely an animalistic In this process, the local traders ix Ganesh Upadhayay vs. Union of existence. It includes the right to and middlemen earn superprofits India, W.P No. 105 of 2017. live with human dignity and bare at the cost of the farmers. By not necessities like adequate nutrition, providing legal protection to MSP clothing, shelter, facilities for for farmers, the state is endangering Janata reading and writing, etciii Also, the fundamental rights of its citizens, is available at the jurisprudence related to Art. 21 and is violating the mandate given to has shown that the court has not it by the Constitution. www.lohiatoday.com 6 JANATA, August 5, 2018 GST: A Broken Tax Chain

Arun Kumar

A year ago, at a special midnight on the basis of returns filed by the e-way bill (to track goods being session in Parliament, the launch of suppliers to the business. If some transported) was postponed to April the goods and services tax (GST) suppliers delayed filing or did not 2018. The RCM was suspended and was heralded as the new freedom. file, one had to chase them or one may resume now. The tax rate for A year on, what has the GST could not file one’s return. This businesses under the Composition achieved?? One should not expect proved to be insurmountable for Scheme was brought down. instant results. There will be many many. For each State one was Restaurants were brought under the short comings when a complex operating in, three returns had to be Composition Scheme with a 5% tax reform is rolled out. But the question processed every month. Then there rate but no ITC. For a year now, is this: is the economy headed in the was an annual return to be filed. So there have been reports every day right direction? for each State, a business had to file of new problems cropping up and Arguments in favour of the 37 returns in a year. Even though it clarifications being sought from the GST were that it would lead to ease was computerised, accounting was authorities. In some cases, court of doing business, make markets difficult. So, even though 17 taxes cases are being filed. efficient, yield higher tax collections, were replaced by one tax made up Prices have not fallen. Of course, and lead to lower prices. With higher of many parts, simplification did there are many factors underlying tax collection, the government not follow. inflation, such as rise in prices of would be able to deliver better The small businesses operating petroleum goods, the weather and so services. Thus, the GST was under the Composition Scheme on. But the GST has also contributed presented as a win-win situation for (turnover between ₹20 lakh and to inflation because services are now everyone. ₹75 lakh; later the limit was raised taxed at a higher rate—the rate has to ₹1.5 crore) had their own woes. risen to 18% from 15%. It is also true From the start They could not give input tax credit that the ITC which was supposed Businesses have not yet (ITC) and if anyone bought from to lower the cost to businesses experienced ‘ease of doing business’ them, then the buyer had to pay the and reduce cascading effect (and though some have adjusted to it. tax that the small business should thereby lower final prices) has To begin with, the GST rates were have paid. This was the reverse not worked. In fact, in the case of fixed rather late. Industry could charge mechanism (RCM). These restaurants, the ITC was withdrawn not fix prices well in time and small businesses were not permitted and replaced by a different scheme. difficulties grew right from day one. to make inter-State sales so that The government’s concern about The IT functioning of the Goods their market became limited in case the misuse of the ITC prompted it to and Service Tax Network (GSTN) they were at the border of the State. legislate the anti-profiteering clause. has been unsatisfactory due to Thus, not only big but also small But it is proving hard to implement; problems or inordinate delays in businesses faced severe difficulties. industry is resisting it. access because of the volume of Taking cognisance of these Even though essential goods are traffic. Per month, a few billion problems, the government made exempt under the GST, as prices returns had to be processed. rapid changes during the year of basic goods and services rise, The complexity of the system through the GST Council (the body all prices increase. For instance, if became apparent when businesses set up to govern GST). But this diesel or truck prices rise, transport had to file one form by the 10th of only added to the confusion. Some costs increase. This leads to an the month, check the next form by components of the GST which were increase in prices for all goods across the 15th and file the third form by considered essential to its design the board, even if they are exempt the 20th. The form to be filed by were suspended or altered under the GST, examples being the 15th was to be auto populated permanently. For example, the cereals and vegetables. JANATA, August 5, 2018 7

Tax structure Press Release The tax rate structure (0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%) also adds to the National Register of Citizens in complexity. Then there are different rates for gold and jewellery. Some Assam: Need for Responsibility, petro-goods and alcohol (for human Caution and Restraint consumption) are not a part of the

GST. Electricity and real estate are also out of the GST. The multiplicity Dr. Prem Singh, President, SPI of tax rates and exemptions means that the cascading effect continues. The problem of presence of illegal foreign nationals and exclude them India does not have a full Bangladeshi nationals in Assam is from the NRC. But due to lack of GST which is applicable from raw quite complex and old. When the political will and no such agreement material to the final good/service. students began a movement against with Bangladesh, that work could The chain is broken in many places. Bangladeshi infiltration in Assam not be done. This partial GST is a result of trying in the eighties, they were supported The NRC issued on Monday by to fulfil many policy objectives. For by socialists and Gandhians of the the present government excludes instance, small businesses which country. Then that movement was names of over 40 lakh people. If their cannot cope with its complexity secular and its emphasis was on families are added then this number and goods consumed by the poor Assamese citizens identity. Although will be more than one crore. It is are exempt. As the Finance Minister there was opposition to Bangla- being said that most of the 4 million said, “A BMW and hawai chappal speaking population, but people people out of the National Citizen can’t have the same tax.” of all sections of Assamese society Register are Indian citizens. These Prime Minister Modi has touted took part in the movement. The include both Hindus and Muslims. the GST as being India’s biggest then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi Putting such a large number of economic reform. This is of course tried to give it a communal color. people in one state of insecurity an exaggeration. The introduction of When she went to address a rally shows that the duty to prepare the the GST is a much smaller economic in the Brahmaputra Valley, a slogan NRC has not been fulfilled properly. reform as compared to the policy 'hath men bidi muhn men paan, It seems that the government was changes introduced in 1991, that asam banega pakistan' (having bidi quick to issue a NRC for electoral have totally altered the orientation in hand and betel leaf in mouth gains rather than a proper solution of the Indian economy. Be that as it Assam will become Pakistan) was to the problem. This essential work may, the claims being made about raised. That was a vote bank of the of national interest should have been its benefits to the economy have also Congress. The intrusion continued done in a non-political manner. But proven to be an exaggeration. The due to lose security arrangements the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) GST is not yielding more revenue to on Bangladesh border. Meanwhile leadership did not act with maturity. enable governments to spend more the Nelly massacre of women and The BJP president Amit Shah on services for the poor. Further, by children of minority community is presenting the publication of the damaging the unorganised sectors, it highlighted the communal and National Citizen Register as bravery. has set back output and employment gruesome face of that movement. The BJP in-charge of West Bengal, in the economy rather than leading to After her, Rajiv Gandhi became Kailash Vijayvargiya, has given a a higher growth rate. These problems prime minister and signed the Assam statement saying that after Assam, emanate from introducing a very Accord in 1985. The concept of West Bengal would be the next stop. complex tax in a complex economy. National Register of Citizens (NRC) He has alleged that the number of In brief, while there are a few gains, in Assam is the result of that process. illegal immigrants into West Bengal the economy is not headed in the According to this, those whose could run into crores. Amit Shah has right direction because of the faulty names are not registered in the NRC made an unsubstantiated statement design of the GST. will not be considered as citizens to link the whole issue with national Email: [email protected] of India. It was decided to identify security in the Parliament. With this 8 JANATA, August 5, 2018 kind of irresponsible statements of this sensitive issue, make sure made in the proposed Indian BJP leaders, the initial balanced that no single Indian citizen is left Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 statement given by Home Minister out of the National Register of only allow giving citizenship to non- Rajnath Singh on this issue has Citizens, whether he/she belongs to Muslims, but not to Muslims. India become meaningless. The ruling any religion, caste or state. While is a member of the United Nations. party and its president should preparing the National Register of The goal of the United Nations is understand that the threat to national Citizens, it was the responsibility to eliminate the statelessness of security rather lies in their intention of the citizens themselves to prove citizens from the world by 2024. If of making communal polarisation that they are citizens of India. such a large number of people will be across the country in the name of However, the United Nations puts made stateless then this will create an the National Register of Citizens in the responsibility on the state too. international problem. The excluded Assam. In fact, the BJP had an eye Secondly, the leadership should population is 10 percent of Assam on this long-standing and complex decide the fate of Bangladeshi state. Therefore, those who claim to problem for long. After getting citizens living illegally, whether they be 'Vishwaguru' and who chant the power at the Centre and the state, it are Hindus or Muslims, in the light mantra of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', has used the Office of the Registrar of the Indian Citizenship laws and instead of considering it from a General of India and the Census the provisions of the United Nations communal perspective, should think Commissioner in such a way that (UNO). in a sensitive human way. Opinion it can play politics of communal The Socialist Party believes that of all the political parties should be polarisation for a long time to come. India has the right to identify the considered and the Supreme Court The BJP's immediate target on the people who have entered the country should make decisions according path of communal polarisation is illegally. If possible, send them back to the Constitution and United the Lok Sabha elections 2019. The to their country, and if not possible, Nations Charter in order to solve BJP has lost mid-term elections due then consider granting them permits the problem. to the unity of opposition parties in or giving citizenship. The provisions Email: [email protected] the Hindi region. Therefore it wants to compensate the loss from the Northeast and West Bengal. UN Raises Concerns Over xclusion The work of identifying genuine citizens is being supervised by the of People from NRC in Assam Citizens Supreme Court, and the court has stated that this list is not final and no for Justice and Peace action should be taken on its basis. The Election Commission has also The much-awaited final draft September 28, 2018. The Registrar said that the National Register of of the updated National Register General of Citizen Registration Citizens will not disrupt voter rights of Citizens (NRC) was published has issued a notification that puts of the people. But how can the court on Monday, July 30, in Guwahati, December 31, 2018 as the date to prevent politics on this sensitive Assam. Out of total 3,29,91,385 complete updation of the NRC. issue? Even the Chief of Army Staff people who applied for inclusion General Bipin Rawat has intervened in the updated NRC, 2,89,83,677 About the NRC in this issue and given a political have been admitted, while 40,07,708 The National Register for statement. people have been excluded from the Citizens (NRC), a record of In view of the Socialist Party, draft list. ‘legitimate’ Indian citizens living the leadership of all the parties, The government has assured in Assam, is being updated for the including the ruling party, must that all those whose names have first time since 1951. The ostensible behave responsibly on this issue. The not appeared in the NRC will be objective is to weed out ‘Illegal Socialist Party urges the country's given one last opportunity to prove Bangladeshi immigrants’. However, political leadership to ensure that their Indian Citizenship, and they the numbers tell a chilling story . . . instead of doing vote politics on will have to file their claims by one of a conspiracy of ‘othering’ and JANATA, August 5, 2018 9 exclusion. 40 lakh people have been The Bengali Muslim and the Bengali Muslims continue to excluded from the draft NRC. Bangladeshi Bogeyman be disproportionately affected Preliminary reports from the On the subject of Bengali and targeted by Foreigners’ ground suggest that though it was Muslims, the letter says, Tribunals as most persons asked assumed that the updated NRC There is no official policy to prove their citizenship before would largely affected the Muslim outlining the implications for Tribunals reportedly lack the minority, ground reports indicate that those who will be excluded from necessary means to do so. Even in large numbers of Bengali Hindus, the final NRC. It is reported that cases when individuals produce especially from Dalit communities, they will be treated as foreigners the required documentation to some Indigenous Koch Rajbonshis, and that their citizenship prove their citizenship, many some sections of Nepali and other rights may be revoked in the Bengali Muslims appear to be Indian labour and business class absence of a prior trial. They declared as foreigners based hailing from northern, western and may subsequently be asked to on technical reasons. The southern India, as well as large prove their citizenship before Tribunals are governed by the numbers of Muslims have been so-called Foreigners’ Tribunals. Foreigners Act 1946, which excluded from the updated draft In December 2017, a local places the burden of proof on NRC. government minister in Assam the accused to demonstrate The issue is so serious that it was quoted as stating that “the his or her citizenship status. has even caught the attention of NRC is being done to identify Officials of these Tribunals are the United Nations. Four Special illegal Bangladeshis residing empowered to find persons to Rapporteurs of the United Nations— in Assam” and that “all those be foreigners, on the basis of Fernand de Varennes (Special whose names do not figure minor technical discrepancies Rapporteur on minority issues), in the NRC will have to be in their citizenship documents, E. Tendayi Achiume (Special deported.” In this context, the such as misspelling of names Rapporteur on contemporary forms NRC update has generated and age inconsistencies. In of racism, racial discrimination, increased anxiety and concerns this regard, it is also alleged xenophobia and related intolerance), among the Bengali Muslim that there has been a notable David Kaye (Special Rapporteur minority in Assam, who have and significant increase in the on the promotion and protection of long been discriminated against Tribunals’ findings of foreigner the right to freedom of opinion and due to their perceived status as status as a result of the new expression) and Ahmed Shaheed foreigners, despite possessing Government coming into power. (Special Rapporteur on freedom of the necessary documents to It is alleged that the Tribunals religion or belief)—wrote a letter to prove their citizenship. While it is have been declaring large Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External acknowledged that the updating numbers of Bengali Muslims in Affairs, on June 11, 2018, that is, process is generally committed Assam as foreigners, resulting more than a month before the final to retaining Indian citizens on in statelessness and risk of draft NRC was published, voicing the NRC, concerns have been detention. their concerns with respect to the raised that local authorities in Finally, it is alleged that the update to the National Register Assam, which are deemed to potential discriminatory effects of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. The be particularly hostile towards of the updated NRC should be rapporteurs have raised questions Muslims and people of Bengali seen in light of the history of about possible discrimination against descent, may manipulate the discrimination and violence the Bengali Muslim minority, the verification system in an attempt faced by Muslims of Bengali controversial May 2 order of the to exclude many genuine Indian origin due to their status as NRC State Co-ordinator that asked citizens from the updated NRC. ethnic, religious and linguistic the names of family members of minority and their perceived a declared foreigner to be kept It further highlights the plight foreignness. Although the pending from the NRC, as well as a of Bengali Muslims and raises Bengali origin Muslims in Assam host of other issues. concerns about the matter saying, descend from peasant workers 10 JANATA, August 5, 2018

brought from the former Bengal is hereby clarified that recording about the referral of a case, and East Bengal starting in the of decision as ‘Hold’ by Local the concerned family member 19th century under colonial rule, Registrar of Citizen Registration will automatically be excluded they have long been portrayed (LRCRs) for any such person, from the NRC. Their status as irregular migrants. As a namely, brothers, sisters and will be recorded as “pending” result of this rhetoric, Bengali other family members of until their citizenship has been Muslims have historically been Declared Foreigners (DF) will determined by a Foreigners’ the target of various human be taken only after receipt of Tribunal. It is therefore alleged rights violations, including information from respective that these orders may lead to the forced displacement, arbitrary SP (Border) that reference has wrongful exclusion of close to expulsions and killings. been made of such person to the two million names from the NRC, Foreigners Tribunals. without a prior investigation and Family members of Declared The controversial order was trial. Foreigners challenged in the Guwahati High On May 2, Prateek Hajela, State Court, but the court dismissed the Sudden increase in ‘Foreigners’ Coordinator for the NRC had issued writ petition and upheld the NRC The UN Special Rapporteurs an order to all Deputy Registrars State Coordinator’s order. The letter have also brought up that there has of Citizen Registration (DRCR) by the UN Special Rapporteurs is been a sudden spike in the number and Local Registrars of Citizen dated June 11 and therefore came of people being declared foreigners. Registration (LRCR) stating before the Guwahati HC decision. They have also expressed concerns As per this Judgement, the This is what the letter states: about the functioning of Foreigners’ Superintendent of Police (B) are These concerns have been Tribunals. The letter says, required to make references of heightened by the alleged Concerns about the such persons, namely, brothers, misinterpretation of a High implementation of the NRC sisters and other family members Court judgement of 2 May 2017 update have also been of Declared Foreigners (DF) to (Gauhati High Court, WP(C) heightened by the increasing the Foreigners Tribunals and 360/2017). In this judgement, number of persons declared to their names are accordingly not the Court directs the Assam be foreigners by Foreigners’ be included in the NRC until Border Police to open inquiries Tribunals. Out of a total of finalisation of such references. concerning the relatives of 468,934 referals to the Tribunals LRCRs will have to keep persons declared as foreigners between 1985 and 2016, 80,194 eligibility status of all such and to subsequently refer them people were declared foreigners. persons pending till decision to the so-called Foreigners’ This figure increased drastically on their Indian Citizenship is Tribunals. Based on this in 2017, reaching 13,434 in just confirmed by the concerned judgement, the State Coordinator eleven months. In this context, Foreigners Tribunal similar to of the NRC reportedly issued it is reported that members of the procedure for D-voters. As two orders dated 2 May 2018 Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam such LRCRs will have to record (memo No. SPMU/NRC/HF- experience increasing pressure their decisions as “Hold” with FT/537/2018/15-A) and 25 May from State authorities to declare LRCR Remarks recorded as 2018 (memo no. SPMU/NRC/ more persons as foreigners. On “DFS”. DFS will mean Siblings HC-FT/537/2018/23). Pursuant 21st June 2017, 19 members and other Family Members of to the orders, border police of the Foreigners’ Tribunals in Declared Foreigners (DFs). authorities are required to refer Assam were dismissed on ground family members of “declared of their under-performance However, on May 25, a foreigners” to the Foreigners’ over the last two years. More clarification was issued saying, Tribunals. The duty to conduct a than 15 additional Tribunal With reference to the subject prior inquiry is not mentioned in members were issued with a cited above and in continuation the orders. Once relevant NRC strict warning to increase their with the letter under reference, it authorities have been informed efficiency. Considering that JANATA, August 5, 2018 11

tribunal members serve on a Letter to Editor contractual basis for two years, which may be extended on a BJP President, Shri Amit Shah is reported to have said that his party needs and performance basis, does not polarise. The following are three statements of BJP representatives these actions were perceived to made almost on the same day. be a thinly veiled threat to other • BJP MP from UP Hari om Pandey claims that the rising population Tribunal members. of muslims in India is responsible for terrorism and rape and murder cases. Other issues • MLA from Karnataka Basanagouda Patil said that the biggest danger The letter also brings up the to the nation is from intellectuals and secularists. If he were the Home issue of ‘doubtful’ or D-Voters and Minister he would issued orders to finish all of them by shooting them. expresses concerns over the allegedly • BJP MLA Surendra Singh stated that Hindu couples should have at arbitrary processes followed by least 5 children or they will become a minority. Election Commission officials These are comparatively small fry in the party. Many senior ministers in declaring people D-Voters. It in the central government have been much more strident, both in their also raises questions about human speeches and action. rights violations, arbitrary detention It is reassuring that most BJP leaders have condemned lynching and and deportation, the exclusion violence related to cow vigilance. But this condemnation has never been of Muslims from the proposed unqualified. It is significant that both the perparators and victims of these Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 violence have been treated similarly, the victims often bearing the brunt. as well as a host of other subjects. It But as the honourable BJP President says there is no polarisation. has also asked for clarifications vis You can fool some people all the time, all the people for sometime. a vis the treatment of those who are But you cannot fool all the people all the time! deemed stateless and steps taken to Anil Bagarka, Mumbai uphold rights of minorities. Email: [email protected]

On the 170th Anniversary of the Communist Manifesto Paul M. Sweezy, John Mage and John Bellamy Foster

The Crises of Capitalism epidemic of overproduction.” Today remain caught in a condition of slow Eighteen forty-eight, when the this might be better formulated to growth and financial instability, with Manifesto was written, was a crisis read “an epoch of overproduction of new economic tremors appearing all year in Europe. Twenty-eighteen is the means of production.” Bourgeois the time and the effects spreading the tenth year of an endless crisis economics still does not get it, and globally. The one bright spot in for a now fully globalised capitalist probably never will. the world economy, from a growth economy. What Karl Marx and The Great Financial Crisis standpoint, has been the seemingly Frederick Engels said about “the and the Great Recession began in unstoppable expansion of a handful commercial crises [that] by their the United States in 2007–08 and of emerging economies, particularly periodic return, put on its trial, quickly spread across the globe, China. Yet the continuing stability each time more threateningly, the marking what appears to be a turning of China is now also in question, existence of the entire bourgeois point in world history. Although especially insofar as it depends society” is just as applicable to our this was followed within two years on a high degree of integration own time. And so is the diagnosis by an extended recovery phase, the with global capitalism. Hence the of the basic cause: “In these crises,” weakest in the last century, the world general consensus among informed they wrote, “there breaks out an economy ten years after the onset of economic observers is that the world epidemic that in all earlier epochs the crisis is still in the doldrums. The capitalist economy is facing the threat would have seemed an absurdity, the United States, Europe, and Japan of long-run economic stagnation 12 JANATA, August 5, 2018

(complicated by the prospect of inflation), has occurred only through classes” in the Manifesto, most further financial deleveraging), a massive increase in working-class likely because Marx and Engels did sometimes referred to as the problem debt; in the United States today not consider it a likely outcome of of “lost decades.” It is this issue a majority of wage workers have the class struggle under capitalism. of the stagnation of the capitalist in effect no net savings at all. The But if we look around us in the economy that has emerged as the big commercial cycle identified by world today—and take into account question worldwide (setting aside the Manifesto is still very much a the extent to which capitalism is the issue of the environment), even certainty in an uncertain world. The destroying or undermining the for all serious bourgeois economists. recovery from the 2007–08 great natural foundations of a sustainable The Manifesto’s analysis of the crisis is in its final phase, and the economy—we must surely reinstate succession of crises that “put on its techniques of new debt and interest “the common ruin of the contending trial, each time more threateningly, rate suppression that enabled the last classes” as a very realistic prospect the existence of the entire bourgeois recovery are no longer available. in the historically near future. society” remains central to any The immediate prospect can only attempt to predict the events of reinforce the continuing salience of What Should We Be Trying to the coming years. The long weak the Manifesto’s phrase “each time Accomplish? recovery was made possible only by more threateningly.” We should be trying to impress an unprecedented global expansion on the peoples of the world the of debt, both public and private, Where Are We Going? truth about capitalism, that it is itself made possible only by the Marx and Engels were dedicated not, as bourgeois ideologists want forced reduction of interest rates to revolutionaries and firmly believed us to believe, the “end of history,” levels similarly without precedent. that the inherent and ineradicable but that its continued existence This flood of new debt went not into contradictions of capitalism would can really bring the end of history. productive investment, as shown by generate a growing and ultimately Does the Manifesto offer any the great stagnation in growth, but successful revolutionary struggle to help in this respect? Perhaps—if into a global inflation of asset prices. overturn the system and put in its we read it carefully and interpret The result was the capture of almost place a more humane and rational it imaginatively. In a too-often all such gains as were produced in one. But did their analysis allow for, neglected passage, Marx and Engels this last decade by that very small or perhaps even imply a different introduce a new theme into their percent of the world’s population historical outcome? The answer, we analysis. who owned the world’s assets, think, is unequivocally yes. Early Finally, in times when the class whether real estate or securities. But on in the Manifesto, indeed on the struggle nears the decisive hour, global capitalism remains caught first page of the first section entitled the process of dissolution going on in the contradiction posed by the “Bourgeois and Proletarians,” an within the ruling class, in fact within necessity of continuous expansion oft-quoted passage reads: the whole range of old society, of profits through the capture of The history of all hitherto assumes such a violent, glaring surplus value from the exploitation existing society is the history of character that a small section of the of labor, and the necessity of the class struggles. Freeman and slave, ruling class cuts itself adrift, and valorisation of that surplus value patrician and plebeian, lord and joins the revolutionary class that through either consumption or serf, guild-master and journeyman, holds the future in its hands. Just new investment. New investment in a word, oppressor and oppressed, as, therefore, at an earlier period, a in productive capacity, in a global stood in constant opposition to one section of the nobility went over to capitalism plagued by excess another, carried on an uninterrupted, the bourgeoisie, so now a section capacity, is increasingly more a now hidden, now open fight, of the bourgeoisie goes over to problem than a solution for the that each time ended, either in a the proletariat, and in particular a system. And the maintenance of revolutionary reconstitution of portion of the bourgeois ideologists, workers’ consumption, given the society at large, or in the common who have raised themselves to the ever-increasing downward pressure ruin of the contending classes. level of comprehending theoretically on wages worldwide (and upward Nothing more is said about “the the historical movement as a whole. pressure on rents caused by asset common ruin of the contending For Marx this reflected what JANATA, August 5, 2018 13 he understood (see especially his discussion of “Pre-Capitalist Caracas International Solidarity Economic Formations” in Meeting Declares: the Grundrisse) as “the age of dissolution” of class-property “Venezuela Is Not Alone, We Are All relations that brought down feudal society. A similar age of dissolution, with Her!” we believe, would bring down capitalism in turn—although the Janata has been regularly US President Trump renewed an dissolution of capitalist relations publishing articles on the ongoing executive order declaring Venezuela would necessarily take a different socialist experiments in Latin to be an “extraordinary threat” to US form. America whose remarkable national security. Today we can see more and achievements have been completely At the closing of the gathering, more within present-day capitalism, blanked out in the mainstream delegates read a joint declaration, particularly in the wealthiest media. Neither has the media in which they expressed their full countries, the emergence of acute given any coverage to the attempts solidarity with the Venezuelan contradictions that are accelerating being made by the US and global people, rejected US sanctions, and the breaking-up of the system, visible capital to undermine, sabotage and warned the world of the dangers of in the extremes of the polarisation of overthrow these revolutions. We had what they called imperialist efforts income and wealth in all nations received this international solidarity to sabotage Venezuela's democratic and globally, the corrosive interface declaration with the Venezuelan process. of stagnation, financialisation and revolution two months ago, but had In addition, delegates paid neoliberal globalisation, and—most not been able to publish it so far due homage to late President Hugo of all—the accelerating planetary to lack of space. We are publishing Chavez, visited numerous examples crisis that threatens all of humanity. it now. of community organisation in These historical developments are On March 7, 2018, the ‘Todos Caracas, and were treated to a behind “the dissolution [presently] Somos Venezuela’ (We Are All cultural event. going on within the ruling class,” Venezuela) international solidarity Full Text of the ‘Todos Somos evident in the growing instability of more than 800 social leaders, Venezuela’ Declaration of Caracas of the state. Notwithstanding journalists, politicians and activists We, citizens from distinct the continuing ideological role from 95 countries culminated in countries, social movements and performed by bourgeois economics, Caracas. Apart from representatives organisations, political parties, there is no hiding the acute from nearly all countries of Latin women, youths, workers, creators contradictions of our age, which America, there were 48 delegates and intellectuals, peasants, and every child can see. As the unfolding from North America, 19 from Africa religious leaders, gathered here in of capitalism’s deadly consequences and 34 from Europe. Caracas on the 5, 6 and 7th March proceed, more and more people, Amongst the high-profile 2018, reaffirm our solidarity and including not only revolutionary delegates were Bolivian President militant support of the Venezuelan movements throughout the globe, Evo Morales and his Foreign people, the Bolivarian Revolution but also “bourgeois ideologists who Minister Fernando Huanacuni. and its popular government, which have raised themselves to the level The event also had the backing is headed by Nicolas Maduro Moros. of comprehending theoretically the of more than 500 representatives We energetically reject the historical movement as a whole,” of Venezuelan social movements, grave escalation of aggressions will come to see what has to be done, press outlets, political parties, and against Venezuela’s democracy if our species is to have any future at organised community groupings. and sovereignty by the war-like all. Our job is to help bring about this The gathering was held in the government of Donald Trump, recognition in the shortest possible background of the US government global corporate powers, and the time—while there still is time. increasing its threatening rhetoric American imperialist military- against Venezuela. On March 2, industrial apparatus, which looks 14 JANATA, August 5, 2018 to overthrow the legitimate With these actions, they seek to the call for presidential, regional government of Venezuela, destroy destroy regional integration and legislators and councilor elections the project of Bolivarian democracy bring about the de-facto abolition of for May 20, a result of a political and expropriate the natural resources the principle of the founding charter agreement with a sector of the of the Venezuelan nation. of the Community of Latin America Venezuelan opposition. In these We denounce that this operation and Caribbean States which declares absolutely constitutional and against Venezuela forms part of a the region as a zone of peace. legitimate elections, the Venezuelan global strategy of neo-colonialization We reject the shameful and people in a transparent and sovereign in Latin America and the Caribbean historical opposed attitude of way will decide the course of their which seeks to impose a new era of governments in the region that homeland. servitude and looting through the have caved in to Washington’s We alert the peoples of the world resurrection of the shameful Monroe politics through the creation of to the counterproductive intentions Doctrine, a plan which has already illegal and spurious organisms such of international governments and begun in numerous countries across as the so-called Group of Lima. organizations that are directly the continent. The shameful regional elites who involved in the war against Venezuela We reject the threat of Donald today lead the plundering of their to not recognize the results of the Trump of a potential military peoples, hand over their sovereignty elections on May 20, and accelerate intervention in Venezuela and we to the transnational corporations, attacks after what - no doubt - will alert that such declarations by and increase poverty, inequality and be a real democratic expression of him are not mere charlatanism. violate human rights, lack any moral the Venezuelan people. The military option against the and political authority to question We welcome and support the Bolivarian Revolution forms part Venezuelan democracy. declaration of the presidential of the strategic and geopolitical We reject the unilateral summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for doctrine of the US for the 21st and illegal sanctions of the US the Peoples of our America ALBA- Century. The world must know Government and the European TCP that categorically rejects the that a military aggression against Union against the Venezuelan exclusion of Venezuela from the next Venezuela would provoke a crisis people, which seek to destroy its Summit of the Americas, to be held in the region of historic dimensions economy and break their democratic in the city of Lima, Peru. Similarly, and uncountable and unpredictable will. Blockades and sanctions are we support all diplomatic and human, economic, and ecological crimes against humanity carried political actions that governments, impact. out by the international capitalist countries and peoples take to defend We warn imperialism and their system, and are severely hurting the plurality and political diversity in elites lackeys that play this game: Venezuelan people by sabotaging the continent and to safeguard the the peoples of Latin America, the their productive, commercial and sovereignty and self-determination Caribbean and the world will never financial processes, preventing of peoples. allow that Venezuela be touched access to food, medicines and We recognize the heroic by the ambitions of the American essential goods. resistance of the people of Venezuela military boot! If, in their crazy We reject the perverse U.S. when confronted by the ravages of obsession, the hawks of Washington sabotage of the process of dialogue economic aggression, the financial dare attack Venezuela, the homeland developed in the Dominican blockade and all the forms of sabotage of Simon Bolívar, as it was more Republic and reiterate that only the that Venezuela is suffering from, and than 200 years ago, will again be the absolute respect for the sovereignty support the economic, financial, tomb of an empire. of Venezuela, non-interference in political and diplomatic strategy We denounce the blatant their internal affairs, sincere dialogue that the Bolivarian Government pressure of US imperialism on the and electoral processes based on and President Nicolas Maduro region's governments to involve Venezuelan legislation can define are carrying out to overcome the them in political, diplomatic, and the path to recover the political problems and construct the humanist even military operations against the coexistence between Venezuelans. model of Bolivarian socialism. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In this regards, we welcome We are committed to continue JANATA, August 5, 2018 15 the battle for the truth, peace and the sovereignty of Venezuela, to expand the ties of friendship, solidarity and revolutionary commitment to the Venezuelan people. The peoples of the world, the consciousness of all those who struggle for the just cause of mankind, accompanies at this time and always the Bolivarian revolution, its leadership and its people. We are convinced that Venezuela will be able to – through dialogue, respect for the Constitution, and the indefatigable democratic will of his people – overcome the problems that besets it, and that the Bolivarian revolution will remain a beacon of hope for the peoples of the world who search for a worthy and just destination for humanity. 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From the Editor’s Desk India is at Crossroads

Contents As the nation prepares to celebrate its 72nd Independence Day, we need to ponder over an important issue that is being repeatedly raised The Prophet Betrayed : Gandhi and Partition by several prominent members of the ruling / 5 BJP–RSS regime, and that is their aversion to Salil Misra the word “secular” in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution. Their argument is that this introduced Freedom Movement, Savarkar and RSS / 9 in the Preamble by the government of Indira Gandhi Ram Puniyani through the 42nd amendment in 1976, and that it is not a fundamental feature of our Constitution. Cultural Pluralism, Social Cohesion and This controversy was first stoked by the Development in the Context of India Today BJP soon after it came to power in the 2014 / 14 Lok Sabha elections. On January 26, 2015, an Anand Kumar advertisement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting carried a picture of the Preamble Why Pluralism and Secularism Are Essential for without the words “secular” (and “socialism”). When Our Democracy / 22 critics questioned the government’s intentions, the Hamid Ansari Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore defended the deletion The Maratha Agitation for Reservations / 29 saying that the original Preamble did not have this Neeraj Jain word. The Union Telecom Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, was more forthright and asked the question: Linking Aadhaar to Bank Accounts will “What is wrong if there is a debate on these two Destroy the Banking System / 41 Anupam Saraph words? Let us see what the nation wants.” A Member of Parliament of the Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP, Citizen’s Right to Health / 45 welcoming the deletion of the word “secular” from Radhey Shiam the Republic Day advertisement, demanded its deletion from the Constitution. Correcting the Record: What is Really Since then, this issue has been hotly debated in Happening in Nicaragua? / 50 the country. Various commentators, ranging from Kevin Zeese and Nils McCune politically important people to scribes in newspapers and social media, have stated that Dr B.R. Ambedkar How US Military Bases Abroad Undermine was opposed to the inclusion of the word “secular” National Security and Harm Us All / 55 in the Constitution of India. David Vine What are the facts? It is indeed true that during the Constituent Assembly debates, on November 15, 1948, Dr K.T. Shah had moved an amendment 4 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

to incorporate the words “secular, federal, socialist” of fraternity in his last address to the Constituent in Clause 1 of Article 1 of the Constitution. Dr Shah Assembly on November 25, 1949, “Fraternity means had argued that though the major constitutions of the a sense of common brotherhood of all Indians—of world do not proclaim their secular credentials, in Indians being one people. It is the principle which the case of India, the “secularity of the state must be gives unity and solidarity to social life. . . .” He went stressed” as the nation was still struggling to come on to say that “without fraternity, equality and liberty out of the trauma of partition and it was important will be no deeper than coats of paint.” He in fact to prevent such internecine violence in future. went on to state that if we wish to become a nation It is also true that Dr Ambedkar had opposed this in reality, we need to uphold this principle. amendment. While opposing Dr Shah’s proposal, Nevertheless, top leaders of the Hindutva it is important to note that Ambedkar did not say brigade, from RSS idealogue K.N. Govindacharya anything about secularism in particular. He presented to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, have publicly voiced his views on rejecting the entire amendment moved their demand for changing the Constitution of India. by Dr Shah. But while doing so, Ambedkar did BJP MP and Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde not at all say that he was opposed to secularism or has in fact publicly stated that the BJP had come to socialism. The crux of his argument was that the power to “change the Constitution” and would do amendment was superfluous as these principles were so in the “near future”. already incorporated in the section on Fundamental There is little room for doubt. India is at Rights in the draft Constitution. crossroads. As we celebrate our 72nd Independence A thorough reading of the Constitution makes Day, we need to seriously ponder over and be it clear that for the framers of our Constitution, concerned about the future of our country . . . the principle of secularism was unquestionable. The rights granted to all citizens in the section on –Neeraj Jain Fundamental Rights of equality before law and equal protection of law, freedom of expression, right to life with dignity, freedom to practice, profess Janata and propagate any religion of one’s choice, and freedom to manage one’s religious affairs, all within is available at reasonable restrictions, establish beyond doubt the secular character of the Indian state. www.lohiatoday.com BJP idealogues are deliberately misrepresenting Dr Ambedkar’s views to further their agenda of transforming secular India into a Hindu Rashtra. Janata Subscription Ambedkar had unequivocally opposed the Two- Annual Rs. : 260/- Nation Theory and Jinnah’s espousal of it; in a speech to the Constituent Assembly on December Three Years : 750/- 15, 1946, he said that he hoped that some day the Demand Draft / Cheque on light would dawn upon Muslims and "they, too, would begin to think that a united India was better Mumbai Bank in favour of for everybody." Likewise, Ambedkar was firmly opposed to the concept of Hindu raj too, ““If JANATA TRUST Hindu raj does become a fact, it will, no doubt be the greatest calamity for this country. . . . Hindu D-15, Ganesh Prasad, raj must be prevented at any cost." That Ambedkar Naushir Bharucha Marg, was an uncompromising secularist is evident from Grant Road (W), his forceful espousal of the concepts of justice and Mumbai 400 007. equality and his eloquent articulation of the principle JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 5

The Prophet Betrayed: Gandhi and Partition

Salil Misra

How is one to understand the attitude of Gandhi or friction. All these features put together—large to the partition of India in 1947? Much like other society, old civilisation, continuity of traditions facets of Gandhi’s politics, this too is nothing short and remarkable plurality—really constituted of an enigma. Gandhi was the first to concede the essence of Indian society. Since around the the idea of Pakistan in principle, soon after the middle of the 19th century, a new process began demand was made by Mohammed Ali Jinnah. It in which diverse Indian people began to coalesce was in March 1940 that Jinnah declared that Indian together on a common platform. In other words, Muslims were not simply a religious community the old civilisational society began to be gradually but a nation and therefore entitled to their own transformed into a modern Indian nation. Diverse separate, representative, sovereign nation-state. groups and people began to be connected with one Most Indian leaders responded to this demanded another at the level of thought and consciousness. with disbelief. Some were dismissive. Gandhi too One important feature of this nationalisation called the Pakistan idea a “basic untruth”, perhaps process was that it encouraged diversity and enabled the strongest term in his dictionary. Yet he added people to retain their culture and language while that he could not think of a non-violent method of joining the national platform. Unlike in Europe, “compelling the obedience of eight crore Muslims national homogenisation did not amount to cultural to the will of rest of India... The Muslims must have or linguistic homogenisation also. The new and the same right to self-determination that the rest nascent Indian nation remained remarkably plural. of India has. We are at present a joint family. Any In fact plurality was the very essence of the new member may claim a division.” nation. Indian nationalists celebrated this diversity. Interestingly Gandhi was also the last of the Jawaharlal Nehru in his epic Discovery of India, nationalist leaders to finally accept the reality of written in jail in 1944, gave it an evocative name— Pakistan. He kept denying it till the very end and Unity in Diversity. tried everything possible to prevent the partition. Gandhi was convinced that it was absolutely In between the early acceptance of the principle in essential for the Indian nation to retain these features, 1940 and the late reconciliation with the reality of inherited from the past, in its journey towards the Pakistan in 1947, Gandhi kept exploring a whole future. He realised the enormous complexities in range of political options to preserve and maintain achieving national unity for a diverse society such national unity. So what was partition all about and as India. In a statement made in 1940, Gandhi said: why did national unity prove to be so fragile and “India is a big country, a big nation, composed of elusive? different cultures which are tending to blend with India was a large country, one of the largest in the one another, each complementing the rest. If I must world. India was also an old civilisational society, wait for the completion of this process, I must wait. marked by a remarkable continuity of its social It may not be completed in my day. I shall love to traditions through many centuries. It was also one die in the faith that it must come in the fullness of of the most plural societies in the world. Multiple time.” India had started its transformation from a cultures, languages and religious communities had civilisational society to a full-fledged nation. This flourished on the land without any great conflict journey was bound to be long, uneven, complex and 6 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

tortuous. What challenges and predicament were to Punjab or Bengal. Could such a diverse and scattered be confronted by India during this transition? religious community be considered a nation? If at The process went reasonably smoothly till the all this ‘nation’ was to have its own separate nation- 1930s when the onward journey of the emergent state, what territory would be controlled by such a Indian nation met a major collision. It was almost state? Given the entangled nature of cultural lives, as if the big ship, which had weathered the storm it was simply not possible to physically segregate very well, hit upon a huge rock which blocked its Muslims from non-Muslims, so as to carve out march forward. a separate Muslim territory within India. It was The rock that blocked the march of the Indian clear that such a project, if it was undertaken with nation was a claim, a novel political claim, made seriousness, was fraught with the most dangerous by Jinnah. He denied the possibility, even the very repercussions. existence, of a single Indian nation. Instead, he The Pakistan proposal confronted Gandhi with claimed, there were two separate nations in India— the strongest political challenge of his life. How was Muslim and Hindu. In complete contrast to the he to meet it? Non-violence and non-coercion was imagination of the Indian nation that was inclusive, a creed with Gandhi. So was national unity. Could territorial and plural, Jinnah defined the new a national unity be imposed from the top? If not, ‘breakaway’ nation in religious terms. He declared: should Indian nationalists sit quietly and be mere “The difference between Hindus and Muslims spectators to the prospect of a physical division of is deep-rooted and ineradicable. We are a nation the country? Both national unity and non-violence with our own distinctive culture and civilisation, were important creeds with Gandhi. The dilemma language and literature, art and architecture, names was: if it was not possible to achieve national unity and nomenclature, sense of value and proportion, through consensus and non-violence, which of the legal laws and moral codes, customs and calendar, two major values—unity or non-violence—was to history and traditions, attitudes and ambitions, in be sacrificed? short, we have our own distinctive outlook on life The dilemma was all the more acute, given and of life. By all canons of international law, we are the role of the British colonial state. The British a nation.” Gandhi could not have disagreed more. government always treated religious differences, The claim that Indian Muslims constituted a particularly the ones between Hindus and Muslims, separate nation was indeed novel, almost bizarre. as natural and did everything possible to perpetuate There had been no compelling evidence of the this division. They introduced modern electoral existence of anything even remotely resembling politics in India but completely segregated it along a ‘Muslim nation’ in Indian history. Muslims religious lines. They created separate Muslims constituted nearly 25% of the population and were voters, Muslim constituencies and also Muslim scattered throughout the country. In some pockets, candidates. Thus India’s experiment with democracy such as Sind, Baluchistan and North-West Frontier began by perpetuating Hindu–Muslim divide. The Provinces, they constituted an overwhelming British also encouraged communalism and used majority. In Punjab and Bengal, they had a slender it as an instrument to discredit the Indian national majority of a little over 50% with numerically large movement. minorities of Hindus and Sikhs. In the rest of the Indian nationalist movement, under Gandhi’s country, they were in a minority ranging from 5% to leadership, pursued a very different agenda. At a time 14%. Muslims had a presence in nearly every district when the British were perpetuating and legitimising of the country. Instances of Hindu–Muslim violence, Hindu–Muslim divide as part of their strategy of so characteristic of our times, were rare prior to 19th combating the national movement, Gandhi was century. Many of the rituals and religious practices trying to achieve national unity in the process of the of Muslims resembled the rituals perfumed by struggle against the alien state. A political unity of Hindus and other. Indian Muslims were internally Hindus and Muslims was an integral component of divided—just as Hindis were—by region, culture national unity. The British and Congress were thus and language. There was hardly anything in common involved in projects that ran contrary to each other. between a Muslim from Malabar and one from The success of one necessarily meant the failure of JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 7

the other. For the next few days Calcutta witnessed the worst The contest between the two went on during form of communal violence in which over 5,000 the first four decades of the 20th century without people died within four days. The Calcutta violence any definite signs of which project was likely to was followed by a chain of communal frenzy. Soon succeed in the end. However, by around 1940, after communal violence erupted in Noakhali, Bihar, the Pakistan resolution, there were definite signals UP, Bombay and eventually reached Punjab. Never that Gandhi’s project of national unity had run into before, and certainly never after, had the country a serious roadblock. The national movement had come so close to a civil war-like situation. For scored crucial victories against British imperialism Gandhi, it was a situation of “India temporarily gone and damaged it considerably. It was becoming mad.” He now realised that it would be very difficult, increasingly clearer since the early 1940s that the if not altogether impossible, to prevent partition. British might not be able to hold out for long, and Communal hatred had penetrated deep down to would have to leave sooner or later. But it was also the psyche of the Indian people, both Muslims and becoming clear that Gandhi’s dream of national Hindus. Jinnah had cast a spell on Indian Muslims unity had entered a rough terrain. and had temporarily hypnotised them. At this point, In 1942, Congress formally recognised the his popularity among Muslims easily matched that possibility of a partition of Indian territory. Around of Gandhi among the Indian people. And Jinnah was 1944, when Gandhi came out of jail, he began to absolutely determined to have his Pakistan at all openly concede the prospect of Pakistan. He tried costs. Once asked if his appeal to Muslims for action to make sense of the Pakistan proposal through the would be violent or non-violent, Jinnah replied: “I traditional metaphor of a family or a clan. He likened am not going to discuss ethics.” Gandhi understood the Indian nation to a large family. In a prolonged that his only weapon of political struggle—a non- correspondence with Jinnah, Gandhi virtually violent Satyagraha with peoples’ support—will conceded Pakistan but refused to concede that Hindu not work against the forces that were demanding and Muslims were two separate nations. Indian partition. He also knew that the British—already in people were one nation, but they might, through a mood to retreat—might not be very interested in agreement and accommodation, divide themselves preserving national unity. into different territories, Gandhi argued. There was only one way in which the partition It was around 1945–46 that the partition plan could be prevented. Only Jinnah could do it. got a big boost, much to Gandhi’s consternation. He Gandhi therefore favoured reaching out to Jinnah realised it and became even more helpless. Partition with an offer that would give him the substance of began to look imminent for many reasons. The Pakistan without entailing the risk of partition. Any British had accepted the idea and supported it. At the form of Pakistan without partition seemed to be general elections held in March 1946, the Muslim Gandhi’s formula. So convinced was he about the League received an overwhelming support for the disastrous nature of the Pakistan scheme, that he was idea of Pakistan from the Muslim voters. Jinnah ready to support any proposal which could avoid had succeeded in weaving his magic and mobilised the catastrophe of partition. Gandhi proposed to a large number of Muslims around Pakistan. It was Mountbatten, the new Viceroy, that he should form some kind of a collective hallucination engendered a new national government at the Centre, headed by the leader and indulged in by the followers. Yet by Jinnah. Gandhi hoped that the responsibility of another factor which would certainly have tormented national power would restrain Jinnah and make him Gandhi was Jinnah’s readiness to use violence as a look at the entire country as his own. His followers political weapon in his crusade for Pakistan. When would do likewise. in August 1946, both British and Congress decided The proposal could not be tried out. Too many to go ahead with the Cabinet Mission plan without people were opposed to it. Jinnah himself did not conceding Jinnah’s demands, he gave a call for seem to be inclined. Between partial control over a Direct Action and made it clear that this was a call large India and a total control over a small Pakistan, for violence. He made a public statement: “Today we he obviously wanted latter. He also knew that his have forged a pistol and are in a position to use it.” politics and ideology had alienated non-Muslims 8 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

to such an extent that they would not accept him as their leader even for a day. The only alternative left was the partition of India. Given the presence of substantial non-Muslim minorities in Punjab and Bengal, these two provinces too had to be partitioned. Earlier, in a meeting with Mountbatten, Jinnah had made it clear that he did not mind a Pakistan smaller than originally proposed, so long as he got it completely. It was under these circumstances that Gandhi gave in and decided to accept the partition of India, even though he was the last to accept it. It shattered his dream of national unity. The partition was also nothing short of a catastrophe for Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs alike. Gandhi understood it better than anyone else. Almost immediately after the decision to partition India was taken, he gave vent to his feelings: “We may not feel the full effect immediately, but I can see clearly that the future of independence gained at this price is going to be dark. I shall, perhaps, not be alive to witness it, but should the evil I apprehend overtake India and her independence be imperilled, let posterity know what agony this old soul went through thinking of it. Let it not be said that Gandhi was a party to India’s vivisection.” Some leaders, including Jinnah, had hoped that after partition India and Pakistan would live as friendly neighbours. Gandhi thought otherwise. In a statement that should be remembered for its prophetic quality, he said in July 1947: “The Pakistanis will say that they must increase their armed forces to defend themselves against India. India will repeat the argument. The result will be war. . . . [Shall] we spend our resources on the education of our children or on gunpowder and guns?” The statement reflected the predicament the two independent nation states found themselves in. The partition happened in 1947 but its legacy is far from over. It continues to be a big factor in governing the relations between the two countries as was predicted by Gandhi. Both India and Pakistan are still living in the dark shadows that were cast upon the land of South Asia by the partition in 1947.

Email: [email protected] JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 9

Freedom Movement, Savarkar and RSS

Ram Puniyani

The rise to dominance of the RSS in the political world’s greatest mass movement ever. It assumed sphere has been accompanied by its claim of being a mass character after the efforts of Gandhi from most patriotic organisation and that it has contributed 1920, before which it had more of an elite character. to nation building and to the freedom movement. It This movement primarily aimed at throwing away has also been trying to act as an aggressive judge, the British rule. Parallel to this, there were several classifying people as patriots or otherwise. It has other phenomena taking place in society, and they propagated that minorities are not patriotic and were affecting the entire network of social equations have not contributed to the freedom movement. and life pattern of society. All this was taking place Lately, all those disagreeing with its politics are in the backdrop of process of industrialisation being labeled as anti-nationals (desh drohi).1 At and the introduction of modern education. These the same time, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the twin processes resulted in the emergence of a new major Hindutva ideologue, has been adorned as veer business industrial class, an educated middle class (brave), swatantryaveer (brave freedom fighter), his and the working class. These twin processes also statues have been raised at several places and roads resulted in the change of social hierarchy of caste named after him in different cities. During the BJP and gender. Women and Dalits began to have access led NDA (1998–2004), his portrait was put up in to education as well as were participating in the the central hall of parliament. This government also social and political movements as equal beings. named the Port Blair airport in his name. The word This whole process of change was captured in the of mouth propaganda has been eulogising him as phrase, ‘India as the Nation in the making’. The the real ‘Father of the Nation’.2 Indian National Congress, majority of sections of With the change of regime at the Centre (2004), the left and the Dalits leaders articulated the need the new petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyer for democratic values, the values of liberty, equality replaced his plaque at Andaman's with that of and fraternity, which became the slogans of India’s Mahatma Gandhi. This again became a matter of struggle for independence. controversy. The BJP–Sena alliance tried to capitalise In contrast to these emerging classes and the on this during the elections in Maharashtra, where concept of India as a nation in the making, those Savarkar has been projected as a great revolutionary associated with declining classes, that is, the and efforts have been made to show that he was the landlords, the kings and the associated clergy, stuck guiding figure for all the great freedom fighters apart to the pre-modern values of birth-based inequality from being a progressive person of sorts. Those of caste and gender. They believed in the existence opposing Savarkar being given these honours have of a Muslim Nation from the 8th century onwards, been insulted. Similarly Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the and a Hindu nation since times immemorial, in BJPs’ mask, also claimed that he participated in the contrast to the concept of India as a united nation freedom movement. Where does the truth lie? in the making. The political streams coming out of this section were the Muslim league, the Hindu Freedom Movement Mahasabha and the RSS, amongst others. These groups never participated in the freedom movement. India’s freedom struggle is acknowledged to be The major reason for this was that the freedom 10 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

movement aimed at democratic values, while these India, he faced two cases, one in Nasik and one in groups believed in birth based inequality. Here, Bombay, and was sentenced to a total of 50 years in it should be clear that those Hindus and Muslims prison in the Cellular Jail in the Andamans. who believed in democracy and in the concept of The conditions in the Andaman jail were very India being a ‘nation in the making’ participated in painful. The political prisoners were tortured badly. the freedom movement, while those who belonged He could not bear the torture, unlike most other to the declining classes remained aloof from the inmates in the prison. It seems that the conditions freedom movement and indirectly contributed to of jail life broke his spirits. Within a month after the implementation of the British policy of divide arriving in the Andamans, Savarkar submitted his and rule. While most Hindus participated in the first mercy petition to the British, on August 30, freedom struggle, the followers of Hindu Mahasabha 1911. The petition was rejected. He submitted fresh and RSS kept aloof. Likewise, while most Muslims petitions in November 1913 and then again in 1917 participated in this movement, the followers of and March 1920. In these petitions, he pledged that Muslim League did not do so. Incidentally the “if the government in their manifold beneficence Maulanas of Barelvi and Deoband did associate with and mercy release me, I for one cannot but be the the struggle for independence of India.3 staunchest advocate of constitutional progress and loyalty to the English government . . .” He further Savarkar and Freedom Movement stated, “My conversion to the constitutional line would bring back all those misled young men in Savarkar was the founder of Hindutva ideology, India and abroad who were once looking up to me the base of Hindu right-wing feudal values. One as their guide. I am ready to serve the government needs to look at the trajectory of his life to understand in any capacity they like, for as my conversion is his transition from an anti-British revolutionary to conscientious so I hope my future conduct would the ideologue of Hindutva. Savarkar was initially an be.” anti-British revolutionary. Later, his life underwent a Unaware of Savarkar’s clemency petitions, the major transition during his confinement in Andaman Indian National Congress in the early 1920s agitated jail. He was a changed man after the period of his demanding his unconditional release. jail life. He was an anti-British revolutionary prior to After these repeated mercy petitions and his deportation to the Andamans, but later he never promises, the British moved Savarkar to a jail associated with anything even remotely sounding in Ratnagiri in May 1921, and finally released as anti-British. him on January 6, 1924. The British imposed Savarkar had gone to study law in London in stringent conditions for his release; Savarkar not 1906. While pursuing his studies there, he formed only accepted them, but also made the statement: the 'Free Indian Society' committed to overthrowing “I hereby acknowledge that I had a fair trial and British rule in India. For this and other anti-British just sentence. I heartily abhor methods of violence activities, he was denied barristership. When he resorted to in days gone by, and I feel myself duty appealed against this decision, the authorities offered bound to uphold law and the constitution to the best him a call to the bar if he gave an undertaking not to of my powers and am willing to make the Reform participate in politics. He rejected this offer. a success in so far as I may be allowed to do so in His group had learnt the art of bomb making future.”4 The reforms he is referring to here are the from a Russian revolutionary in Paris. One member Montague Chelmsford proposals of 1919, which did of the group killed a top-ranking official in India not satisfy the nationalist movement's demands and Office (London) and was sentenced to death. For were rejected by it. involvement in this and for other charges on him in The British Government released him under Indian courts, Savarkar was arrested and deported to the condition that he will stay in Ratnagiri district India for trial on July 1, 1910. The ship carrying him in Bombay province and will seek permission of stopped at Marseilles, where he jumped into the sea the government to leave the district, and also that and swam to the shore to claim asylum on French he will not engage in any public or private political soil. He was captured and was brought to India. In activities without the consent of the government. JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 11

The period of these conditions lasted till 1937, when that the Aryans, who settled in India at the dawn of the Congress ministry was sworn in. Subsequent history, very early formed a nation, now embodied to this, he assumed the office of the President of in the Hindus. He writes, “Hindus are bound together Hindu Mahasabha. This aspect of his total surrender not only by the tie of the love we bear to a common is completely hidden by the Hindutva forces when fatherland and by the common blood that courses they confer on him the epithet of ‘Veer Savarkar’. through our veins and keeps our hearts throbbing Why did British government release him? How and our affection warm, but also by the tie of the is it that after his release the track of his politics common homage we pay to our great civilisation— totally changed and he came to adorn the mantle our Hindu culture.”6 of the ideologue of Hindu Rashtra? Why is it that According to Savarkar, Hindutva rests on three he never undertook any anti-British agitation after pillars: geographical unity, racial features and his release? Why is it that he never joined and common culture. He further went on to elaborate supported the major movements of those times, like the criterion for who is a Hindu? According to him the Quit India movement? Why is it that instead all those who regard this land as their fatherland of being a part of the freedom struggle, he chose and holy land are the only ones who are Hindus, to help the British in recruiting Indians for their and this land belongs only to them. This leads to army? His compromise with the British hides a lot the automatic interpretation that Christians and of messages about the nature of his politics from Muslims, whose holy places are in Jerusalem and then on. He emerged as the undisputed leader of Mecca respectively, are not at par with the `Hindus' the Hindu Mahasabha. After 1937, for most of who 'own' this country. Savarkar thus initiated the the time, his politics was the polar opposite of the idea of ‘doubting of patriotism of Muslims’. He says, national movement led by Gandhi and 'no support “Besides culture, the tie of common holy land has to Congress move' was his basic dictum. This at times proved to be stronger than the chains of a can be best exemplified by the 1942 Quit India motherland. Look at Mohammedans: Mecca to them movement, when Gandhi gave the call for people is a sterner reality than Delhi or Agra.” to leave government jobs. Opposing it, Savarkar Savarkar's politics was in direct opposition to issued the edict: “I issue this definite instruction to Gandhian politics. Gandhi—the representative of all Hindu Sanghathanists in general holding any post Indian nationalism—was branded by Savarkar as or position of vantage in the government services, a conciliator and appeaser of Muslims. Savarkar should stick to them and continue to perform their propounded that struggle for supremacy would begin regular duties".5 The edict was dutifully followed. after the British left and that Christians and Muslims Indeed, the Mahasabha’s working committee were the real enemies who could be defeated only passed a resolution on August 31, 1942 asking all by “Hindutva”. It is also worth remembering that the Mahasabhaites to remain at their jobs. murderer of Gandhi, Godse, was his ardent follower. Savarkar has the 'honour' of brewing Brahmanical Savarkar himself was the co-accused in Gandhi Hinduism with nationalism, and he was the first murder, but was let off for lack of corroborative exponent of the doctrine of Hindutva. While his evidence and as Godse took the whole responsibility initial anti-British struggles were impressive, after of this murder totally on his own self. his release from the Andamans he assumed the role Today, in order to eulogise Savarkar, his of the proponent of Hindutva, and all his energy was followers are suitably misinterpreting events and directed towards strengthening the politics of hate, his writings, and attributing many anonymous things strengthening the communal Hindu Mahasabha and to him. That he wrote anti-British articles after his helping RSS from a distance. release is a pure figment of their imagination. A As an aside, we should note here that Savarkar's ‘Savarkar mythology’ is being created to replace anti-British struggles and anti-British activities factual history, which is available through his actual totally ceased after his release by the British, and writings and authentically published works and from then on all his guns were to be targeted against documents from impeccable sources. One argument the Muslims. In his work, Hindutva: Who is a Hindu, being given is that he knew India was in any case first published in Nagpur in 1923, Savarkar argued going to get independence, so why waste energies in 12 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

fighting against British. This is an absurd argument. over for its work.”7 The aim was therefore not to No political movement ends its agitation till its goals participate in the movement but to get contacts for are achieved and this is true for the Indian freedom building the divisive politics of RSS. From 1931 struggle led by Gandhi and Nehru too—the struggle, onwards, Hedgewar dissociated himself from the the negotiations and the manoeuverings continued Civil Disobedience Movement and never again was till India actually won independence. Some of his he a part of any national movement. followers also claim that his apology to British was a The non-participation of the RSS in the freedom clever strategy on the part of Savarkar. The falseness struggle was ideologically formulated by M.S. of this argument can be understood by comparing Golwalkar, according to whom fighting against his mercy petitions with those of Bhagat Singh. the British was reactionary and he accused the Bhagat Singh in fact reprimanded his father when Congress for reducing the national struggle to he wanted to pleaded with the British to release ‘mere’ anti-British movement. Golwalkar writes, his son. Furthermore, not only does history tell “Being anti-British was equated with patriotism and us that Savarkar stood by the promise he made to nationalism. This reactionary view had disastrous the colonial government that if released, he would effect upon the entire course of the independence give up the fight for independence and be loyal to struggle, its leaders and the common people.”8 With the colonial government, after his release from jail this being its ideological formulation, the Sangh he propounded the ideology of Hindutva which Parivar obviously did not and could not fight against destabilised the freedom movement by deepening the British. The RSS equated its nationalism with the divisions along sectarian lines and thus helped fighting Muslims, and hence its constant harping the British against the national leadership for ‘appeasement of Muslims’. "The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh combine even kept away from supporting the Naval revolt because they (mutineers) used guns against Coming to the RSS, the RSS combine claims the British and the Sangh Parivar considered fighting to have contributed substantially to the process of against British as “disastrous" and “reactionary”. ‘nation building’ and freedom struggle. History Anderson and Damle (Brotherhood in Saffron) textbooks introduced in schools wherever BJP point out that “Golwalkar believed that the British governments have come to power delve at great not be given any excuse to ban the RSS. When the length about the contribution of their ideologues to British banned military drill and the use of uniforms the national movement. in all non-official organisations, the RSS complied. The fact of the matter is, RSS as an organisation On April 29, 1943, Golwalkar distributed a circular was never a part of the anti-British movement. Its to senior RSS figures . . . (that said) ‘We discontinued founder Dr K.B. Hedgewar, had been sentenced practices included in the Government’s early order to jail before he founded the RSS, in the wake of on military drill and uniforms . . . to keep our work Khilafat movement. This was on the charge of clearly within bounds of law, as every law abiding giving a provocative speech. The second and last institution should . . .’”.9 time he was sentenced to jail was during the 1930 Our description of the role of the RSS in Civil Disobedience Movement, when Gandhi called the freedom struggle is necessarily brief, as one upon the people to break the law. Hedgewar told the cannot describe a non-phenomenon beyond a RSS that the organisation will not participate in this point. The RSS not only consciously abstained movement, and that those who want to participate from participating in the freedom movement, on in their personal capacity can do so. He himself the contrary, it opposed the various movements was jailed during this satyagraha. His biographer launched during the freedom struggle (especially clarifies that his main goal in participating in this the Quit India movement). During those days too, movement was, “Dr Saheb had the confidence it was active as a communal body, boosting the that with a freedom loving, self sacrificing and impact of Muslim communalism and participating reputed group of people inside with him there, he in the process of mutual supplementation of Hindu would discuss the Sangh with them and win them and Muslim communalism. JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 13 Vajpayee and Freedom Movement multi-religious plural India that we are today. Unfortunately, today, the retrograde ones, those Much is also made of the ‘participation’ of who kept aloof, criticised and opposed the freedom BJP's mask, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in the Quit India movement, are claiming to be the custodians movement. This was the time when young Vajpayee of nationalism. Their nationalism is not Indian was a recruit of RSS. In an article put out on the nationalism; theirs’ is a sectarian, religion-based internet (it also appeared in the newspapers) The one, a total anti-thesis to what India actually is! Sangh is my soul for the consumption of NRIs and for soliciting their support for the Sangh Parivar, he Email: [email protected] says, “When I wrote Hindu Tan-Man Hindu Jeevan, I was a student of class X. . . . Till 1947 I did the RSS work at shakha level . . . I also participated in References: the Quit India movement in 1942 and was jailed. I 1. “Savarkar, not Gandhi is the Father of the Nation: VHP”, was then studying for my Intermediate examination. February 11, 2015, http://indiatoday.intoday.in. I was arrested from my native village Bhateshwar 2. “Deoband Ulema’s Movement for the Freedom of India in Agra district (italics added).” by Farhat Tabassum”, July 11, 2009, https://attahawi. This claim by him has been investigated in com. 3. From facsimile of Savarkar's letter to British authorities, detail and the findings published in the fortnightly 10 Frontline, April 7, 1995. Pg. 94. Frontline of February 20, 1998. This investigation 4. Quoted in A G Noorani, Frontline, December 1, 1995. nails the lie of his participation in the Quit India 5. V.D. Savarkar, Hindutva, p. 108. Movement. Vajpayee had made a confessional 6. C.P. Bhishikar, Sanghvriksha ke Beej, statement before the magistrate on September 1, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, New Delhi 1994, p. 20. 1942, in which he says that although "I along with 7. Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, 1939. my brother followed the crowd" which attacked 8. Quoted in A G Noorani, Frontline, December 1, 1995. the forest outpost and demolished it, and witnessed 9. Manini Chatterjee, V.K. Ramachandran, “Vajpayee and the Quit India movement”, Frontline, February 20, 1998, the event, "I did not cause any damage. I did not http://www.frontline. render any assistance in demolishing the government 10. Ibid. building." In effect, Vajpayee therefore stated: I was part of the crowd, but I did not share its objectives and I did not participate in any culpable act. In a tape-recorded interview with Frontline’s editor N. The Unemployment Ram in January 1998, Vajpayee admitted that he had Crisis: indeed made this statement. This makes it clear that Vajpayee did not Reasons and participate in the Quit India movement as a "freedom fighter" in his home village of Bateshwar. Despite Solutions this, many decades later, the Sangh Parivar has been seeking to lionise Vajpayee for the heroic role he Contribution Rs. 25/- played in 1942—a role he explicitly denied then and has denied again, in his January 1998 interview to Frontline. Published by Janata Trust & Lokayat Freedom Movement: Democratic Values D-15, Ganesh Prasad, It should be apparent that only those people Naushir Bharucha Marg, participated in the freedom movement who stood for democratic values. These were the ones who Grant Road (W), held aloft the tricolour, while those who were for the Mumbai 400 007 saffron flag or the green flag had no role to play in this mass movement, which built the multicultural, 14 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Cultural Pluralism, Social Cohesion and Development in the Context of India Today

Anand Kumar

Introduction caused by religious plurality’ and ‘traditional social cleavages due to the caste system’ in the everyday When we examine the realities of cultural life of Indian people. They are overshadowing basic plurality, demands of social cohesion and imperatives issues of economy, employment, energy, education of development in the context of India and its people and environment. It has introduced distortions in today, there is little point in denying the growing the process of representative democracy where ethnocentrism and increasing socio-cultural tensions common good is giving way to sectarian interests. and conflicts in the country. It contains trajectories The social base of democracy is expanding but of religious nationalism, linguistic nationalism there is shrinking of space for effective role of the and secessionism. What is ethnocentrism? It is marginalised groups and communities. There is also a tendency in socio-cultural communities of any change in the composition and orientation of the society to use the prevalent values and norms as political elite and political parties. The processes of the basis for evaluating and judging other people. horizontal mobilisations are being replaced by the An ethnocentric person is puzzled with diversities initiatives of vertical mobilisation. It is challenging and multiculturality. Such a person feels justified in our constitutional set-up more than untrustworthy asking and demanding: “Why can’t everyone else be neighbours like China and Pakistan. The police and just like us?” It is the opposite of cultural pluralism judicial system are quite stressed in maintaining where there is systemic provision and scope for a social cohesion in such a setting. These two issues variety of peoples, opinions and practices. It is an of sustaining cultural pluralism and strengthening impediment in the progress of civic nationalism democratic ways of social cohesion and sustainable which is based upon constitutional values, ideals inclusive development are intimately related with the and rules. It has the potential of promoting ethnic major deficits in the post-colonial socio-political and nationalism which causes marginalisation of economic set up after seven decades of democratic other ethnic groups through social dominance. It transformations. ultimately encourages discrimination against ‘the There is no use of getting divided about who others’. Discrimination in a democracy breeds is to be blamed for it—the model of ‘mixed alienation, leading to separatism. Therefore, it has economy’ and state-centric political economy or the become meaningful to ask why there is increasing LPG (Liberalisation–privatisation–globalisation) visibility of anxiety, fear and anger about cultural paradigm and market-mediated priorities and pluralities within both the dominant communities programmes. Today our nation is suffering due to six as well as the vulnerable communities all over our significant deficits: i) Development deficit (ranked country, which is fuelling the problems of social 131 in a total of 188 countries); ii) Governance cohesion and development. deficit (high level of corruption and low level of From the perspective of political sociology, efficiency in governance apparatus); iii) Legitimacy ethnocentrism and ‘identity politics’ are twins. deficit (increasing pollution of the election system Their togetherness is behind the increasing and party system due to black money and crime– significance and appeal of ‘historical fractures politics nexus); iv) Democracy deficit (declining JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 15

representation of working population (particularly of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, and then in the women and the working poor) in legislative rest of the modern world. bodies, limited democratisation of public sphere Cultures may be understood with help of two and key institutions of society and use of extra- metaphors—culture as a tree, and culture as a river. constitutional ways in power conflicts); v) Nation- It is rooted in a specific space like a tree. It has building deficit (increasing pressures of ethnic branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Like a tree, it and parochial considerations in the democratic grows from a seed. Then it blooms and gives fruits. discourse of power); and vi) Citizenship-building It may also decay or get uprooted. On the other hand, deficit (low incentives for citizenship-building in the it has a point of origin in time and space and a course face ‘identity politics’, primordial identities based of flow like a river. The flow of culture takes place mobilisations, and diminishing scope for active in a way where the two banks for its journey are citizenship). We need systemic changes for a better one, the societal values, institutions and processes, tomorrow as our society and polity have arrived at a and two, the folk beliefs and customs. Like a river, new cross-road in the journey of democratic nation- a culture has tributaries and distributaries also. Like building. Addressing the questions associated with a river, it may get polluted or silted or impacted by cultural pluralism, social cohesion and development other related factors. may be useful in understanding the present situation We find that ‘culture’ and ‘civilisation’ are used and its demands for moving forward to meet the synonymously. But they are different from each needs of unity in diversity which is a systemic other. In this context, a civilisation presents the imperative for our society with deep civilization sum total of what the members of a society have in roots and plurality of religions, languages, memories terms of economy, polity, technology and material and customs. resources to organise their life conditions and fulfil their needs and aspirations. In a setting of rapid II. Some conceptual points social changes, which is the case with India since independence, societies become victim of ‘cultural We sociologists consider a society as a social lag’ because of a gap between technological and organisation of people who share a history, a culture, cultural changes—humans need more time to change a social structure, a set of institutions, a territory their cultural values and orientation as compared to and a civilisational identity. Societies differ with adopting to changes in technological and material each other in terms of degree of ‘we-feeling’ among aspects of their life. its members. ‘We-feeling’ grows on the basis of Sociologists have suggested that all human shared values, institutions, processes and memories, beings, as members of a given society, particularly which gets developed and evolves into nationhood a nation-state, share certain a civilisational heritage with increasing social cohesion and political unity. and a cultural framework. Loyalty and affinity to the idea of ‘nation’ in a Social cohesion is an outcome of natural and democracy is a direct and cumulative consequence logical connections among the members of a society. of political representation, socio-economic justice It is based upon a system of values, institutions and and cultural unity. processes which help the citizens to be together to A nation-state is the political organisation of form a whole. A democratic society is most suitable a cohesive society and its people, which has a for a cohesive social order because democracy government, laws, citizenship, physical boundaries makes us learn to be a citizen of a nation-state with and a sense of nationhood. Any nation evolves on a defined set of rights and duties. It assures the the basis of a cultural framework. Culture has been following to all citizens irrespective of caste, class, conceptualised as a configuration of: (a) learned creed, gender, age, race, region and religion: i) patterns for behaviour, and (b) shared understanding identity; ii) dignity; iii) rights; and iv) representation. about the meaning and value of things, ideas, It asks us to be dialogical, competitive, cooperative emotions and actions acquired as a member of and tolerant of diversities and socio-cultural society. Historically speaking, the system of nation- differences. Recognition of cultural pluralism and states first came into existence in Europe on the basis commitment for social cohesion are two essential 16 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

characteristics of a healthy democratic nation-state. have not ended through these provisions. But they But all democratic nation-states are not always have made it clear in a decisive way that there healthy and cohesive. The citizens are not found is no legitimacy to caste based discriminations to be capable of staying together to form a whole and that the age-old practice of caste-based and because of a variety of reasons. There are three tribes related discriminations must be severely ‘D’s which need to be avoided by any democratic punished by the democratic state. Of course, this nation-state to maintain critical minimum fraternity has also contributed to elite formation among these and cohesion among its citizens: discrimination, vulnerable communities, which has created in them deprivation and destitution. the capability of resistance and raising their voice. Development, as a concept, has at least four facets—social, economic, political and spiritual. Social cohesion through ‘social justice’ The United Nations has identified seventeen dimensions which should be included in the agenda The legal validity of these arrangements and of development in the 21st century. Two important impact of ‘reservation policies’ later encouraged preconditions required for any social change to the Indian state to offer similar support to the be recognised as ‘development’ are inclusion and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) which are found sustainability in all religious communities. There is provision of ‘reservation’ to create opportunities for the physically challenged citizens and facilitate their education and III. Diversities and pluralities in India: employment. This approach has also been used From disharmony to constitutional to meet the challenge of under-representation of coherence women of all communities at the level of grassroots democracy in the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Let us now take a look at the diversities and The reservation policy system has changed the disharmonious features of our society in order to discourse of Indian politics by expanding the spaces recognise the challenges and opportunities before and enlarging the scope for the representation of India today. the weaker sections. Establishment of separate statutory commissions for the Scheduled castes Process of ‘reservations’ for the SCs, STs, and the Scheduled Tribes, who include every fourth OBCs, women and physically challenged Indian citizen, indicates growing self consciousness In real terms, there have been four major kinds and increasing systemic space for these two of the of pluralities and diversities which demanded social most marginalised and resourceless sections of the and political engineering to enhance social coherence Indian people. There is increasing emphasis upon and promote development in a democratic nation- empowerment for meaningful participation in the state: 1) castes and tribes; 2) Indian languages; 3) affairs of state, economy and society. ethnic regions; and 4) existence of several religious communities, including the legacy of age old The problem of coordinating linguistic coexistence of Hindu–Muslim–Sikh–Christian– nationalisms and linguistic plurality Buddhists–Jains and other faith communities. It was a burning problem during the last Our society is indebted to the nation-builders like decades of the British Raj and the first two decades Gandhi and Ambedkar found ways to tackle the after independence. It created basis for linguistic challenges of caste system based disharmony, nationalism. There was fear among the southern and extreme vulnerability of the tribal (Adivasi) states of ‘Hindi imperialism’. There was prediction communities. Their initiatives created a suitable of Balkanisation of India after the departure of background for the makers of Constitution of India the British rulers. But linguistic re-organisation of to institutionalise the revolutionary provisions of Indian states seems to have created satisfactory space special protection and reservation for Scheduled and protection to most of the Indian languages. It Castes and Scheduled Tribes in legislative bodies, was found prudent to create linguistic homogeneity, education and government jobs. The caste atrocities as far as possible, in re-drawing the boundaries of JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 17

our provinces on the basis of the recommendations and the Buddhist–Jain epoch. Indian history is of the States’ Re-organisation Commission. There marked by oscillation between religious harmony was an understanding to create one state for each and communal strife. The rule of Ashok (268–232 major Indian language except Hindi. In the last two BC, Magadh) and Akbar (1556–1605 AD, Delhi) decades, the process of re-organising states has represented cultural pluralism and religious been used to address the complaints of ‘internal harmony based regimes. Shashank (590–625 AD, colonialism’ and ‘regional deprivation’. It has Bengal) and Aurangzeb (1658–1707 AD, Delhi) resulted in the emergence of 4 new states—one are remembered for their religious intolerance and each out of the large states of Andhra Pradesh cultural discrimination. In modern times, the British (Telangana), Bihar (Jharkhand), Madhya Pradesh Raj is blamed for the policy of ‘divide and rule’ and (Chhattisgarh) and Uttar Pradesh (Uttarakhand). It conspiring with communal forces for the partition may be argued that the time has come for setting up of British India at great human cost. It contributed another national commission for reorganisation of to the creation of two mutually hostile nation- states to have a comprehensive approach towards states out of the Indian civilisation. It got hundreds the prevailing movements for ‘statehood’. But the of thousands killed and several million men and issue of linguistic pluralism is no more a disruptive women from all religions brutally uprooted because factor for social cohesion or development initiatives. of communal mistrust, fear, hatred and violence. Even after seven decades of existence of India and The alienation and ‘secessionism’ of ethnic Pakistan, there seems to be no easy way out of the communities politics of competitive communalism. The alienation of ethnic communities has been most pronounced in the north-eastern parts of India. IV. Memories of medieval ‘episodes’ and The situation in the Punjab and Kashmir is also contemporary wave of identity politics similar to the ethnic complexities of the north-east There is increasing legitimacy for the programs India. They all belong to frontier areas and there is of identity politics among the larger religious a unique and different language–religion–culture communities of India since the 1980s. Using mix there as compared to the rest of India. This the religious card is also fashionable in areas complex issue was made worse in the initial years of concentrated presence of two or more faith after freedom by treating it as ‘a threat to national communities in certain regions. Some observers, integration and security’ and handing it over to using the framework of religion–politics nexus, army for a military solution. The alienation of the argue that the period between 8th century and 18th north-eastern communities needed a democratic century has been an era of deep disruption and perspective for changing the terms of engagement. consequently rapid decline of Indian culture due to The dialogues have yielded positive results in destruction by Muslim invaders and discrimination most cases of insurgencies in the north-east and atrocities by the Muslim rulers. This perspective region. Progress of constitutional federalisation focuses on the dynamics of power around the Delhi in conjunction with carving out new provinces Sultanate and presents this period as a ‘Muslim on the basis of ethnic diversities has helped in period’ which started with the ‘Muslim conquests reducing the trust deficit prevailing among the by Ghazni, Ghori and Khilajis’ and ended with fall ethnic communities. The increasing significance of the Mughal empire. This narrative covers the of regional parties in the national coalitions at the period from 1194, when Muhammad of Ghor came centre has been an additional incentive for the as invader, to 1760 when the East India Company proponents of ethnic nationalism to move away from became the effective regulator of the affairs of ‘politics of separatism’. Mughal India. It is claimed that the Muslim kings committed numerous atrocities on Hindus. Use Politics of ‘competitive communalism’ of Persian as official language of governance, Religious plurality has been an old feature imposition of jizya tax, destruction of pilgrim of Indian civilisation from the post-Vedic period centres and forceful conversion from Hinduism to 18 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Islam are cited as the examples of such atrocities. One needs to be aware that there were at least This cultural fracture is held responsible for Hindu– two more tendencies parallel to the Hindu vs. Muslim riots and communal polarisation which Muslim line. They were Muslim vs. Muslim and was finally formalised with the partition of India Hindu vs. Hindu. They also made a great impact and creation of Pakistan on the demand of Muslim upon the course of events and episodes, policies League and supported by educated and affluent and practices of medieval India around Delhi and sections of the Muslim population, by the British other significant centres of political and economic Raj before its departure in 1947. power. For instance, in this narrative of this period Thus, for instance, Aurangzeb, the sixth ruler being one of strife between Hindus and Muslims, of the Mughal empire who ruled for 49 years and it is forgotten that Babur established the Mughal expanded the Mughal empire to its greatest extent, empire after the victory in the first battle of Panipat is considered to be amongst the most anti-Hindu of (1526) defeating Ibrahim Lodi and putting an end the Muslim kings. From historian Jadunath Sarkar to the Lodi dynasty (1451–1526), or that Aurangzeb to the symbol of secularism Jawaharlal Nehru to became the sixth Mughal emperor after defeating Hindutva icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, all have and killing his elder brother Dara Shikoh—a the same evaluation of Aurangzeb. According to scholarly Mughal prince who learnt Sanskrit from Nehru, he was a ruler who ‘tried to put back the pandits at Varanasi and got many of the Hindu clock, and in this attempt stopped it and broke it.’ religious texts translated in Persian, or that the Shah He is considered a ‘Hindu loathing bigot’ by others. of Persia Nader Shah attacked and looted Delhi in The evidence given for this is that he changed the 1739 and made the Mughal emperor Muhammad policy of pluralism and tolerance by imposing the Shah surrender and took away the famous Peacock jizya tax on Hindus, conducted wars in western and Throne and Kohinoor. southern Indian regions, executed the ninth Sikh This discourse ignores the plurality both within Guru Teg Bahadur, and destroyed temples in Kashi the Hindus as well as the Muslims. It needs to and Mathura. However, there is also considerable interrogate the complexity of Hindu–Muslim co- evidence to show that he patronised many temples existence beyond the role of Akbar and Aurangzeb, in the major pilgrim centres of Hindus and Jains, and Jinnah and Jawaharlal. Like all world religions, including Shiva temple of Jangambari (Varanasi), there are numerous ethnic groups, sects and castes Mahakal temple (Ujjain), Someshwarnath Mahadev among the followers of Islam in India and elsewhere. temple (Prayag), Balaji temple (Chitrakoot), First of all, there are four major sects with separate Kamakhya Devi temple (Guwahati) and Jain temples norms, laws and practices: Shias, Sunnis, Kharijites at Dilwara and Junagarh. But such evidence has been and Ahmadiyas. The Shias and Sunnis are further completely ignored while evaluating Aurangzeb. distributed among several sub-sects. From the The propagation of such distorted history perspective of the caste system, there are three major has served to completely erase from public mind categories (and several sub-castes) among the Indian the lessons and achievements of the last 5,000 Muslims—Asharafs (descendants of the founder of years of Indian civilisation and its multi-layered Islam), Ajlaf (converts from ‘clean’ Hindu castes, composition. It has enabled the proponents of and Arzal (Muslims with ‘un-clean occupations’). cultural nationalism to create an image ‘the enemy Moreover, it treats the Muslim invasions who needs to be revenged’. While the reality is as invasion of India by Islam. There is need to that the advent of Islam and Muslims led to the separate these political wars between kings of intermingling of the diverse indigenous culture of various kingdoms from religious campaigns. The the Indian subcontinent with Islamic culture, leading invaders came to plunder the wealth and occupy to the birth of a new syncretic culture and resulting territories, not for spreading spirituality. It ignores in great advances in the realms of art, literature, that this period mostly witnessed clashes between music, architecture, painting and the crafts, these foreign invaders and the rulers of Delhi and both developments are completely obfuscated and the sides were Muslims by religion. The armies of entire period is simplified as a period of Hindu Delhi based Muslim rulers had a good proportion humiliation by Muslim rulers. of Hindu generals and soldiers. There is strong JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 19

evidence to suggest that most of the Muslim rulers for his enthusiasm to engage in inter-faith dialogues adopted policy of religious tolerance and cultural which ultimately culminated in the establishment of pluralism. There was strong presence of Hindus a new spiritual platform during his reign—Sulah-e- in the administration, trade and commerce as well Kul. Several other Muslim rulers and their advisors as the army of most Muslim rulers and vice versa. made attempts to understand the Hindu tradition Here are some examples to clarify this issue. Tilak, and its spiritual–philosophical heritage. They got a Brahmin, was one of the commanders of Mahmud all classical texts of Indian civilisation translated Ghaznavi’s army. Muhammed bin Tughluq had into Persian, including the Upanishads, Ramayan, appointed Ratan, a Hindu, as governor of Sindh. Mahabharat, Bhagvad Gita, Dharma Shastras, The army of Sher Shah Suri (1538–1545) had Puranas and Yoga Vashistha. Mughal prince several Hindu commanders. One of his famous Dara Shikoh is well known for his passion about commanders was Brahmajit Gaur, who fought with India’s ancient cultural heritage. The foundation of him in the successful battles of Chausa and Bilgram Swarna Mandir at Amritsar was laid by a Muslim against Humayun; Sher Shah also sent him to pursue fakir Sai Miyan Mir on the urging of the fifth Sikh Humayun when he fled India. In the battle of Mewar, Guru. Guru Govind Singh had a good number the Mughal army of Emperor Akbar was led by Raja of Muslims in his army. He was helped by Nabi Maan Singh and one of the commanders of the army Khan, Gani Khan and Sayyad Beg in critical hours. of Rana Pratap was Hakim Khan Soor. Akbar fought Several Muslim rulers created marital alliances against the Kingdom of Mewar for the expansion with neighbouring Hindu royal families, including of his empire, just as he waged wars against Sultan Akbar. The Sultans of Bengal, particularly Husain Baz Bahadur of Malwa, Sultan Muzaffar Shah III Shah and Nusrat Shah, were great patrons of Bangla of Guajrat, Sultan Daud Khan of Bengal, Sultan language. Malik Muhammad Jayasi contributed Mirza Jani Beg of Sindh and Sardar Yusuf Shah immensely to the progress of Awadhi language. Chak of Kashmir. Jaswant Singh and Jai Singh were Rahim Khan-e-khana provided valuable support commanders in the army of Aurangzeb and led the to Sant Tulsi Das whose Ramacharitmanas made a campaigns against the Maratha King Shivaji. On the most profound impact upon the Hindu society and other hand, several of Shivaji’s ablest commanders Awadhi language. Similarly, the Muslim rulers of were Muslims; Shivaji also had deep spiritual bonds the Deccan region contributed to the growth and with Baba Yakut, a Muslim fakir of Ratnagiri. popularisation of Marathi by making it the language Tipu Sultan’s prime minister Purnea and army of their administration. commander Krishna Rao were both Brahmins. Most of the Muslim ruled provinces, including Bengal, V. Continuity and change: Arrival of Golkunda, Ahmednagar and Bijapur, had appointed Islam, the Bhakti Movement and re- Hindus as in–charge of their treasury. This discourse of seeing a continuous conflict inventing Indian values between Muslims and Hindus in medieval India also It is important to mention that Islam did not ignores the strong current of syncretisation which enter India through invaders with sword and fire as was manifested in arts and culture, architecture, suggested in some narratives. It first came to India languages, music, food and dress patterns. As a by peaceful methods, often with the encouragement result, several changes took place in Indian society, of Hindu rulers. The settlements of Arab and Persian such as: i) Islamisation of Indian polity and society; migrants on the western and southern coast have ii) Hinduisation and Indianisation of Muslims; and been there since 8th century AD. New communities iii) hybridisation of Indian culture. There were also came into existence because of the union between two complimentary spiritual–literary waves—the these newly arrived migrant Muslims and non- Bhakti Movement and the Sufi Silsila. This was Muslim women like the Nawait or Natia of Konkan, reflected in the poetry and teachings of saint– Mappilla or Moplah of Malabar and Labbais of reformers like Kabir, Ravidas, Nanak, Chaitanya Tamil Nadu. and Namdev. Their followers came from all castes of Then there was the impact of itinerant preachers Hindus and Muslims. Emperor Akbar is well known who started arriving in the Indian continent from 20 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

the eleventh century onwards. These first set of recognise the impact of at least six momentous messengers of Islam included Shaikh Ismail of phases of integrative and disintegrative changes Bukhara came to Lahore in about 1005 AD, Moulai in the making of Indian culture and civilisation: 1) Abadullah of Yemen who came to Gujarat in about Vedic–Aryan; 2) Buddhist–Jain influences; 3) Gupta 1067, Sayyid Jalal-ud-Din of Bukhara who settled period; 4) Harsh and Vikramaditya; 5. Mughal era; in Sindh in 1244, Khwaja Muin-ud-Din Chishti and 6) Interface with Western influence, the British who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192 and died Raj and the Indian national movement. there in 1236, and Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki from The Indian society is considered to be the most Kyrgyzstan who came to Delhi during the reign of stratified and diversified of all existing societies in Iltutmish (1211–1236) and died there in 1235, to the modern world-system. Several levels of social name a few. There were many more such inspiring evolution co-exist in contemporary India, from saints in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, hunters and food gatherers and nomads to settled including Baba Farid-ud-Din and Ahmad Kabir agriculturalists, artisans, industrial towns and post- (Makhdum-i-Jahaniyan) in the Punjab, Bulbul Shah industrial centres. We are 1.3 billion people, of in Kashmir, Hazrat Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesu whom 31% live in urban areas and 69% in rural, Daraz and Pir Mahabir Khamdayat in the Deccan, spread over a territory of more than 2.97 million and Nizamuddin Auliya, one the most famous of all sq km. the Sufi saints, whose shrine is in Delhi. According to physical anthropology, we are That medieval India was not a period of decay classified into six major racial categories—Negrito, and witnessed a huge flowering of cultural pluralism Proto-Australoid, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, and a new phase in growth of diversity is also seen Western Brachycephal and Nordic. The political in the rise of many sects between the 9th and 17th geography of India was divided into 17 provinces centuries. Three of the greatest Hindu acharyas and 500 principalities in 1947. Today it is re- representing this phenomenon were Shankara organised as a ‘union of states’, comprising of (proponent of Advait monism; born in 788 AD), 29 provinces and 7 union territories. Most of the Ramanuja (founder of Vishistadvait; born in 1017) major religions of the world—Hinduism, Islam, and Madhav (founder of dualism; born in 1238). Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism This period also saw the birth of several influential and animists are found in the country, along with saint–reformers, including: Basav (founder of wide variety of cults and sects. According to the Lingayat sampradaya in the 12th century), Namdev Census of 2001, there were 122 major languages (1270–1309, Maharashtra), Dnyaneshwar (1275– and 1,599 other languages in use among the people. 1296, Maharashtra), Ramanand (1299–1411, UP), The Anthropological Survey of India has identified Ravi Das (1398–1540, Varanasi), Kabir (1440–1510, a total of 4,635 communities in all the states and UP), Shankar Dev (1449–1569, Assam), Chaitanya union territories of India. The innumerable forms (1468–1533, Bengal), Nanak (1469–1538, Punjab), of superiority and subordination of our caste system Vallabhacharya (1479–1531, UP and Rajasthan), is a major basis of cultural plurality and social Meerabai (1498–1563, Rajasthan), Surdas (1483– fractures. Castes are found among Hindus, Muslims, 1563, UP), Tulasi (1532–1623, UP), Dadu Dayal Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists. There are 3,000 (1544–1603, Rajasthan) and Maluk Das (1574– general castes (with 2500 sub-castes), 5013 castes in 1682, U.P.) the national list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and 1108 castes in the list of Scheduled Castes. VI. Moving forward Then, there are 744 Scheduled Tribes. There are also 190 communities totalling 70 million people Sociologists look at cultural pluralism as a who belong to ‘de-notified’ tribes. According to one historically inherited social reality which has to estimate by Prof. Ganesh Devy, out of all of us 1.3 be coordinated within the democratic discourse billion citizens, 6% belong to DNT communities, of social cohesion by recognising the relative 8% are from the Scheduled Tribes, 20% are from significance of four factors: i) language; ii) religion; non-Hindu faith communities, 22% are from the iii) caste system; and iv) class relations. They Dalit castes and 38% are from linguistic minorities. JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 21

Excepting the elite of these sections, all of them are a concerned citizenship with commitment to the living in a situation of near exclusion. This is taking Constitution of the Republic of India. This can create place through a number of mechanisms, including peoples’ pressure, particularly from aspirational the use of English as the language of better skills younger Indians who today comprise the majority and opportunities, and restricting the effective of our republic, to persuade the political class to take participation of masses in the architecture of steps to reform our election system and the party representative democracy. In other words, we are a system and make them free from control by money nation where the overwhelming majority comprises power. It is the first basic reform which can create of marginalised and the vulnerable sections, while capacity in the political class to build three new the dominant sections consist of a very thin minority, compacts for harmonious and holistic development probably not more than ten per cent. It is the latter of our nation in all areas, of economy and ecology, who are in command of the democratic institutions education and empowerment, and principles and in both the economy and polity, and enjoy unbridled politics. Rest of the challenges will get resolved power. with help of these developments. How can all of us find a conflict free set-up to engage in pursuit of happiness, both personal Email: [email protected] as well as collective freedom for cooperative development? Gandhi once said that his vision of freedom from foreign rule will mean establishment of a ‘square of Swaraj’, whose four sides will include i) political independence; ii) economic independence; iii) moral–social component; and iv) spiritual component. The ground realities of today suggest complementing this vision with another square based upon cohesive interlinking of four groupings: i) religious; ii) linguistic; iii) castes and tribes; and iv) class based. This demands inclusion of all these groupings in the discourse of power and effective participation in the decision- making institutions. But we have to achieve it in an environment which is presently influenced by a set of new departures in our polity and society. They are: 1. From nation as religion to religion as nation; 2. From representative democracy as the promised land of political, economic and social justice to democracy becoming a playground for nepotism and crime–politics nexus; and 3. Elections and political parties as instruments of citizenship and nation- building becoming dominated by money power, muscle power and media power. These departures or ‘deviations’ are not good news for cultural pluralism, social cohesion or development.

First things first If we are a democracy with an emancipatory Constitution, then we have to aim for harmonious and sustainable development through togetherness of cultural pluralism and social cohesion. It needs 22 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Why Pluralism and Secularism Are Essential for Our Democracy

Hamid Ansari

In his final address as vice president, Hamid Ansari exhaustive identity but as embodying the idea of spoke at the National Law School of India University, layered Indianness, an accretion of identities.3 Bengaluru, on August 6, 2017. Reproduced below is Modern democracy “offers the prospect of the the text of his speech (slightly shortened). most inclusive politics of human history.” By the same logic, there is a thrust for exclusion that is a I byproduct of the need for cohesion in democratic societies; hence the resultant need for dealing with The people of India gave themselves a republic exclusion ‘creatively’ through sharing of identity that is sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic space by “negotiating a commonly acceptable and a constitutional system with its focus on political identity between the different personal and justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. These have group identities which want to/have to live in the been embodied in a set of institutions and laws, polity.”4 Democracy “has to be judged not just by conventions and practices. the institutions that formally exist but by the extent Our founding fathers took cognisance of an to which different voices from diverse sections of existential reality. Ours is a plural society and the people can actually be heard.” Its “raison d’etre a culture imbued with considerable doses of is the recognition of the other.”5 syncretism. Our population of 1.3 billion comprises of over 4,635 communities, 78% of whom are not only linguistic and cultural but social categories. II Religious minorities constitute 19.4% of the total. Secularism as a concept and as a political The human diversities are both hierarchical and instrumentality has been debated extensively.6 spatial. A definitive pronouncement pertaining to it for It is this plurality that the Constitution endowed purposes of statecraft in India was made by the with a democratic polity and a secular state structure. Supreme Court in the Bommai case and bears Pluralism as a moral value seeks to “transpose reiteration: social plurality to the level of politics, and to Secularism has both positive and negative contents. suggest arrangements which articulate plurality The Constitution struck a balance between temporal with a single political order in which all duly parts confining it to the person professing a constituted groups and all individuals are actors on particular religious faith or belief and allows him to an equal footing, reflected in the uniformity of legal practice profess and propagate his religion, subject capacity. Pluralism in this modern sense presupposes 1 to public order, morality and health. The positive citizenship.” part of secularism has been entrusted to the State to Citizenship as the basic unit is conceptualised as regulate by law or by an executive order. The State ‘national–civic rather than national–ethnic’ “even as is prohibited to patronise any particular religion as national identity remained a rather fragile construct, State religion and is enjoined to observe neutrality. a complex and increasingly fraught ‘national–civic– 2 The State strikes a balance to ensue an atmosphere plural–ethnic’ combination.” In the same vein, of full faith and confidence among its people to Indianness came to be defined not as a singular or JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 23

realise full growth of personality and to make • How consistent are we in adherence to secularism? him a rational being on secular lines, to improve Our democratic polity is pluralist because it individual excellence, regional growth, progress recognises and endorses this plurality in (a) its and national integrity. . . . Religious tolerance and federal structure, (b) linguistic and religious rights fraternity are basic features and postulates of the to minorities, and (c) a set of individual rights. The Constitution as a scheme for national integration first has sought to contain, with varying degrees of and sectional or religious unity. Programmes or success, regional pressures, the second has ensured principles evolved by political parties based on space for religious and linguistic minorities, and religion amount to recognising religion as a part the third protects freedom of opinion and the right of the political governance which the Constitution to dissent. expressly prohibits. It violates the basic features of 7 A question is often raised about national the Constitution. integration. Conceptually and practically, Despite its clarity, various attempts, judicial and integration is not synonymous with assimilation political, have been made to dilute its import and or homogenisation. Some years back, a political to read new meaning into it. Credible critics have scientist had amplified the nuances: opined that the December 11, 1995 judgment of the 8 In the semantics of functional politics the term Supreme Court bench “are highly derogatory of the national integration means, and ought to mean, principle of secular democracy” and that a larger cohesion and not fusion, unity and not uniformity, bench should reconsider them “and undo the great 9 reconciliation and not merger, accommodation harm caused by them”. This remains to be done; and not annihilation, synthesis and not dissolution, “instead, a regression in consciousness (has) set in” solidarity and not regimentation of the several and “the slide is now sought to be accelerated and is discrete segments of the people constituting the threatening to wipe out even the gains of the national 10 larger political community . . . Obviously, then, movement summed up in sarvadharma sambhav.” Integration is not a process of conversion of It has been observed, with much justice, that diversities into a uniformity but a congruence of “the relationship between identity and inequality diversities leading to a unity in which both the lies at the heart of secularism and democracy in varieties and similarities are maintained.14 India.”11 The challenge today then is to reiterate and rejuvenate secularism’s basic principles: How and to what extent has this worked in the equality, freedom of religion and tolerance, and case of Indian democracy with its ground reality of to emphasise that equality has to be substantive, exclusions arising from stratification, heterogeneity that freedom of religion be re-infused with its and hierarchy that often “operate conjointly and collectivist dimensions, and that toleration should create intersectionality”?15 be reflective of the realities of Indian society and Given the pervasive inequalities and social lead to acceptance.12 diversities, the choice of a system committed to political inclusiveness was itself ‘a leap of faith.’ III The Constitution instituted universal adult suffrage and a system of representation on the First-Past-the- Experience of almost seven decades sheds light Post (Westminster) model. An underlying premise on the extent of our success, and of limitations, on was the Rule of Law that is reflective of the desire the actualisations of these values and objectives. of people “to make power accountable, governance The optimistic narrative is of deepening; the grim just, and state ethical.”16 narrative of decline or crisis.13 Much earlier, Gandhiji had predicted that Three questions thus come to mind: democracy would be safeguarded if people “have • How has the inherent plurality of our polity a keen sense of independence, self respect and reflected itself in the functioning of Indian their oneness and should insist upon choosing democracy? as their representatives only persons as are good • How has democracy contributed to the various and true.” This, when read alongside Ambedkar’s dimensions of Indian pluralism? apprehension that absence of equality and fraternity 24 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

could bring forth “a life of contradictions” if the matter of concern. The number of sittings of the ideal of “one person, one vote, one value” was not Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha which stood at achieved, framed the challenge posed by democracy. 137 and 100 respectively in 1953 declined to 49 Any assessment of the functioning of our and 52 in 2016. The paucity of time thus created democracy has to be both procedural and substantive. results in shrinkage of space made available to On procedural count the system has developed roots each of these with resultant impact on quality with regularity of elections, efficacy of the electoral and productivity and a corresponding lessening machinery, an ever increasing percentage of voter of executive’s accountability. According to one participation in the electoral process and the formal assessment some years back, “over 40 percent of functioning of legislatures thus elected. The record the Bills were passed in Lok Sabha with less than gives cause for much satisfaction. one hour of debate. The situation is marginally The score is less emphatic on the substantive better in the Rajya Sabha.”20 A study on Indian aspects. Five of these bear closer scrutiny: (a) the Parliament as an Instrument of Accountability gap between ‘equality before the law’ and ‘equal concluded that the institution is “increasingly protection of the law’; (b) representativeness becoming ineffective in providing surveillance of of the elected representative; (c) functioning of the executive branch of the government.”21 The legislatures; (d) gender and diversity imbalance; picture with regard to the functioning of the state and (e) secularism in practice. assemblies is generally much worse. Thus while • Equality before the law and equal protection public participation in the electoral exercise has of the law: “The effort to pursue equality has noticeably improved, public satisfaction with been made at two levels. At one level was the functioning of the elected bodies is breeding the constitutional effort to change the very cynicism with the democratic process itself. It structure of social relations: practicing caste and has also been argued that “the time has come to untouchability was made illegal, and allowing further commit ourselves to a deeper and more religious considerations to influence state participatory and decentralised democracy—a democracy with greater congruence between activity was not permitted. At the second level 22 the effort was to bring about economic equality people’s interests and public policy.” although in this endeavour the right to property • Gender and diversity imbalance: Women and class inequality was not seriously curbed... MPs constituted 12.15 percent of the total in Thus the reference to economic equality in the 2014. This compares unfavourably globally Constitution, in the courts or from political as well as within SAARC and is reflective platforms remained basically rhetorical.”17 of pervasive neo-patriarchal attitudes. The • Representativeness of the elected representative: Women’s Reservation Bill of 2009 was passed by In the 2014 general election, 61% of the elected the Rajya Sabha, was not taken up in Lok Sabha, MPs obtained less than 50% of the votes polled. and lapsed when Parliament was dissolved This can be attributed in some measure to the before the 2014 general elections. It has not been First-Past-the-Post system in a fragmented polity resurrected. Much the same (for other reasons and multiplicity of parties and contestants.18 The of perception and prejudice) holds for Minority fact nevertheless remains that representation representation. Muslims constitute 14.23 percent obtained on non-majority basis does impact on of the population of India. The total strength of the overall approach in which politics of identity the two Houses of Parliament is 790; the number prevails over common interest.19 of Muslim MPs stood at 49 in 1980, ranged • Functioning of legislatures, accountability and between 30 and 35 in the 1999 to 2009 period, responsiveness: The primary tasks of legislators but declined to 23 in 2014. An Expert Committee are legislation, seeking accountability of report to the government some years back had the executive, articulation of grievances and urged the need for a Diversity Index to identify discussion of matters of public concern. The ‘inequality traps’ which prevent the marginalised three often overlap; all require sufficient time and work in favour of the dominant groups in being made available. It is the latter that is now a society and result in unequal access to political JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 25

power that in turn determines the nature and than merely formal and has to be given shape functioning of institutions and policies.23 through requisite measures of affirmative action • Secularism in actual practice: Experience needed in each case so that the journey on the path shows that secularism has become a site for to development has a common starting point. This political and legal contestation. The difficulty would be an effective way of giving shape to Prime lies in delineating, for purposes of public policy Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of Sab Ka Saath and practice, the line that separates them from Sab Ka Vikas. religion. For this, religion per se, and each It is here that the role of the judicial arm of the individual religion figuring in the discourse, has State comes into play and, as an acknowledged to be defined in terms of its stated tenets. The authority on the Constitution put it, “unless the ‘way of life’ argument, used in philosophical Court strives in every possible way to assure that the texts and some judicial pronouncements, does Constitution, the law, applies fairly to all citizens, the not help the process of identifying common Court cannot be said to have fulfilled its custodial principles of equity in a multi-religious society responsibility.”25 in which religious majority is not synonymous with totality of the citizen body. Since a wall IV of separation is not possible under Indian conditions, the challenge is to develop and How then do we go about creating conditions implement a formula for equidistance and and space for a more comprehensive realisation of minimum involvement. For this purpose, the twin objectives of pluralism and secularism and principles of faith need to be segregated from in weaving it into the fabric of a comprehensive contours of culture since a conflation of the two actualisation of the democratic objectives set forth obfuscates the boundaries of both and creates in the constitution? space to equivocalness.24 Furthermore, such an The answer would seem to lie, firstly, in the argument could be availed of by other faiths in negation of impediments to the accommodation of the land since all claim a cultural sphere and a diversity institutionally and amongst citizens and, historical justification for it. secondly, in the rejuvenation of the institutions and practices through which pluralism and secularism In life as in law, terminological inexactitude cease to be sites for politico-legal contestation has its implications. In electoral terms, majority in the functioning of Indian democracy. The two is numerical majority as reflected in a particular approaches are to be parallel, not sequential. Both exercise (eg: election), does not have permanence necessitate avoidance of sophistry in discourse or and is generally time-specific; the same holds for induction of personal inclinations in State practice. minority. Both find reflection in value judgments. A more diligent promotion of fraternity, and of our In socio-political terminology (eg: demographic composite culture, in terms of Article 51A (e) and data), ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ are terms indicative (f) is clearly required. It needs to be done in practice of settled situations. These too bring forth value by leaders and followers. judgments. The question then is whether in regard A commonplace suggestion is advocacy of to ‘citizenship’ under our Constitution with its tolerance. Tolerance is a virtue. It is freedom from explicit injunctions on rights and duties, any bigotry. It is also a pragmatic formula for the value judgments should emerge from expressions functioning of society without conflict between like ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ and the associated different religions, political ideologies, nationalities, adjectives like majoritarian and majorityism and ethnic groups, or other us-versus-them divisions. minoritarian and minorityism? Record shows that Yet tolerance alone is not a strong enough these have divisive implications and detract from foundation for building an inclusive and pluralistic the Preamble’s quest for ‘Fraternity’. society. It must be coupled with understanding and Within the same ambit, but distinct from it, is acceptance. We must, said Swami Vivekananda, “not the constitutional principle of equality of status only tolerate other religions, but positively embrace and opportunity, amplified through Articles 14, 15 them, as truth is the basis of all religions.” and 16. This equality has to be substantive rather 26 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Acceptance goes a step beyond tolerance. Moving value systems, and the imperative need to invest from tolerance to acceptance is a journey that starts them with greater commitment in word and deed within ourselves, within our own understanding and so that the principles of the Constitution and the compassion for people who are different to us and structure emanating from it are energised. Allow me from our recognition and acceptance of the ‘other’ now to refer to a third ‘ism’ that is foundational for that is the raison d’etre of democracy. The challenge the modern State, is not of recent origin, but much is to look beyond the stereotypes and preconceptions in vogue in an exaggerated manifestation. I refer that prevent us from accepting others. This makes here to nationalism. continuous dialogue unavoidable. It has to become Scholars have dwelt on the evolution of the an essential national virtue to promote harmony idea. The historical precondition of Indian identity transcending sectional diversities. The urgency of was one element of it; so was regional and anti- giving this a practical shape at national, state and colonial patriotism. By 1920s a form of pluralistic local levels through various suggestions in the public nationalism had answered the question of how domain is highlighted by enhanced apprehensions to integrate within it the divergent aspirations of of insecurity amongst segments of our citizen body, identities based on regional vernacular cultures particularly Dalits, Muslims and Christians. and religious communities.27 A few years earlier, The alternative, however unpalatable, also Rabindranath Tagore had expressed his views on has to be visualised. There is evidence to suggest the “idolatry of Nation”.28 that we are a polity at war with itself in which the For many decades after independence, a pluralist process of emotional integration has faltered and is view of nationalism and Indianness reflective of in dire need of reinvigoration. On one plane is the the widest possible circle of inclusiveness and a question of our commitment to Rule of Law that ‘salad bowl’ approach characterised our thinking. seems to be under serious threat arising out of the More recently an alternate viewpoint of ‘purifying noticeable decline in the efficacy of the institutions exclusivism’ has tended to intrude into and take of the State, lapses into arbitrary decision-making over the political and cultural landscape. One and even ‘ochlocracy’ or mob rule, and the resultant manifestation of it is “an increasingly fragile public disillusionment; on another are questions of national ego” that threatens to rule out any dissent fragility and cohesion emanating from impulses however innocent.29 Hyper-nationalism and the that have shifted the political discourse from mere closing of the mind is also “a manifestation of growth centric to vociferous demands for affirmative insecurity about one’s place in the world.”30 action and militant protest politics. “A culture of While ensuring external and domestic security silence has yielded to protests.” The vocal distress in is an essential duty of the State, there seems to be the farm sector in different states, the persistence of a trend towards sanctification of military might Naxalite insurgencies, the re-emergence of language overlooking George Washington’s caution to related identity questions, seeming indifference to his countrymen over two centuries earlier about excesses pertaining to weaker sections of society, “overgrown military establishments which, under and the as yet unsettled claims of local nationalisms any form of government, are inauspicious to can no longer be ignored or brushed under the carpet. liberty.”31 The political immobility in relation to Jammu and Citizenship does imply national obligations. It Kashmir is disconcerting. Alongside are questions necessitates adherence to and affection for the nation about the functioning of what has been called our in all its rich diversity. This is what nationalism “asymmetrical federation” and “the felt need for a means, and should mean, in a global community of wider, reinvigorated, perspective on the shape of the nations. The Israeli scholar Yael Tamir has dwelt on Union of India” to overcome the crisis of “moral this at some length. Liberal nationalism, she opines, legitimacy” in its different manifestations.26 “requires a state of mind characterised by tolerance and respect of diversity for members of one’s own V group and for others;” hence it is “polycentric by definition” and “celebrates the particularity of I have in the foregoing dwelt on two ‘isms’, two culture with the universality of human rights, the JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 27

social and cultural embeddedness of individuals 11 Tejani, Shabnum, Indian Secularism – A Social and together with their personal autonomy.” On the other Intellectual History, New Delhi, 2007, p. 265. 12 Cossman, Brenda & Kapur, Ratna, Secularism’s Last hand, “the version of nationalism that places cultural Sigh?: Hindutva and the (Mis) Rule of Law, New Delhi, commitments at its core is usually perceived as the 1999, pp.139–140. most conservative and illiberal form of nationalism. 13 Mehta, Pratap Bhanu, The Burden of Democracy, New It promotes intolerance and arrogant patriotism.”32 Delhi, 2003, pp. 16–17. 14 Rasheeduddin Khan, Bewildered India: Identity, What are, or could be, the implications of the Pluralism, Discord, New Delhi, 1995, p. 295. latter for pluralism and secularism? It is evident 15 Oommen, T.K., Social Inclusion in Independent India: that both would be abridged since both require for Dimensions and Approaches, New Delhi, 2014, p. 269. their sustenance a climate of opinion and a state 16 Baxi, Upendra, “The Rule of Law in India”, Sur, Rev.int practice that eschews intolerance, distances itself direitos human, Vol. 4, No. 6, Sao Paulo, 2007. 17 Hasan, Zoya, Democracy and the Crisis of Inequality, from extremist and illiberal nationalism, subscribes New Delhi, 2014, p. 4. in word and deed to the Constitution and its 18 Association for Democratic Reform (ADR), National Preamble, and ensures that citizenship irrespective Election Watch. The Law Commission of India indicated of caste, creed or ideological affiliation is the sole in March 2015 (Report No. 255, pp 80–82) that the winning candidate wins only 20–30% of the votes. determinant of Indianness. 19 Mehta, Pratap Bhanu, op. cit., p. 161. In our plural secular democracy, therefore, 20 Shankar, B.L. & Rodrigues, Valerian, The Indian the ‘other’ is to be none other than the ‘self’. Any Parliament: A Democracy At Work, New Delhi, 2011, p. derogation from it would be detrimental to its core 336. The situation has worsened in recent years. values. 21 Kapur, Davish & Pratap Bhanu Mehta, The Indian Parliament as an Instrument of Accountability, UN Jai Hind. Research Institute for Social Development: Democracy, Governance and Human Rights Programme, Paper No. 1 Aziz Al-Azmeh, Pluralism in Muslim Societies, lecture 23, January 2006. delivered on January 29, 2005 at the India International 22 Atish Merlena, Prashant Bhushan & Reena Gupta, Centre. “Initiatives and Referendums – The Next Step in Indian 2 Jayal, Niraja Gopal, Citizenship and Its Discontent: An Democracy”, in Rajeev Bhargava and Vipul Mudgal (ed), Indian History, New Delhi, 2013, p. 255. More recently, Claiming India from Below: Activism and Democratic the author has observed that “While jus soli remains the Transformation, New Delhi, 2016, p. 323. governing principle of citizenship in India, citizenship law 23 Report of the Expert Group on Diversity Index submitted and jurisprudence have come to be manifestly inflected by to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, elements of jus sanguinis.”, “Citizenship” in The Oxford 2008, pp. VII –VIII. Handbook of the Indian Constitution, New Delhi, 2016, 24 Padhy, Sanghamitra, “Secularism and Justice: A Review of p. 179. Indian Supreme Court Judgments”, Economic & Political 3 Khilnani, Sunil, The Idea of India, London, 1997, p. 175. Weekly, Vol. 39, Nos. 46/47, November 20–26, 2004, pp. 4 Taylor, Charles, “Democratic Exclusion (and Its 5027–5032. Remedies?)” in Rajeev Bhargava, A.K. Bagchi and 25 Austin, Granville, “The Supreme Court and the Struggle R. Sundaram (ed.), Multiculturalism, Liberalism and for the Custody of the Constitution”, in Supreme But Not Democracy, New Delhi, 2007, pp. 139–163. Infallible: Essays in Honour of the Supreme Court of India, 5 Tourne, Alain, What Is Democracy, Boulder, Colorado, New Delhi, 2000, p. 13. 1997, p. 190. 26 Ansari, M. Hamid, Cohesion, Fragility and the Challenge 6 Bhargava, Rajeev(ed.), Secularism and its Critics, New of Our Times, Indira Gandhi Memorial Lecture, The Delhi, 1998; Akeel Bilgrami, “Secularism – Its Contents Asiatic Society, Kolkata, October 3, 2016. and Context”, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol. xlvii, 27 Kaviraj, Sudipta, “Nationalism” in: Niraja Gopal Jayal No.4, January 28, 2012, pp. 89–100; Mohita Bhatia, & Pratap Bhanu Mehta (ed.), The Oxford Companion to “Secularism and Secularisation: A Bibliographical Politics in India, New Delhi, 2013, p. 325. Essay”, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol. xlviii, No. 50, 28 Tagore, Rabindranath, “Nationalism in India”, in December 14, 2013, pp. 103–110. Nationalism, New Delhi, 2012, pp. 85–116; Amartya Sen, 7 S.R. Bommai vs Union of India, (1994) 3 SCC (Jour) 1, The Argumentative Indian, New Delhi, 2005, p. 108. March 11, 1994, para 252; also, paras 153(viii), 176, 177, 29 “Use This Law More Selectively”, Editorial, Hindustan 304, 434(10). Times, June 22, 2017. 8 Manohar Joshi v Nitin Bhaurao Patil, 1996 AIR SC 796. 30 Basu, Kaushik, “Resisting the Moral Retreat”, Indian 9 Tarkunde, V.M., Supreme Court Judgment: A Blow to Express, June 22, 2017. Secular Democracy, January 19, 1996, published in PUCL 31 Bacevich, Andrew J., The New American Militarism: How Bulletin, February 1996. Americans Are Seduced By War, New York, 2005, p. 224. 10 Ghosh, S.K., “Charge of the Cow Brigade”, The Statesman, 32 Tamir, Yael, Liberal Nationalism, Princeton, 1993, pp. 79, New Delhi, May 18, 2017. 83, 90, 95. 28 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 29

The Maratha Agitation for Reservations

Neeraj Jain

The Marathas, one of the dominant castes of 1980s too had adopted the criterion of “social and Maharashtra, who constitute probably around educational backwardness” as the basis for making 32–35% of the State’s population (this is only an its recommendations.2 estimate, as there has been no caste based census Dr Ambedkar and our Constitution framers had, in India since 1932), are agitating for reservations therefore, envisioned reservations as a scheme to once again. Earlier, during 2016 and 2017, they had foster social inclusion, social equality and social organised 52 silent marches. This time, the agitation justice. It was a programme to cement the notion of has been violent, and the agitators have attacked citizenship. As Dr Ambedkar explained in his final buses, stopped train services and blocked highways. speech to the Constituent Assembly on November Over the last few years, several other dominant 25, 1949, political equality, the principle of one castes in other states, like the Patels (or Patidars) person one vote, does not automatically bring about of Gujarat, the Jats of Haryana and the Gujjars social equality. And the fact is, there is complete of Rajasthan, have raised similar demands. They absence of social equality; there is no fraternity (the are all demanding that they be included in the sense of brotherhood amongst all Indians) in Indian ‘Other Backward Classes’ category and be given society. This is because of the presence of castes in reservations. India, which bring about separation in social life. Without overcoming this, without genuine fraternity, Reservations in the Constitution equality and liberty will be no deeper than coats of paint, the idea of citizenship cannot truly be realised, Because of competitive populism and electoral and in fact, we will not even become a nation in calculations, no major political party in any state reality. has opposed this demand, even though this demand The policy of reservation was thus a scheme changes the entire logic for reservations on the to realise this larger dream of Indian democracy. basis of which this policy measure was specifically It was neither thought of as a poverty alleviation included in the Constitution by our Constitution programme nor as an employment generation framers. The Constitution of India, in its Article scheme by our Constitution framers. 15 (4) and 16 (4), clearly allows the state to Unfortunately, the demand for reservations make special provisions, including reservation in by the Marathas, Patels and Jats completely any post in the services under the state, “for the negates this perspective on the basis of which advancement of any socially and educationally the policy of reservations has been sanctioned in backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled the Constitution. It is a sad commentary on the Castes and the Scheduled Tribes”. Elaborating democratic consciousness of Indian society that on these provisions, the Supreme Court of India even seven decades after independence, there is no has ruled (State of Kerala v. N.M. Thomas) that powerful social movement in the country demanding they are not exceptions to the equality guaranteed an end to the humiliating hierarchical setup that under Articles 14, 15(1) and 16(1), but rather are continues to pervade Indian society. Instead of that, aimed at achieving the equality guaranteed under 1 massive rallies are taking place and bandhs are being these articles. The Mandal Commission in the late called to voice the demand for reservations on the 30 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

logic of present economic backwardness, and the should spend 25%. This is actually a demand that major political parties, for political expediency, should be raised / supported by all people of this are trying to come up with all kinds of schemes to country, across all castes, which would also increase somehow fulfil this demand. fraternity amongst all Indian people.

Limitation of the Reservation Demand About the Maratha Community in One of the demands being raised by these Maharashtra dominant castes is that they be given reservation Let us however keep aside these arguments about in higher educational institutions. One becomes the faulty and limited logic behind the Maratha eligible for reservation in these institutions only demand for reservations, and try and understand the after passing Class XII. This is also the minimum reasons behind the mobilisation of lakhs of Maratha eligibility if one wants to take the benefit of youth for reservations in educational institutions and reservation in government jobs. However, in India, government jobs. only 16% of all children enrolling in Class I cross The Marathas are undoubtedly one of the most the Class XII threshold, the majority (84%) drop dominant communities in Maharashtra State. They out before that. have a stranglehold on state politics. From 1962 to This implies that even if the government 2004, of the total of 2,430 MLAs, 1,336 or 55% somehow finds a way to give reservation in were Maratha. Of Maharashtra's 18 chief ministers government jobs and educational institutions to since the state was formed in 1960, 10 have been these dominant castes, and the courts too allow it, Marathas. Economically too, the Marathas are one of only a small percentage of the population of these the most dominant castes in the state. This has been castes is going to be eligible for this ‘benefit’. [This established by several studies and commissions. is true, actually more true, for the Scheduled Castes More than 75% of the land in the state is owned and Tribes and Other Backward Classes too. Barely by the community. Nearly 54% of the educational 10% of the OBC students, 8% of the SC students institutions in the state are controlled by them. and 6% of the ST students (out of those admitted Of the 105 sugar factories, 86 are headed by to Class I) cross the Class XII barrier. This means Marathas, while 23 district cooperative banks have that the social justice provisions of the Indian Marathas as chairpersons. Marathas dominate the Constitution continue to elude the overwhelming universities in the state, with 60 to 75% presence majority of these most marginalised sections of the in the management. About 71% of the cooperative 3 Indian society even today.] institutions are under the control of this community. Therefore, if the Maratha / Jat / Patel / Gujjar In addition, all the milk cooperatives and cotton youth are genuinely concerned about uplifting their mills are either owned or controlled by them.4 caste brethren, the demand that they should first raise Why is such a dominant community, which had is that the government should take steps to ensure once opposed caste-based reservations during the genuine universalisation of school education. This late 1980s at the time of the anti-Mandal Commission would require the government to: i) ban all forms agitation, now trying to seek it for itself? of commercialisation of school education; ii) ensure genuinely free education of equitable quality to all Growing Economic Crisis children up to Class XII, and gradually improve the quality of all government schools to at least the The reason for this is that it is only a small section level of Kendriya Vidyalayas; iii) scrap the policy of the Marathas who are rich and control the sugar of appointing contract teachers, and ensure that all factories, cooperative banks, milk cooperatives teachers are well qualified and trained and given and educational institutions. The majority of the decent salaries and social security; and, for this, iii) Marathas are small and marginal farmers. A survey increase its educational spending (Centre + states by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies combined) to at least 6% of GDP as mandated (CSDS) found only 3% rich Marathas among the by the Kothari Commission, of which the Centre sampled families in 2014. On the other hand, around JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 31

20% of the sampled Maratha respondents were way out of this employment crisis is to try and landless labourers and 15% had less than three acres get a government job, which is the only secure each. Another survey by two prominent political job available today with a decent salary. Of the scientists—Rajeshwari Deshpande and Suhas government jobs available, around 50% are Palshikar of Savitribai Phule Pune University— reserved, for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and found that “land ownership patterns suggest nearly Other Backward Classes. And so, the Maratha youth 65% of Marathas are poor, whereas hardly 4% own are out on the streets, demanding reservation in more than 20 acres of land and thus may be classified government jobs, in the belief that if they are given as rich farmers.”5 reservations, many of them will be able to get these These small and marginal Maratha farmers, secure, good quality jobs. who constitute the overwhelming proportion of This is the reason behind the agitations for the Maratha population of the State, are finding reservations in jobs by not just the Marathas in themselves facing severe livelihood concerns Maharashtra, but also by the dominant caste groups because of the neoliberal economic policies being of other states, such as Patels (also known as Patidars) implemented in the country over the past nearly three in Gujarat, Jats in Haryana, Gujjars in Rajasthan and decades. In 1991, the Indian government signed an Kapus in Andhra Pradesh. The governments of the agreement with the IMF–World Bank, international respective states as well as the Central government financial institutions controlled by the USA and have extended support to this demand, and are the European Union, pledging to a thoroughgoing trying to find a way of circumventing orders of the restructuring of the Indian economy in return for Supreme Court rejecting the demand for reservation a huge foreign loan. The conditionalities imposed for these dominant castes and imposing a cap on total on India, and accepted by the Indian Government, reservations at 50%. The opposition too has gone included:6 along with the reservation discourse, as it too is not i) Allowing foreign corporations unrestricted willing to question the economic policy orientation entry into each and every sector of the Indian that has led to this massive unemployment crisis. economy; In this article, we first discuss the agricultural ii) Privatising public sector corporations and public crisis in the country, and then the worsening sector financial institutions, and even welfare unemployment crisis. Finally, we examine the services like education and health; demand being raised by Maratha youth for iii) Reducing subsidies to the poor, including reservation in government jobs. agriculture, health, education and nutrition subsidies. Agricultural Crisis Thus began what has come to be known as the While the contribution of agriculture to the globalisation of the Indian economy. It has pushed country’s GDP has come down by half over the agriculture into a severe crisis. Because of this, period 1983–84 to 2010–11,7 from the point of the youth in the villages, the children of small and view of livelihoods, this continues to be the most marginal farmers, are no longer interested in staying important sector. Of the total workforce in the in the villages and doing farming for a livelihood. country, 53% people depend on this sector for their They are migrating to the cities in search of jobs. livelihoods (in 2009–10). But there are no jobs in the cities too! The very For the past nearly three decades, as a part of same neoliberal economic policies that have pushed the neoliberal policies, successive governments agriculture into crisis have also resulted in a drying at the Centre have been gradually eliminating up of jobs. Employment generation in the private subsidies given to agriculture and ‘freeing the sector has virtually collapsed. There are very few market’. They have reduced public investment in jobs available in manufacturing and other private agriculture, cut subsidies given on major inputs sectors—and the few jobs available are insecure, needed for agriculture (such as fertiliser, electricity contractual jobs offering very low salaries. and irrigation subsidies), gradually eliminated Therefore, the youth believe that the only output support to agriculture (in the form of public procurement of agricultural produce), gradually 32 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

phased out subsidised credit given to agriculture strengthening public procurement of farm produce. (by public sector banks) and allowed imports of At the same time, input subsidies to agriculture, heavily subsidised agricultural produce from the such as fertiliser subsidy, have been further developed countries into India.9 This multi-pronged reduced.12 Despite the worsening debt crisis, the onslaught on Indian agriculture has pushed this Central government has refused to waive farm sector into deep crisis. In all important indicators loans (finally, farmers’ movements across the that measure the performance of agriculture, be it country forced some states to waive these loans). area or production or yield, of foodgrains or non- It would have cost the government at the most Rs foodgrains, the contrast between pre-globalisation 3 lakh crore,13 while benefiting crores of farmers and post-globalisation periods is quite stark (see across the country. As we show later, it is not that Table 1). the government does not have money for this; it is Table 1: Average Growth Rates of Area, Production & Yield Under a question of priorities. Foodgrains, Non-Foodgrains & All Crops8 The total budget allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture Foodgrains Non-foodgrains All crops and Farmers' Welfare in Union Budget 2018–19 is Area Prod. Yield Area Prod. Yield Area Prod. Yield miniscule—only Rs 57,600 1950–51 to crore, a mere 2.36% of the 1989–90 0.61 2.61 1.60 1.22 2.97 1.08 0.79 2.66 1.37 total budget outlay, for a sector on which more than 1990–91 to 50% of the population depend 2004–05 –0.07 1.64 1.27 1.03 2.81 1.39 0.25 1.96 1.29 for their livelihoods. Further, government spending on all agriculture related sectors The net result of these anti-small farmer policies (agriculture, rural development, water resources is that for nearly 70% of Indian farmers who have and fertiliser subsidy) as a percentage of GDP has land holdings of less than 1 hectare, total income actually fallen—from an already low of 1.43% from all sources (cultivation, farming of animals, during the last year of the previous government and non-farm business and wages) has fallen to less than the first year of the Modi Government to 1.34% in consumption expenditure.10 This, in turn, has led to the 2018–19 BE (Table 2). a huge increase in rural indebtedness. According to the National Sample Survey Table 2: BJP Government Allocation for Agriculture Related Organisation (NSSO), in 2012–13, 52% Sectors, 2014–1814 (Rs crore) of the total agricultural households in the country were in debt. The average 2014–15 2018–19 debt was Rs 47,000 per agricultural BE (a) (b) household, in a country where the yearly 1 Ministry of Agriculture and 31,917 57,600 income from cultivation per household Farmers' Welfare 11 was only Rs 36,972. (1) as % of Budget Outlay 1.92% 2.36% Under the Modi Government, the implementation of neoliberal policies 2 Total Agriculture Spending* 1,78,225 2,51,500 has accelerated. It has led to a severe Total Agricultural Spending (2) 10.71% 10.30% worsening of the agricultural crisis. The as % of Budget Outlay Modi Government has made a complete U-turn on its 2014 election promise Total Agricultural Spending (2) 1.43% 1.34% to provide farmers Minimum Support as % of GDP Prices (MSP) that would ensure them * Includes Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Rural Development, a 50% profit over cost of production. Ministry of Water Resources and Department of Fertilisers There is complete silence on the issue of JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 33

Three decades of battering by hostile policies jobs being created by them are low wage, contract and the worsening debt crisis have pushed the hardy jobs. On the other hand, because they are so big, Indian peasants into such despair that they are being these companies destroy many more jobs than they driven to commit suicides in record numbers. More create, as their entry forces many small companies than three lakh farmers have committed suicide in to close down or merge with them. the country since 1995. It is the largest recorded This is precisely what is happening in India too. wave of such deaths in history.15 While three decades of globalisation has led to a Because of the worsening agricultural crisis, huge entry of foreign corporations into the country, employment generation in this sector has virtually the country has rapidly industrialised, and the GDP collapsed. Total employment in agriculture during growth rate has significantly increased, it has not the 16-year period 1993–94 to 2009–10 has risen by led to the creation of jobs. To illustrate, the total a miniscule 2.4 million, or just 1% (Table 3). employment (workers plus sales and supervisory and managerial staff) in all of India’s registered Table 3: Agricultural Employment, factories (both small and large scale industries Pre- and Post-Reform Years16 (in million) combined) increased by only 3.01 million during the 16-year period 1993–94 to 2009–10. This Agricultural Employment means that only 1.5 percent of the total people who entered the job market during these 16 years (3 1983 207.23 million out of 208 million) got any kind of factory 1993–94 242.46 jobs. In other words, despite the massive entry of foreign corporations into the country since the 1999–2000 237.67 beginning of globalisation in 1991, very few 2004–05 258.93 factory jobs have been created. The total number 2009–10 244.85 of people working in factories after two decades of globalisation, in 2010, was only 11.72 million, or 2.5 percent of the total official workforce in the No Jobs in Cities country of 460 million.18 As a part of the conditionalities imposed on the The net consequence is that ever since country by the World Bank, successive governments globalisation began, there has been a slowdown at the Centre since 1991 have gradually been in employment growth rate in the country. removing all restrictions on the entry of foreign The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of multinational corporations (MNCs) into the Indian employment in the country fell from 2.44% during economy. During the four years it has been in power, the period 1972–73 to 1983 and 2.04% during the the swadeshi Modi Government has announced period 1983 to 1993–94, to only 1.3% per annum such a huge liberalisation of rules governing foreign for the entire post-globalisation period of 1993–94 investment in the country that it has proudly declared to 2009–10. Employment growth during 1999–2000 that India has become the most open country in the to 2009–10 was 1.49% per annum, lower than any world! Not only that, the entire economic policy is previous ten-year period. This slowdown has taken now being re-oriented to suit the profit maximisation place despite a sharp acceleration in the country’s of big corporations. For instance, the government GDP growth rate (Table 4). is relaxing all labour laws so that big corporations It is estimated that in India, the total number of can employ contract workers in place of permanent new people who enter the job market every year in workers, hire and fire them at will, and pay them search of jobs is around 13 million.20 That means rock bottom wages. This has worsened the quality that during the decade 1999–2000 to 2009–10, a total of the few jobs available in the country. of 130 million people entered the job market. The Big corporations don’t create jobs. They employ NSSO data given in Table 4 indicate that of these, the latest labour saving technologies, and employ only 63.5 million or 48.8% got any kind of jobs. the minimum possible workers.17 And with the Worse, all these jobs were only informal government dismantling labour laws, even the few jobs—jobs with low wages, probably even below 34 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Table 4: Total Employment, Employment Growth Rate and selling clothes or other GDP Growth Rate, 1983 to 2009–1019 sundry items, scrap GDP Growth Rate collectors collecting old Total Employment Period CAGR (at constant newspapers and scrap (in million) 1999-2000 prices) from homes, graduates running tiny telephone 1983 302.76 1972-73 to 1983 2.44% 4.7% recharge shops or driving 1993–94 374.45 1983 to 1993-94 2.04% 5.0% autorickshaws for 12 hours every day, sales 1999– 2000 396.76 1993-94 to 2004-05 1.84% 6.3% boys and girls going 2004–05 457.46 2004-05 to 2009-10 0.12% 9.1% from house to house selling cosmetics / sarees 2009–10 460.22 1999-2000 to 2009-10 1.49% / books, unorganised 1993-94 to 2009-10 1.30% sector construction workers working in the minimum wage, insecure jobs, and with little dangerous conditions at construction sites, farmers or no other benefits like compensation in case of toiling day and night in an attempt to extract the injury, paid leave, sick leave, and so on. None of maximum possible from their tiny holdings. the jobs created during the decade 2000–10 were The acceleration of neoliberal policies under the formal sector jobs—where workers have at least Modi Government has led to a further worsening some legal rights such as security of employment, of the employment crisis. According to a recent minimum wages, sick leave, compensation for work- study, there was an absolute decline in employment related injuries and right to organise—because of during the first two years of the Modi Government the contractualisation of jobs taking place in the (2014–16), possibly the first time this has happened economy due to the deliberate dismantling of labour since independence.24 laws in the country by the government. According As if this was not enough, the Modi government to the Planning Commission of India, during the then announced two economic policies that decade 1999–2000 to 2009–10, the total number of directly assaulted the informal sector that provides formal jobs in the economy actually fell from 35 employment to more than 90% of the workforce— million to 33 million (Table 5)! first, demonetisation (announced in November 2016), and then the rollout of the GST (in July 2017). Table 5: Formal and Informal Employment Both these policies had a devastating impact on the 21 in India (in million) informal sector, resulting in closure of thousands of small scale units and loss of lakhs of jobs. The 1999–2000 2009–10 Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) Formal Employment 35.0 33.0 has estimated that post-demonetisation, roughly 1.5 Informal Employment 361.7 427.22 million jobs were lost during the four month period from January to April 2017. 25 Total Work Force 396.8 460.22 And so, the Demand for Reservations The result is that the total number of formal sector While globalisation has led to a sharp increase workers in the country, who have what the Economic in wealth of the rich, especially the top 1%— and Survey of the Government of India calls ‘good to a lesser extent the top 10%—of the population,26 jobs’22, constitute just 7.2% of the total work force.23 for the vast majority of the people, these economic The remaining 92.8% workers are in informal jobs— reforms have destroyed employment and livelihood such as fruit sellers selling a few dozen bananas opportunities and pushed crores of people into on hand carts, peanut sellers hawking peanuts and destitution. Amongst the worst hit have been other such snacks on bicycles, roadside hawkers the farming communities, such as the Maratha JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 35

community in Maharashtra, the Patels in Gujarat terms, from 190 lakh to 176 lakh (Table 6). This and Jats in Haryana. The youth of these hitherto decline has taken place in every sphere of economic dominant castes, who earlier either took to activity, from manufacturing, construction and agriculture, or were absorbed in industry / services transport to community, social and personal services. on moving to cities, are now facing a huge crisis of Had employment generation continued at same unemployment. Crafty politicians have channelised pace as 1981–91, public sector employment would this disenchantment of the youth into raising the have risen to 295 lakh in 2012, implying the creation demand for reservation in government jobs. of 1.04 crore jobs. Instead, the total number of jobs The gullible youth have come to believe that declined, by 14.5 lakh. government jobs are available in significant numbers, To conclude, even if the Central/State government and if their castes are included in the category finds a way of giving the Maratha youth reservation of OBCs and become eligible for reservations in in government jobs, it will in actuality not result government jobs, then large numbers of them would in creation of any significant job opportunities get decent jobs. for these youth. The demand for reservation in The reality is that there are no government jobs government jobs is nothing but a mirage. The reason too! As it is, total public sector employment in the why the upper caste youth, like the Maratha youth country is only around 4% of the total employment in in Maharashtra, are facing such a huge crisis of the country.27 Furthermore, as a part of the neoliberal joblessness is not because there is reservation for economic reforms being implemented in the country, the Dalits and OBCs, but because there are no jobs, on the one hand, the Indian Government has been and reason why there is stagnation in job creation privatising public sector enterprises and welfare is because of the neoliberal economic policies services such as education and health, and on the being implemented in the country. If the youth of other hand, it has been reducing public employment Maharashtra are serious about finding solutions to in all areas—the vacancies arising out of retirement the employment crisis, they will need to think more are not being filled (the government admitted in deeply about the real reasons for the unemployment the Rajya Sabha a few days ago that nearly 24 lakh crisis, challenge the economic model being posts are lying vacant with the Central and state implemented in the country, and raise meaningful governments28), employment is being forcibly demands that will genuinely lead to the creation of reduced by ‘Voluntary Retirement Schemes’, and a large number of jobs. several jobs are being contractualised. This has led We now discuss some of these demands that to a drastic fall in public sector recruitment. Public need to be raised for meaningful job creation in the sector employment in the country continuously country. increased in the decades after independence, from 70.5 lakh in 1961 to 190.6 lakh in 1991. But with Some Proposals for Creating Jobs the beginning of globalisation, this has got reversed. Public sector employment [including every form of i) Increase Spending on Agriculture government—Central, state, local government as As discussed above, Indian agriculture is in well as quasi-government (public sector enterprises, crisis because of the neoliberal economic reforms. electricity boards, road transport corporations, etc.)] Because of this crisis, which is pushing thousands of over the period 1991–2012 has fallen in absolute farmers to commit suicide every year, employment Table 6: Total Government Employment generation in agriculture has fallen to near zero. To (Centre+State+Local Govt.+Quasi Govt.)29 bring the agricultural sector out of this crisis and (in lakh) stimulate job creation in this vitally important sector, Year Total Employment the government needs to make farming profitable by: 1981 154.8 • reducing input costs by increasing subsidies on fertilisers, electricity, water, etc.; 1991 190.6 • providing output price support; 2012 176.1 • increasing public investment in agriculture— which is absolutely essential for agricultural 36 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

growth; and interested in setting up MSMEs, including both the • waiving all farm debts, including debts to private amount of loan and the interest subsidy for this loan, moneylenders, and ensuring availability of as well as provide other incentives, such as reserving institutional credit to farmers at subsidised rates. production of several items for this sector and In other words, the government needs to increase banning imports of these items to protect this sector public investment in all agriculture related sectors. from unfair competition with subsidised imports It needs to be at least doubled or trebled. Where will by recession hit automated plants of multinational the money come from for this? We discuss this issue corporations. The money for this is there—we later in this essay. discuss this later in this essay. This will reverse the decline in Indian agriculture and bring back employment generation to at least iii) Create More Government Jobs the pre-globalisation levels. Had employment Lakhs of youth are mobilising across the country generation in agriculture during the post-reform demanding reservations for their castes—when there years continued at the same rate as during the period are no government jobs! They are all fighting for a 1983 to 1993–94 (when CAGR was 1.51%, see slice of the public employment ‘cake’, when there Table 3), total employment in agriculture would have is no cake on the table. gone up to 308 million by 2009–10 instead of 245 Instead, we all need to unite, across castes and million. In other words, instead of the net 2.4 million communities, and demand more government jobs. jobs created during the 16-year period 1994–2010, To make an estimate of how many government jobs 65.5 million jobs would have been created in the can possibly be created in India, let us compare the agricultural sector—an additional 63 million jobs! number of government jobs in India with that in the USA and other developed countries, per lakh ii) Provide Incentives for the Small Scale of population. Sector Unlike the propaganda being daily fed to us by our politicians and bureaucrats, public sector As discussed above, the overwhelming proportion employment in India is not high; on the contrary, it is of employment in the country is provided by the very low when compared to the developed countries, informal sector, including what the government all of whom are unabashedly free market economies calls the Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (see Table 7). An important reason why public sector (MSMEs). The Modi government has announced employment in the developed countries is high is a scheme known as Mudra Yojana. Under this, the because of their high social sector expenditures. government provides a loan of between Rs 50,000 to Most developed countries spend substantial sums Rs 10 lakh to people wishing to be entrepreneurs and on providing social security for their citizens, setting up micro enterprises. According to official including universal health coverage, free school statistics, over the last three years since the scheme education and free or cheap university education, old was launched in 2015, nearly 13 crore people have age pension, maternity benefits, disability benefits, been sanctioned a total of Rs 6 lakh crore under this family allowance such as child care allowance, scheme till May 25, 2018 (of which Rs 5.81 lakh and much more. This obviously requires that they crore has been disbursed). A simple calculation employ a large number of people in the social sectors shows that the average of sanctioned loans under to provide these services to their population. this Yojana comes to Rs 46,530 while the disbursed 30 The USA has one of the lowest levels of public amount is Rs 45,034. While the Modi Government sector employment (per lakh of population) among has been claiming that this scheme has helped create the developed countries. Even if we take this as the several crore jobs, this is obviously another of its big level that India should reach, that is, if India is to lies; the amount of loan being disbursed under this have the same number of public sector employees scheme is too inadequate for setting up any kind of per lakh of population as the USA, then India’s small scale business. public sector employment would have to increase The government must substantially boost the to at least 88.9 million.31 Presently, there are only financial incentives it provides for entrepreneurs JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 37

17.6 million public sector employees in India. This services, that are in a terrible state in our country. means an additional 71.3 million or 7.13 crore jobs Therefore, we are not at all exaggerating when we would be created—that too, decent, formal jobs! estimate that if the government indeed decided to Table 7: Public Sector Employment provide good quality essential services to all people per Lakh of Population32 in the country, it would lead to the creation of several crore jobs. Sweden 15,070 France 8,760 But Where Will the Money Come From? USA 7,220 Our readers will say—that is all ok, but where India 1,430 will the money come from for all this? India is a poor country, the government does not have enough Therefore, instead of fighting amongst ourselves money to implement this. on the basis of caste, religion, region and so on, let That the Indian Government has no money us unite and demand that the government should is a myth, propagated by the government and its increase its social sector spending, and create more propagandists. The reality is, the Indian Government public sector jobs. That would create at least a few has been doling out subsidies to the rich to the tune crore jobs! Creation of such a large number of public of several lakh crore rupees every year. To give two sector jobs will lead to the creation of at least as stunning examples: many private sector jobs if not more, as the creation • Successive governments at the Centre have of so many well-paid jobs in the public sector will been giving tax concessions to the country’s give a big boost to demand and will therefore lead corporate houses and super-rich every year, for to a huge increase in private sector production—as the last several years, ever since the economic Keynes had pointed out several decades ago. reforms began. Over the 13–year period 2005–06 For instance, if in Maharashtra State alone, the to 2017–18, these tax write-offs total a mind- government decides to take urgent and decisive steps boggling Rs 58.6 lakh crore!34 to send all children compulsorily to school, and • Over the 15-year period 2004–18, Indian public provide them free and good quality education (of sector banks have written off a whopping Rs 4.6 Kendriya Vidyalaya standards) up to Class XII, this lakh crore worth of loans given to big corporate would require the opening of thousands of schools houses. Of this amount, Rs 3.1 lakh crore has and recruitment of a very large number of teachers. been waived by the Modi Government during How many? We have estimated that for this, the its four years in power.35 Apart from this, during government would need to recruit an additional 19 this period, banks have also restructured loans— lakh teachers in the minimum!33 which is a more roundabout way of writing off And if so many school teachers are recruited, loans—given to these high and mighty, probably that would call for a big increase in the number of to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crore or so.36 associate staff, from clerks to laboratory assistants Apart from this, other concessions being to peons and so on. So many schools would need given to the rich include handing over control to be constructed, furniture made, school textbooks of the country’s mineral wealth and resources to printed, and so on. This would lead to a big increase private corporations in return for negligible royalty in jobs in all these industries. The recruitment of payments, transferring ownership of our profitable so many school teachers and associate staff in public sector corporations to foreign and Indian schools would lead to a big increase in the demand private business houses at throwaway prices, direct for consumer goods and so there would be much subsidies to private corporations in the name of job creation in these industries too. So much job ‘public–private–partnership’ for infrastructural creation, in just a single state in the country, only projects, and so on. These transfers of public wealth by investing in providing compulsory, good quality to private coffers also total several lakh crore education to all children! rupees.37 And it is not just education, but all welfare 38 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

If the government reduces these concessions planningcommission.nic.in. / transfers of public money to the country’s uber 8. Raghbendra Jha, Investment and Subsidies in Indian Agriculture, Australian National University, Canberra, rich, it can substantially increase its expenditure https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au. 38 on agriculture and the social sectors. That would 9. For more discussion on this, see: Neeraj Jain, “Budget lead to a big increase in agricultural jobs, as well as 2018–19: What is in it for the People?” Janata, April create several crore government jobs. 15, 2018, http://janataweekly.org; Spectre of Fascism, Janata / Lokayat Publication, Pune, 2016, pp. 54–59, http://lokayat.org.in. To Conclude 10. "A Budget Amid Agrarian Crisis Pt. III", Research Unit for Political Economy, https://rupeindia.wordpress.com; Friends, the reason why there are no jobs, also see ibid. the reason why there is such acute joblessness 11. “Farmers Indebtedness: Into the Abyss?” January 30, in the country, is not because of the ‘other’— 2015, http://www.downtoearth.org.in. unemployment is not because reservation for Dalits 12. For more discussion on this, see: Neeraj Jain, “Budget 2017–18: Is it Indeed a Pro-Farmer Budget?” Janata, and STs and OBCs has snatched away jobs. The February 12, 2017, http://janataweekly.org; Spectre reason is that there are simply no decent, formal of Fascism, op. cit., pp. 57–59; Neeraj Jain, “Budget sector jobs. And that is because of globalisation, 2018–19: What is in it for the People?” op. cit. because of the neoliberal economic policies being 13. “India Faces Rs 3 Lakh Cr Farm Loan Waivers – 16 Times 2017 Rural Roads Budget”, June 17, 2017, http:// implemented in the country. Once we well and truly www.business-standard.com. realise this, only then, instead of mobilising against 14. All figures from Union Budget documents, available at: the ‘other’, ‘we’ will unite with the ‘other’ and Union Budget, http://indiabudget.nic.in. unitedly raise demands that challenge the economic 15. P. Sainath, “The Slaughter of Suicide Data”, August 5, policy orientation in the country and will truly lead 2015, http://psainath.org. 16. Figures for 1983 and 1993–94 taken from: Economic to job creation and enough decent jobs for all. Survey, 2001–02: Social Sectors – Labour and Employment, http://indiabudget.nic.in; figures for Email: [email protected] 1999–00, 2004–05 and 2009–10 taken from Twelfth Five Year Plan: Volume 3 – Social Sectors, http:// 1. “Part-v Chapter – ii Reservation and Constitution of planningcommission.gov.in, p. 160. India – Shodhganga”, http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in. 17. For more on this, see our booklet, The Unemployment 2. Suhas Palshikar, “The New Reservation”, August 1, Crisis: Reasons and Solutions, Lokayat publication, p. 2018, https://indianexpress.com. 42, http://lokayat.org.in. 3. Estimates made by Prof. Anil Sadgopal, one of the most 18. Annual Survey of Industries 2010–2011 (Factory Sector), renowned educationists of India: Lokesh Malti Prakash, mail.mospi.gov.in/index.php. “Education in the Neo-Liberal Limbo”, November 2, 19. GDP growth rate figures taken from: T.S. Papola, Partha 2012, http://khwabesahar.wordpress.com. Pratim Sahu, Growth and Structure of Employment in 4. Meena Menon, “Nation in a State: That Maratha Demand, India, March 2012, http://isidev.nic.in.; CAGR for 1972– Once Again”, June 12, 2012, https://www.thehindu.com. 73 to 1983 taken from: S. Mahendra Dev, “Employment 5. Akshat Kaushal and Mayank Mishra, “Why Dominant and Growth in India”, http://www.aiggpa.mp.gov.in; Castes Want Other Backward Classes Status”, October employment figures for 1983 and 1993–94 taken from: 29, 2015, https://www.business-standard.com. Economic Survey, 2001–02: Social Sectors – Labour 6. There are several articles available on the internet and Employment, http://indiabudget.nic.in; employment outlining these conditionalities. See for example: figures for 1999–2000, 2004–05 and 2009–10 taken Structural Adjustment in India, World Bank, 2012, from: Twelfth Five Year Plan: Volume 3 – Social Sectors, http://lnweb90.worldbank.org; Montek S. Ahluwalia, op. cit., p. 160; CAGR calculations done by us. Structural Adjustment and Reform in Developing 20. Muthukumar K., Seetharaman R., “In Search of a Job”, Countries, April 1994, www.planningcommission.nic. April 10, 2017 http://www.thehindubusinessline.com; in; Ashwini Deshpande, Prabirjit Sarkar, “Structural S.A. Aiyar, “‘Drive in India’ Can Generate More Jobs Adjustment in India – A Critical Assessment”, Economic than ‘Make in India’”, February 26, 2017, http://blogs. and Political Weekly, December 9, 1995, http://www. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. epw.in; David Harvey, A Brief History of Neoliberalism, 21. Twelfth Five Year Plan: Volume 3 – Social Sectors, op. Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 7–8, 29, 64–66. cit., p. 131. 7. “Gross Domestic Product from Agriculture & Allied 22. Economic Survey, 2015–16, Volume 1, p. 140, http:// Sectors and % Share to GDP 1950–51 to 14–15 at indiabudget.nic.in. Constant 2004–05 prices”, taken from Data Tables, 23. Twelfth Five Year Plan: Volume 3 – Social Sectors, Planning Commission, December 23, 2014, http:// op. cit., p. 131. 24. “Absolute Decline in Jobs, Says New CDS Study, Drop JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 39

Sharpest in Last Three Years”, October 2, 2017, https:// million and calculated from figures given in: “Population www.outlookindia.com. of India”, http://statisticstimes.com. 25. Mahesh Vyas, “1.5 Million Jobs Lost in First Four 33. Calculations done in our booklet, The Unemployment Months of 2017”, July 11, 2017, https://www.cmie.com. Crisis: Reasons and Solutions, op. cit., pp. 66–68. 26. “The Richest 1% of Indians Now Own 58.4% of 34. “P Sainath on Corporate Bailout #Rs 36.5 Trillion Wealth”, November 24, 2016, http://www.livemint.com; #Budget 2014”, July 13, 2014, http://www.indiaresists. S. Rukmini, “India’s Staggering Wealth Gap in Five com; Neeraj Jain, “Budget 2018–19: What is in it for the Charts”, December 8, 2014, http://www.thehindu.com. People?” op. cit. 27. Total public sector employment is only around 18 35. We have calculated this from the following data: Loans million, out of a total workforce of 460 million, in written off by public sector banks over the period 2009–10. 2004–15 totalled Rs 2.11 lakh crore (‘PSU Banks’ 28. “Central and State Governments Sit Over 24 Lakh Write-Off of Bad Loans at Rs 1,14,000 Cr in 2013–15: Vacancies Amid Debate Over Job Drought”, August 5, RBI’, February 8, 2016, http://www.domain-b.com); 2018, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com. “PSU Banks Write Off Rs 2.49 Lakh Crore of Loans in 5 29. R. Nagaraj, “Public Sector Employment: What has Years”, August 7, 2017, http://economictimes.indiatimes. Changed?” Indira Gandhi Institute of Development com; “Public Sector Banks Write-Off Bad Loans Worth Research, 2014, http://www.igidr.ac.in.; T.S. Papola, Rs 1.2 Lakh Crore in 2017–18”, June 15, 2018, https:// Partha Pratim Sahu, “Growth and Structure of www.businesstoday.in. Employment in India”, op. cit. 36. Dinesh Unnikrishnan, “For State-Run Banks, Delayed 30. “Mudra Yojana is a Mission or Mess? 5-Point Fact Economic Recovery Would Mean More Pain from Checker”, May 29, 2018, https://www.indiatoday.in. Restructured Loans”, December, 26 2014, http://www. 31. Calculations done by us, from references given in firstpost.com; “Infrastructure Loans Emerge as Banks’ endnote 32. Biggest Stress Point”, April 25, 2014, http://www. 32. Calculations done by us. Population and employment livemint.com; “Restructured Loans Cross Rs.2.27 figures for developed countries taken from: “Sweden Trillion; Pace Slows”, April 5, 2013, http://www. / France / USA – Economic Indicators”, https:// livemint.com. tradingeconomics.com; public sector employment 37. More for examples of these concessions given to the percentage taken from Niall McCarthy, “Scandinavia rich, see our booklet: Is the Government Really Poor, Leads The World In Public Sector Employment”, July 21, Lokayat Publication, Pune, 2018, http://lokayat.org.in. 2017, https://www.forbes.com. Note that the population 38. We have discussed the potential of how much money the and employment figures are for 2017, while public sector government can spend on the social sectors by cutting employment figures are for 2015. India figure is for 2012; down the subsidies it gives to the rich in our essay: Neeraj public sector employment in India was 17.6 million in Jain, “Budget 2018–19: What is in it for the People?” 2012, and population of India for 2012 taken as 1,230 op. cit. 40 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

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Linking Aadhaar to Bank Accounts will Destroy the Banking System

Anupam Saraph Unique ID is not unique, does not certify transactions, and launder money. anything, says UIDAI The RTI replies call to question the very basis of using the Aadhaar as a means to identify anyone, In a shocking admission, the UIDAI (Unique to use it to establish age, resident status, address or Identification Authority of India) has admitted, in even existence of a person. It calls to question the response to a RTI (Right to Information) query, that use of Aadhaar in governance and financial systems. it does not certify the identity, address, date of birth, The UIDAI has refused information about the resident status or existence of any individual or any enrolment operators and supervisors registered with Aadhaar number. the UIDAI. Only 8 state governments and 12 PSUs The admission that the UIDAI does not certify (public sector undertakings) have been authorised anything is a blow to every organisation and process by UIDAI to act as registrars for the purpose of that relies on the UIDAI for certifying the identity, enrolling individuals. These 20 registrars had hired address, date of birth, resident status or existence enrolment agencies who hired these operators. The of any individual. It is now evident that not only is 20 Registrars put together do not have a geographical nothing identified, nothing is certified by the UIDAI. reach to the 707 districts, 600,000 villages and 5,000 The UIDAI also admitted that the biometric towns and cities of India. With the information data of an individual does not pull up a unique of enrolment operators being withheld, the entire record. This is an admission that the biometrics does enrolment process to create the world’s largest not uniquely identify any person. This completely biometric database is called to question. demolishes the myth of providing a unique identity The Supreme Court of India is hearing more to Indians. than 22 PILs challenging the use of Aadhaar. The The UIDAI has no idea about the identification RTI replies make it evident that two successive documents used to assign an Aadhaar number to governments have been taken for a complete ride by enrolment packets submitted by the enrolment private interests controlling the Aadhaar ecosystem. agencies. This has damning repercussions for the The entire Aadhaar database is not worth the cost genuineness of the entire Aadhaar database. In of the media used to store it and is the biggest a previous RTI the UIDAI had admitted that the technology scam since the invention of computers. Aadhaar database or the processes of de-duplication It possesses the biggest risk to national security as had never been subject to verification or audit. every database in the country capable of identifying Now an admission that even the data about the the citizens and beneficiaries is being replaced or documents submitted for enrolment are not known destroyed by the Aadhaar database. Linking, seeding to the UIDAI. Private agencies were paid for each or using Aadhaar to construct or replace existing enrolment packet they submitted. Private agencies databases will make it impossible to protect the also benefit by being able to use ghost identities country’s economic, social, security and governance that they may have created to claim subsidies, park processes as they fail to identify threats, frauds, black money, do benami (accounts and transactions corruption, money laundering, and cyber war. undertaken using a ghost or a duplicate identity) 42 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 Destroying the banking system as the real users of banking services will be untraceable. The economy will be completely Despite this fundamental defect with Aadhaar, out of control as the black and white economies on June 1, 2017, India’s Department of Revenue become indistinguishable. (DoR) issued a Notification mandating the linking of every bank account with an Aadhaar number before We are in a policy vacuum as the NITI Aayog December 31, 2017. While lawyers have pointed and the bureaucracy have failed to recognise the out several illegalities, including the scope, of the Trojan horse and protect national interest. Unless notification of this subordinate legislation under the the RBI de-licenses the payments systems based on Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Aadhaar (AEPS) immediately and the government failure of the DoR to consistently protect national stays linking Aadhaar to PAN and bank accounts, interest is unbelievable. our leadership will have failed to protect India from This latest notification will enable the creation this fast colonisation of India by the private interests of benami bank accounts and allow benami driving Aadhaar. transactions on such a huge scale that it will destroy the Indian banking system and hence the Indian Enabling benami bank accounts economy. Aadhaar is the best state sponsored enabling mechanism for money launderers to enable Benami accounts get created when banks fail to benami bank accounts. Aadhaar can even help the identify the real customers who own the accounts. money launderer to take over your bank accounts. The Panama Papers exposed data of thousands of Aadhaar is also the enabling mechanism to scale benami accounts created through a Panamanian law benami transactions. firm, Mossack Fonseca. The Panama Papers exposed Here are just 4 ways in which linking the one modus operandi of hiding the real owners of the Aadhaar to PAN or a bank account will hurt you, assets in tax havens. destroy the Indian economy: Prudent bankers recognise the importance of knowing who they bank with. Before it bowed to 1. The innocent will lose money, reputation and pressure from the Ministry of Finance in January access to justice, dignity and livelihood as their 2011, the RBI had warned that the Aadhaar Aadhaar numbers can act as mules for money enrolment process does not have due diligence. It laundering, their subsidy and other Aadhaar pointed out that for Aadhaar enrolment verification enabled payments can be easily compromised, is not compulsory, as confirmed by the UIDAI in their access to their own bank accounts be the Demographic Data Standards and Verification denied, or they can be framed for economic Procedure, and does not require document based offences. Helpless citizens and businesses may verification. The RBI also highlighted that such use also find themselves at the receiving end of of Aadhaar as third party identification is against covert human rights violations as even their Prevention of Money Laundering Act. While access to money and existence is disabled by resisting the use of Aadhaar, the RBI also raised the deactivation or blocking of Aadhaar leaving no issue of the perceived misuse of such accounts for recourse to survival. terrorist financing. 2. Linking Aadhaar to bank accounts or PAN Under pressure from the UIDAI and the converts India into the new tax haven for money Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, the launderers as it becomes easy to remotely create RBI, through its circular dated January 27, 2011, benami accounts and operate benami transactions allowed bank accounts to be opened exclusively while claiming complete legitimacy. This will on the basis of Aadhaar number. However the RBI destroy India’s economy and governance. required such accounts to be put to restrictions 3. Corruption will increase as it becomes easier and be subjected to conditions and limitations when proceeds will not be traceable to the prescribed for small accounts, so as to prevent corrupt. It will be increasingly difficult to restore money laundering. swarajya and impossible to ensure suraiya. Not happy with the restrictions, the UIDAI 4. Banks will not be able to contain non-performing- pressed the RBI to lift these restrictions placed assets, fraud and financial misappropriation on accounts opened with Aadhaar numbers. On JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 43

September 28, 2011, the UIDAI succeeded in getting To compound the problem, UIDAI has no the RBI to backtrack and suspend the restrictions of liability for benami bank accounts opened with the PMLA on bank accounts opened solely through Aadhaar. After the introduction of the Aadhaar Aadhaar. The UIDAI also succeeded in causing the to open bank accounts, the accounts and deposits RBI further to accept eKYC (the electronic version have doubled in 5 years. No one knows who really of KYC administered by UIDAI) or remotely using controls these accounts. information associated with an Aadhaar number as KYC. Enabling benami transactions To put the problem in perspective, Aadhaar enrolment was completely outsourced to private Even when it had no mandate to develop banking parties by the UIDAI with the sole aim of building platforms, in 2009, the UIDAI signed an MoU the worlds largest biometric database. No one in the with the National Payments Corporation of India Aadhaar enrolment process was required to identify (NPCI), a non government company, to develop anyone. At best they had to merely verify documents an Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS). In that were submitted for enrolment. Needless to say this MoU the UIDAI has no responsibility for your anyone in possession of your documents could enrol banking transactions and the NPCI has no obligation with minor changes in any demographic information to the RBI. The payment system uses the Aadhaar or with different biometrics. Field stories of linked to a bank account as a financial address to enrolments are full with descriptions of biometric do electronic money transfers from one Aadhaar jugaad including using combination of persons, use number to another. of biometric masks, biometric modifications, and Unless an Aadhaar is linked to the account, the other ingenious methods to maximise registrations. AEPS cannot access the bank account. Linking a According to the IT Minister Ravi Shankar PAN to the Aadhaar will have the same effect as Prasad, 34,000 operators who tried to make fake linking the Aadhaar to a bank account as the PAN Aadhaar Cards have been blacklisted. Even if each is already linked to the bank account. Such accounts operator worked for a year before being blacklisted, become Aadhaar enabled. Aadhaar enabled bank assuming that each of them made about 100 cards accounts are ready to be used by the AEPS for a day, this amounts to over a billion cards. That is Aadhaar to Aadhaar money transfers. more than 95 percent of the database. The Aadhaar Linking an Aadhaar to a bank account is done enrolment has been unlike that of any other identity through a process called as ‘seeding’ an Aadhaar document, easily scaling the creation of duplicate number to a bank account. After receiving the and ghost identities. Aadhaar number from the customer, the bank While there is widespread belief that biometric uploads such numbers’ into a ‘NPCI mapper’ or authentication at time of opening a bank account a repository of Aadhaar numbers and Institution prevents benami, it ignores the field realities of Identification Number (IIN) numbers used for the mobile phone SIM cards being issued on Aadhaar purpose of routing transactions to the destination photocopies and used to open bank accounts, of banks. The IIN is a unique 6-digit number issued having remotely “downloadable” accounts, and by NPCI to the participating bank. also plain simple use of photocopies of Aadhaar or If you ‘seed’ your Aadhaar with another bank parallel Aadhaar databases to open bank accounts. account, the NPCI mapper is overwritten with the With Aadhaar, banks do not have any trace of the IIN of this new bank. But what is not realised real customer. The real customer is simply masked is this: someone else can also do this. And this by a benami owner using an Aadhaar number. facilitates a money launderer to launder money, Even your Aadhaar can be used, without your using your account. All that he has to do is, ‘seed’ knowledge, by a perpetrator to open multiple your Aadhaar with another bank account. After that, accounts in order to use it to collect bribes, park when he transfers money to your Aadhaar number, black money, or siphon your subsidies. In the eyes using the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System, this of law enforcement, if these accounts are discovered, money gets transferred to this new bank account in you will be the criminal. this new bank as the IIN recognises this new bank account as being linked to your Aadhaar number. 44 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Then, the money launderer can transfer this money enough to siphon off subsidy, park black money or via the AEPS to whichever account he wants, and take bribes. then re-seed the NPCI’s mapper with the original IIN Such money transfers would be difficult, if not for the Aadhaar number, completely wiping out any impossible, to trace without a whistleblower. A few trace of money to the alternate IIN. Like transactions cases have been reported that suggest the large scale of bearer shares in Panama, such money transfers play of this scenario already. For example more than becomes no different from a hawala (an alternative 40,000 erroneous transfers were reported through or parallel remittance system that works outside AEPS in DBT transfers meant as part of drought formal banking systems) transaction between real relief for farmers in Karnataka. The government parties who remain anonymous or benami. allegedly blamed the banks for failure to seed the Your Aadhaar number can be used to facilitate correct Aadhaar numbers with the beneficiaries. such benami money transfers. If these money Governments across India had been using the transfers linked to your Aadhaar number are detected RBI’s own payment system, the NEFT or RTGS, by investigation officers or tax authorities, you and to undertake electronic money transfers. There is not the real operator will be held on suspicion of absolutely no reason to switch public payments from economic offences. NEFT to AEPS, run by a non-government company. The NPCI’s idea of Aadhaar to Aadhaar banking itself is fundamentally flawed. It is surprising that Preventing disaster the RBI has licensed this payment system under the Payment and Settlements Act. If the government and the Supreme Court All money is ultimately stored in bank accounts implement the wisdom of the three orders of the and not in the name of a person. Nowhere in the Supreme Court of India on the use of Aadhaar, they world does one transfer money to a person, you can yet save the country from disaster resulting from transfer it to a person’s account. Money transfers the private interests driving Aadhaar. to and from a bank account makes every money In its first order of September 23, 2011 the transfer traceable from source to destination making Supreme Court had indicated that “no person should money laundering difficult, if not impossible. suffer for not getting the Aadhaar card inspite of the Hawala schemes make money transfers untraceable fact that some authority had issued a circular making by eliminating the bank accounts. Money transfers it mandatory and when any person applies to get the that, like the hawala, are based on the premise that Aadhaar Card voluntarily”. you do not share an account number, with someone On August 11, 2015, the 3 member bench transferring money to you, are inherently flawed in restricted the use of Aadhaar and indicated that it auditability as they wipe out the money trail. may not be used for any other purpose. The idea of a mapper, as used by NPCI’s AEPS, On October 15, 2015, a 5 member bench led by the does not allow for instructions from sender but Chief Justice had emphasised that “the Aadhaar card relies on periodic update of IIN in the NPCI’s table Scheme is purely voluntary and it cannot be made mapping Aadhaar numbers from banks. As multiple mandatory till the matter is finally decided by this banks have to upload the Aadhaar numbers seeded Court”. It had restricted the voluntary use of Aadhaar with accounts held by them, this cannot guarantee to public distribution system (PDS) Scheme, the desired results. liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution scheme, Perhaps the worst aspect of the mapper is that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment it slices the business process and outsources parts. Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), National Social This destroys the responsibility of the payment Assistance Programme (Old Age Pensions, Widow system from any single party as was in the case of Pensions, Disability Pensions), Prime Minister’s Jan NEFT or RTGS. Neither the NPCI, the UIDAI or Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and Employees’ Provident the banks are responsible in such money transfers. Fund Organisation (EPFO). They merely provide “look-up” services. In this In the meantime, following Mahatma Gandhi’s system, a single compromised or rogue bank branch, footsteps and refusing to link Aadhaar to anything or the perpetuator’s ability to exploit a good one, is may be the only option left for you. Email: [email protected] JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 45

Citizen’s Right to Health

Radhey Shiam

India is going to celebrate its 72nd Independence iii. Economical accessibility; Day. This is the time to introspect about the progress iv. Information accessibility. made after establishment of a democratic setup 3) Acceptability: All health facilities, goods and and transformation of society from backward to services must be respectful of medical ethics prosperous India. The fact remains that while India and culturally appropriate, as well as sensitive has a wide ambit of Fundamental Rights, it still to gender and life-cycle requirements. lacks in providing certain fundamental facilities 4) Quality: Health facilities, goods and services and infrastructure for all citizens, Citizen’s Right must be scientifically and medically appropriate to Health being one of them. This is the call of the and of good quality. time to take newer directions and lessons from all developed countries in the world that have given International Bodies on Citizen’s Right priorities to make health as a Fundamental Right in to Health their country. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Citizen Right to Health: What Does it Rights states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of Mean? himself and of his family, including medical care and The Right to Health extends not only to timely necessary social services, and the right to security and appropriate healthcare but also to the underlying in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, determinants of health, such as access to safe and widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in potable water and adequate sanitation, an adequate circumstances beyond his control.” supply of safe food, nutrition and housing, healthy WHO Constitution states: “The enjoyment of the occupational and environmental conditions and highest attainable standard of health is one of the access to health-related education and information, fundamentals rights of every human being without including pertaining to sexual and reproductive the distinction of race, religion, political belief, health. economic or social condition.” According to the General Comment of the The Right to Health or the Right to Healthcare is Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural recognized in at least 115 constitutions of the world. Rights, Right to Health contains four elements: This includes several small and economically weak 1) Availability: Functioning public health and countries, such as Sri Lanka, Cuba and Bangladesh. health care facilities, goods and services, as well Fulfilling the Right to Health is not just about as programmes in sufficient quantity. money. Despite its status as a ‘less-developed’ 2) Accessibility: All health facilities, goods and country, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and others have services accessible to everyone. Accessibility achieved impressive results in health, nutrition has four overlapping dimensions: and family planning with levels of public health i. Non-discrimination; expenditure lower than in countries with similar ii. Physical accessibility; incomes whose health outcomes are considerably worse. Current life expectancy of Sri Lanka is 46 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

73 years, Cuba 78 and Bangladesh 71 years, as to Right to Health. compared to a regional average of only 61 years. Cuba is one of the best performers on the Challenges American continent and in the Third World, achieving results like those of most developed Low Public Expenditure on Healthcare nations. Cuba’s healthcare system is based on According to the Draft National Health Policy, preventive medicine and the results achieved are 2015, 63 million people are pushed into poverty every outstanding. year as they are unable to bear their healthcare costs, and many lose their lives due to their inability to Citizen Right to Health in the Indian bear these expenses. As per the 2017 Health Survey, Constitution even India’s best performing state of Kerala had a per person disease burden that is 2.7 times higher Right to Health is not included as an explicit than China, indicating major room for improvement. fundamental right in the Indian Constitution. Most India ranks 145th among 195 countries in terms of provisions related to health are in Part IV (Directive quality and accessibility of healthcare, behind its Principles). These are: neighbours like China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and • Article 38 says that the State will secure a social Bhutan, according to a Lancet study. order for the promotion of welfare of the people. An important reason for this is India’s low public Providing affordable healthcare is one of the expenditure on healthcare. WHO recommends that ways to promote welfare. countries should spend 5% of GDP (Gross Domestic • Article 41 calls upon the State to make effective Product) on health. The advanced countries spend provision for providing public assistance in case more than this; public healthcare spending as a of sickness and disablement. percentage of GDP in 27 advanced economies rose • Article 47 make it the duty of the State to raise from 5% to more than 7% over the period 1990– the level of nutrition, and improve public health 2008, with spending in 2008 ranging from 5.5% as among its primary duties. It also calls upon the for Australia to 8.7% for France. Public healthcare State to bring about prohibition of consumption spending in several emerging economies is between of intoxicating drinking and drugs that are 3–5% of GDP—especially in East European injurious to health. countries and several Latin American countries like • Article 48A says that the State shall endeavour Argentina, Brazil and Chile. In contrast, India spends to provide a pollution-free environment for good barely 1% of its GDP on health. India’s public health health. expenditure is amongst the lowest in the world, even lower than sub-Saharan Africa. Apart from Directives Principle of State Policy, Consequently, the public health system is in a some other provisions related to health come under bad shape. The rural healthcare infrastructure is the 11th and 12th Schedule as subjects of Panchayats a three tier system—a sub-centre, primary health and Municipalities respectively. These include centre (PHC) and community health centre (CHC). drinking water, health and sanitation, family welfare, Even by standards set by the government, there is women and child development, social welfare etc. a shortfall of about 20% in sub-centres, about 23% The above description makes it clear that most in PHCs and about 32% in CHCs. Where these provisions related to health come under the Directive health centres exist, a majority of them are deficient Principles in the Constitution, and therefore are in infrastructure, with even doctors not available. nonjusticiable and no person can go to court for non- PHCs in India are short of more than 3,000 doctors, fulfilment of these directives. However, the judiciary with the shortage being 200% over the last 10 years. has expanded the scope of the above mentioned Furthermore, there is an 83% shortage of specialist articles by reading them along with Article 21 (right medical professionals (surgeons, physicians, etc) to life) and has thus established Right to Health as in CHCs across India, with many States having an implied fundamental right. Not only Article 21 no specialists at all. This dismal state of public but also other articles under Part III have been linked JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 47

healthcare has forced citizens to depend upon the statistic. private sector for treatment; of the total health The majority of doctors in India are in the private spending in the country, public health spending sector. As per recent statistics released by the health accounts for only 30.5%, households undertake the ministry under National Health Profile-2018, of the rest. The dismal state of public health services and total 10.4 lakh allopathic doctors in the country, only the high costs of healthcare in the private sector 1.15 lakh are in government service, which works are responsible for pushing crores of people into out to a doctor-population ratio of 1:11,082 poverty every year. Taking cognisance of this crisis, the Prime One out of 10 medicines in India 'fake'; may Minister’s Office announced in 2012 that the cause severe illness: WHO government had decided to triple its outlay for the health sector in the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012– The drugs prescribed by the doctors to cure a 17), and would increase it from an average of 0.9% person’s disease are unfortunately adulterated most of GDP in the five years ending March 31, 2012 of the times. An estimated one in 10 medical products to 2.5% by 2017. After coming to power, the BJP circulating in low- and middle-income countries like too reiterated this spending target in the National India are either "substandard or falsified", says a new Health Policy (NHP) 2017 released by it, stating research report from the World Health Organisation that the Centre would spend 1% of GDP on this (the (WHO). According to WHO, these medicines not remaining would be spent by the States); however, it only fail to treat or prevent diseases but can also shifted the target year to 2025. Health experts have cause serious illness or even death. pointed out that considering the appalling state of Most counterfeit medicines are taken public healthcare services in the country, such a unknowingly, as detecting counterfeit medicines is low level of public health expenditure is inadequate difficult, even for health care professionals. to make available decent quality affordable public healthcare services for the entire population. How doctors and private hospitals are fleecing Even if we ignore this, and take the promise patients of the Central government that it will increase its Most Indians consider doctors as next to God allocation on health to 1% of GDP by 2025, a simple if not God. However, with the private sector back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that for dominating the healthcare sector in India, and with achieving this target, government spending on health this sector entirely oriented towards profit making, needs to grow by at least 20% a year. However, the unethical practices are on the increase, such as: allocation for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has increased by only a miniscule amount, from Rs • Prescribing more tests than necessary. 53,294 crore in last year’s revised estimate to Rs • Prescribing expensive medicines/vaccines when 54,600 crore this year, an increase of only 2.45%, cheaper and quality substitutes are available. implying a cut in real terms. As a percentage of • Use of stent in heart disease treatment or similar GDP, it has declined from 0.32% in 2017–18 RE to other procedures even if not needed. 0.29% in 2018–19. • Gynaecologists at private hospitals are well- known to force pregnant women to go for Scarcity of medical institutes and doctors C-section which pays better than normal deliveries. India has 10.4 lakh allopathic doctors and 7.6 • Luring poor and uneducated people to agree lakh AYUSH doctors. Including both categories, to donate organs, kidney, for which there is no India has one doctor for every 921 people, as of dearth of high paying customers and more. December 2017, which is way ahead of the doctor– population ratio of 1:1000 prescribed by the World Health Organisation. If allopathy doctors alone are Suggestions for Implementing Right to considered, the ratio soars to 1:1596. These ratios Health appear to be quite good, but they hide a dismal 1. India should increase its expenditure on 48 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 Healthcare to 5% of the GDP, of which the Conclusion Centre’s share should be 40%. The present policy of Government of India 2. This increased allocation for healthcare must for providing health facilities to maximum people initially be focussed on improving public through its schemes is a positive step. However, it is primary healthcare, by taking steps to eliminate not enough the country needs to have Citizen Right shortfalls in sub-centres, PHCs and CHCs, and to Health a part of legislation, to provide the health ensuring availability of doctors, nurses and facility to the entire population of the country living other para-medics in all these health centres. in urban & Rural areas. Ensure adequate numbers of trained healthcare Right to Health is an internationally recognised providers and technical health care workers at fundamental human right. But the current national different levels to achieve WHO norms of at health apparatus in India is an out-of-pocket one. least 23 health workers per 10,000 populations Millions of poor patients have access to a doctor (doctors, nurses and midwives). only if they can pay the bill at the time of treatment 3. In all these health centres, there should be or if they are sick enough to be admitted to a availability of free medicines, and facilities for public hospital’s emergency ward. If Article 21B is free medical tests. This would also require that introduced in the Indian Constitution, the failure to diagnostic facilities be made available in all provide health care will have legal consequences. public hospitals. Moving forward, India should look to evolve its 4. There is a need to integrate AYUSH practitioners healthcare system beyond the current assurance- into the public healthcare system in the country, based approach. In view of the potential dynamic spin and a high-level committee of experts must be offs of a strong health sector, public opinion needs set up to go into this. to be mobilised through Civil Society participation 5. The Essential Drugs List should be revised and in order to have Right to Health as a Fundamental expanded, and rational use of drugs ensured. Right and make it a part of constitutional apparatus. Public sector should be strengthened to protect The right to health is fundamental, since it the capacity of domestic drug and vaccines enables an individual to enjoy all the other rights— industry to meet national needs. for example, education, employment and so on. 6. In India, The Drugs and Cosmetics Act (1940) If implemented, it could bring an overhaul to the amended in 2008 increased the punishment for health care sector. For this, the public sector must offenders, but there are still certain challenges, be strengthened. A properly framed right to health including inconsistent application of laws across could enable courts to take a close look at policy states, weak drug quality investigation systems, measures that are clearly retrogressive and push the and weak prosecution of counterfeit medicine policymakers towards a commitment to universal manufacturers. More effective adherence to public health care. existing laws and adopting stricter laws has A country which boasts of being a global the potential to improve the fight against superpower, of sending a rocket to Mars, and of counterfeiting. being among the largest producers of both doctors 7. Many fresh doctors go abroad in search of good and medicines in the world, should be able to ensure jobs and settle there. So, there should be a policy good quality, rational health care for everyone in or provision that a doctor must practice at least the country. 5 years in India, out of which 2 years must be in Citizen Right to Health is the key for the rural areas. emergence of a strong and prosperous nation—a 8. Ensure provision of important social services lesson of contemporary history for the progress of that are essential for improving health of a democratic & strong nation of the world. citizens, such as food security, clean and safe drinking water, and sanitation for all citizens. Email: [email protected] Also give emphasis to improving availability of playgrounds and sports facilities for all children and youth. JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 49 Sources 5. Provisions for Health and Health Care in the Constitutions of the Countries of the World, Cornell International Law 1. The Health Workforce In India, Human Resources for Journal. Health Observer Series No. 16. 6. Right to Health, World Health Organisation Joint 2. Global Burden of Disease Study, 2018. Factsheet, WHO/OHCHR/323, August 2007 3. Draft National Health Policy, 2015. 7. Various reports of Lancet Study on Healthcare. 4. “Right to Health” by Hemant Kumar Varun, Advocate, Research Scholar in Department of Human Rights, BBAU Lucknow. 50 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

Correcting the Record: What is Really Happening in Nicaragua?

Kevin Zeese and Nils McCune

There is a great deal of false and inaccurate effort to mediate the National Dialogue. Bishops information about Nicaragua in the media. Even have made death threats against the President and on the left some have simply repeated the dubious his family, and a priest has been filmed supervising claims of CNN and Nicaragua’s oligarchic media to the torture of Sandinistas. support removal of President Ortega. A common claim is Ortega has cozied up to the This article seeks to correct the record, describe traditional oligarchy, but the opposite is true. This is what is happening in Nicaragua and why. As we write the first government since Nicaraguan independence this, the coup seems to be failing, people have rallied that does not include the oligarchy. Since the 1830s for peace (as the massive march held on July 19, through the 1990s, all Nicaraguan governments— the 39th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, even during the Sandinista Revolution—included showed) and the truth is coming out. It is important people from the elite “last names,” of Chamorro, to understand what is occurring because Nicaragua Cardenal, Belli, Pellas, Lacayo, Montealegre, is an example of the types of violent coups the US Gurdián. The government since 2007 does not, and wealthy use to put in place business dominated, which is why these families are supporting the coup. neoliberal governments. If people understand these Ortega detractors claim his three-part dialogue tactics, they will become less effective. including labor unions, capitalists and the State is an alliance with big business. In fact, that process has Mixing up the Class Interests yielded the highest growth rate in Central America and annual minimum wage increases 5–7% above The coup attempt brought the class divisions inflation, improving workers’ living conditions in Nicaragua into the open. Piero Coen, the richest and lifting people out of poverty. The anti-poverty man in Nicaragua, owner of all national Western Borgen project reports that poverty fell by 30% Union operations and an agrochemical company, between 2005 and 2014. personally arrived on the first day of protests at the The Ortega government is implementing Polytechnical University in Managua, to encourage economic policies that are the opposite of students to keep protesting, promising his continued neoliberalism. The government has increased support. investment in infrastructure and transportation, The traditional landed oligarchy of Nicaragua, maintains water and electricity within the public politically led by the Chamorro family, publishes sector, and has moved perviously privatised essential constant ultimatums to the government through its services such as health care and primary education media outlets and finances the roadblocks that have into the public sector. This has ensured a stable paralyzed the country for the last eight weeks. economic structure that favors the real economy The Catholic Church, long allied with the over the speculative economy. oligarchs, has put its full weight behind creating and What liberal and even leftists commentators sustaining anti-government actions, including its overlook is that unlike the Lula government in Brazil, universities, high schools, churches, bank accounts, which reduced poverty through cash payouts to poor vehicles, tweets, Sunday sermons, and a one-sided families, Nicaragua has redistributed productive JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 51

capital in order to develop a self-sufficient popular transfers into their healthcare fund. The reform economy. The FSLN model is better understood as also ended a loophole which allowed high-income an emphasis on the popular economy over the State individuals to claim a low income in order to access or capitalist spheres. health benefits. The business lobby called for While the private sector employs about 15% of protests against this reform, and this triggered the Nicaraguan workers, the informal sector employs private sector and student protests on April 18th that over 60%. The informal sector has benefitted from led to a three-month attempt at counter-revolution $400 million in public investments, much of it that was finally defeated in July. coming from the ALBA alliance funds to finance The Ortega government proposal was a counter- micro-loans for small and medium-sized agricultural proposal to the IMF proposal to raise the retirement enterprises. Policies to facilitate credit, equipment, age and more than double the number of weeks that training, animals, seeds and subsidized fuel further workers would need to pay into the pension fund support these enterprises. The small and medium in order to access benefits. That the government producers of Nicaragua have led the country to felt strong enough to deny the austerity demands produce 80–90% of its food and end its dependence of the IMF and the business lobby is a sign that the on IMF loans. bargaining strength of private capital has declined Workers and peasants—many of whom are self- in Nicaragua. The main reason behind this is that employed having benefited from productive capital Nicaragua’s impressive economic growth, a 38% given to them after the Sandinista Revolution—have increase in GDP over the period 2006–2017, has been the most important beneficiaries of the social been led by small-scale producers and increased developments of the last decade. This includes the public spending. However, the opposition used hundreds of thousands of peasant farmers who manipulative Facebook ads that presented the reform have received land title, and the indigenous people as an austerity measure, plus spread fake news of who have been granted nearly one-quarter of the a student death on April 18th, to generate protests national territory—this has been collectively given across the country on April 19th. Immediately, the to them, as territory of indigenous nations. The social regime change machine lurched into motion. movements of workers, peasants and indigenous The National Dialogue shows the class interests groups were the popular support base that brought in conflict. The opposition’s Civic Alliance for the FSLN back into power in 2007. Justice and Democracy has as its key figures: The grant of land titles and assistance given to José Adan Aguirre, leader of the private business small businesses have also emphasized equality for lobby; Maria Nelly Tellez, director of Cargill in women, resulting in Nicaragua having the lowest Nicaragua and head of the US–Nicaragua Chamber level of gender inequality in Latin America. In of Commerce; the private university students gender equality, Nicaragua is ranked 12 out of 145 of the April 19th Movement; Michael Healy, countries in the world, just behind Germany. manager of a Colombian sugar corporation and Over time, the FSLN government has head of the agribusiness lobby; Juan Sebastian incorporated the massive self-employed sector as Chamorro, who represents the oligarchy dressed well as the maquiladora workers (i.e. textile workers as civil society; Carlos Tunnermann, 85-year-old in foreign-owned plants located in free trade zones ex-Sandinista minister and ex-chancellor of the created by previous neoliberal governments) into National University; Azalea Solis, head of a US the healthcare and pension system. This has resulted government-funded feminist organization; and in an increase in its financial expenditures, which Medardo Mairena, a ‘peasant leader’ funded by the required new steps to ensure fiscal stability. The US government, who lived 17 years in Costa Rica government therefore proposed reforms to social before being deported in 2017 for human trafficking. security contributions by employers and workers. Tunnermann, Solis and the April 19th students are The government proposed increasing employer all associated with the Movement for Renovation of contributions to pension and health funds by 3.5%, Sandinismo (MRS), a tiny Sandinista offshoot party while only slightly increasing worker contributions that nonetheless merits special attention. by 0.75%, and shifting 5% of pensioners’ cash In the 1980s, many of the Sandinista Front’s top 52 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

level cadre were in fact the children of some of the government in 2017, and has granted more than $4.4 famous oligarchic families, such as the Cardenal million since 2014. The overarching purpose of this brothers and part of the Chamorro family, in charge funding was to provide a coordinated strategy and of the revolutionary government’s ministries of media voice for opposition groups in Nicaragua. Culture and Education and its media, respectively. NED founding father, Allen Weinstein, described After FSLN’s election loss in 1990, the children of NED as the overt CIA, saying, “A lot of what we the oligarchy staged an exodus from the party. Along do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the with them, some of the most notable intellectual, CIA.” In Nicaragua, rather than the traditional right- military and intelligence cadre left and formed, over wing, NED funds the MRS-affiliated organizations time, the MRS. The new party renounced socialism, which pose left-sounding critiques of the Sandinista blamed all of the mistakes of the Revolution on government. Most of the groups in the opposition’s Daniel Ortega and over time took over the sphere Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy, even of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the April 19th students, have received funding Nicaragua, including feminist, environmentalist, from the NED. The regime change activists use youth, media and human rights organizations. Sandinista slogans, songs and symbols even as Since 2007, the MRS has become increasingly they burn historic monuments, paint over the red- close to the extreme right-wing of the US Republican and-black markers of fallen martyrs, and physically Party. Since the outbreak of violence in April, many attack members of the Sandinista party. Apart from if not most of the sources cited by Western media most of the prominent leaders of the opposition, come from this party, which has the support of less there is a network of over 2,000 young people who than 2% of the Nicaraguan electorate. This allows the have received trainings with NED funds on topics oligarchs to couch their violent attempt to reinstall such as social media skills for democracy defense. neoliberalism in leftist-sounding discourse of former This battalion of social media warriors was able to Sandinistas critical of the Ortega government. immediately shape and control public opinion in It is a farce to claim that workers and peasants are Facebook in the five days from April 18th to 22nd, behind the unrest. La Vía Campesina, the National leading to spontaneous violent protests across the Union of Farmers and Ranchers, the Association country. of Rural Workers, the National Workers’ Front, the indigenous Mayangna Nation and other movements On the Violence and organizations have been unequivocal in their demands for an end to the violence and their support One of the ways in which reporting on Nicaragua for the Ortega government. This unrest is a full- has ventured farthest from the truth is calling the scale regime change operation carried out by media opposition “nonviolent.” The violence script, oligarchs, a network of NGOs funded by the US modelled on the 2014 and 2017 guarimba protests government, armed elements of elite landholding in Venezuela, is to organize armed attacks on families and the Catholic Church, and has opened government buildings, entice the police to send in the window for drug cartels and organized crime to anti-riot squads, engage in filmed confrontations gain a foothold in Nicaragua. and publish edited footage online claiming that the government is being violent against nonviolent protesters. The Elephant in the Room Over 60 government buildings have been burned Which brings us to US government involvement down, schools, hospitals, health centres attacked, in the violent coup. 55 ambulances damaged, resulting in at least $112 Several years ago, the US government decided million in infrastructure damage. Several small that rather than finance opposition political parties, businesses have shut down and 200,000 jobs lost, which have lost enormous legitimacy in Nicaragua, causing devastating economic impact during the it would finance the NGO civil society sector. The protests. Violence has included, in addition to National Endowment for Democracy (NED) gave thousands of injuries, 15 students and 16 police more than $700,000 to build the opposition to the officers killed, as well as over 200 Sandinistas JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 53

kidnapped, many of them publicly tortured. headquarters in each town. In many places they Violent opposition atrocities were misreported as built barricades against opposition attacks. In the government repression. towns that did not have such community-organized The National Police of Nicaragua has been barricades, the human toll from opposition violence long-recognized for its model of community has been much greater. The National Union of policing (in contrast to militarized police in most Nicaraguan Students has been particularly targeted Central American countries), its relative lack of by opposition violence, and several student leaders corruption, and its mostly female top brass. The have been brutally assaulted and even killed. coup strategy has sought to destroy public trust in There have been four major opposition rallies the police through egregious use of fake news, such since April, directed toward mobilizing the upper- as the many false claims of assassinations, beatings, middle class Nicaraguans who live in the suburbs torture, and disappearances in the week from April between Managua and Masaya. These rallies featured 17 to 23. Several young people whose photos were a who’s-who of high society, including beauty carried in opposition rallies as victims of police queens, business owners and oligarchs, as well as violence have turned out to be alive and well. university students of the April 19th Movement, the Since May, the opposition further intensified its moral high-ground for the opposition. offensive, building roadblocks across the country. Three months into the conflict, none of the mortal These roadblocks, usually built with large paving victims have been from the upper classes. All have stones, were manned by between 5 and 100 armed come from the popular classes of Nicaragua. Despite men with bandannas or masks, the vast majority of claims of total repression, the richer classes feel them being paid men who come from a background perfectly safe to participate in public protests by of petty crime. day. The night time armed attacks have generally These roadblocks have been the centres of been carried out by people who come from poor violence. Workers who need to pass through neighbourhoods, many of whom are paid two to roadblocks were often robbed, punched, insulted, four times the minimum daily wage for each night and, if suspected of being Sandinistas, tied up, of destruction. stripped naked, tortured, painted in blue-and-white, Unfortunately, most Nicaraguan human rights and sometimes killed. There have been several organizations are funded by NED and controlled instances of people dying in ambulances unable to by the Movement for Sandinista Renovation. pass roadblocks, and one case of a 10-year-old girl These organizations have accused the Nicaraguan being kidnapped and raped at the roadblock in Las government of dictatorship and genocide throughout Maderas. Ortega’s presidency. International human rights The Nicaraguan government initially largely organizations, including Amnesty International kept the police off the streets, to prevent encounters have been criticized for their one-sided reports, and accusations of repression. At the same time, which include none of the information provided rather than simply arrest violent protestors, which by the government or individuals who identify as certainly would have given the opposition the Sandinistas. battle deaths it craves, the government called for Finally, in July, the government moved to a National Dialogue, mediated by the Catholic dismantle the roadblocks. Hundreds of thousands Church, in which the opposition could bring forward of people participated in rallies called by the any proposal for human rights and political reform. government demanding peace and an end to violence. The government created a parliamentary Truth and While sporadic incidents of sadistic violence have Peace Commission and launched an independent continued, clearly, the strategy of the coup-mongers Public Ministry query. to force out the government has failed. As a result, a process of organizing self-defense developed. Families who have been displaced, Why Nicaragua? young people who have been beaten, robbed or tortured and veterans of the 1979 insurrection and/or Ortega won his third term in 2016 with 72.4 the Contra War, held vigil round the Sandinista Front percent of the vote with 66 percent turnout, very 54 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

high compared to US elections. Not only has intimidate and corner public officials of Nicaragua. Nicaragua put in place an economy that treats the poor as producers, with remarkable results raising An Upside Down Class War their standard of living in 10 years, but it also has a government that consistently rejects US imperialism, It is important to understand the nature of US and allying with Cuba, Venezuela, and Palestine, and oligarch coups in this era and the role of media and voices support for Puerto Rican independence and NGO deception because it is repeated in multiple a peaceful solution to Korean crisis. Nicaragua is a Latin American and other countries. We can expect member of member of Bolivarian Alliance of the a similar attack on recently elected Andrés Manuel Americas (ALBA) and the Community of Latin López Obrador in Mexico, if he seeks the changes American and Caribbean States, a Latin American he has promised. alternative to the OAS; neither organisations include The US has sought to dominate Nicaragua the US or Canada. It has also allied with China for since the mid-1800s. The wealthy in Nicaragua a proposed canal project and Russia for security have sought return of US-allied governance since cooperation. For all of these reasons the US wants the Sandinistas rose to power. This failing coup to install a US-friendly Nicaraguan government. does not mean the end of their efforts or the end of More important is the example Nicaragua has set corporate media misinformation. Knowing what is for a successful social and economic model outside really occurring and sharing that information is the the US sphere of domination. Generating over 75% antidote to defeating them in Nicaragua and around of its energy from renewable sources, Nicaragua the world. was the only country with the moral authority to Nicaragua is a class war turned upside down. oppose the Paris Climate Agreement as being too The government has raised the living standards weak (it later joined the treaty one day after Trump of the impoverished majority through wealth pulled the US out, stating “we opposed the Paris redistribution. The oligarchs and the United States, agreement out of responsibility, the US opposes it unable to install neoliberalism through elections, out of irresponsibility”). created a political crisis, highlighted by false media In 2017, the US House of Representatives coverage to force Ortega to resign. The coup is unanimously passed the Nicaraguan Investment failing, the truth is coming out, and should not be Conditionality Act (NICA Act), which if passed by forgotten. the Senate will force the US government to veto loans from international institutions to the Nicaraguan government. This US imperialism will cripple Nicaragua’s ability to build roads, update hospitals, Spectre of Fascism construct renewable energy plants, and transition from extensive livestock raising to integrated animal-forestry systems, among other consequences. Contribution Rs. 20/- It may also signify the end of many popular social programs, such as subsidized electricity, stable bus fares, and free medical treatment of chronic diseases. The US Executive Branch has used the Global Published by Magnitsky Act to target the finances of leaders of Janata Trust & Lokayat the Electoral Supreme Court, the National Police, the city government of Managua and the ALBA D-15, Ganesh Prasad, corporation in Nicaragua. Police officers and public health bureaucrats have been told their US visas have Naushir Bharucha Marg, been revoked. The point, of course, is not whether these officials have or have not committed acts that Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 merit their reprimand in Nicaragua, but whether the US government should have the jurisdiction to JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 55

How US Military Bases Abroad Undermine National Security and Harm Us All

David Vine

Most Americans are unaware that hundreds of Base in Okinawa, and the little known Navy and US bases and hundreds of thousands of US troops Air Force base on Diego Garcia in the Indian encircle the globe. Although few know it, the United Ocean. These support a remarkable infrastructure, States garrisons the planet unlike any country in including schools, hospitals, power plants, housing history, and the evidence is on view from Honduras complexes, and an array of amenities often referred to Oman, Japan to Germany, Singapore to Djibouti. to as “Burger Kings and bowling alleys.” Among To the extent that Americans think about these the smallest US installations globally are “lily bases at all, they generally assume they’re essential pad” bases (also known as “cooperative security to national security and global peace. US leaders locations”), which tend to house drones, surveillance have claimed as much since most of them were aircraft, or pre-positioned weaponry and supplies. established during World War II and the early days These are increasingly found in parts of Africa and of the Cold War. Eastern Europe that had previously lacked much of There are now around 800 US bases in foreign a US military presence. countries. Seventy years after World War II, there Other facilities scattered across the planet are still 174 US “base sites” in Germany, 113 in include ports and airfields, repair complexes, Japan, and 83 in South Korea, according to the training areas, nuclear weapons installations, missile Pentagon. Hundreds more dot the planet in around testing sites, arsenals, warehouses, barracks, military 80 countries, including Aruba and Australia, Bahrain schools, listening and communications posts and a and Bulgaria, Colombia, Kenya, and Qatar, among growing array of drone bases. Military hospitals and many other places. The United States likely has more prisons, rehab facilities, CIA paramilitary bases, and bases in foreign lands than any other people, nation, intelligence facilities (including former CIA “black or empire in history. site” prisons) must also be considered part of our Oddly enough, however, the mainstream media Base Nation because of their military functions. rarely report or comment on the issue. Rarely does Even US military resorts and recreation areas in anyone ask if we need hundreds of bases overseas places like the Bavarian Alps and Seoul, South or if, at an estimated annual cost of perhaps $156 Korea, are bases of a kind. Worldwide, the military billion or more, the US can afford them. Rarely does runs more than 170 golf courses. anyone wonder how we would feel if China, Russia The Pentagon’s overseas presence is actually or Iran built even a single base anywhere near our even larger. There are US troops or other military borders, let alone in the United States. personnel in about 160 foreign countries and territories, including small numbers of marines The Base Nation’s Scale guarding embassies and larger deployments of trainers and advisors like the roughly 3,500 now Our 800 bases outside the 50 states and working with the Iraqi Army. And don’t forget Washington, D.C., come in all sizes and shapes. the Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers. Each should be Some are city-sized “Little Americas”—places considered a kind of floating base, or as the Navy like Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Kadena Air tellingly refers to them, “four and a half acres of 56 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

sovereign US territory.” Finally, above the seas, one extent in East Asia over the last decade and despite finds a growing military presence in space. the absence of a superpower adversary, nearly The United States of course isn’t the only 250,000 troops are still deployed on installations country to control military bases outside its territory. worldwide. Although there are about half as many Great Britain still has about seven bases and France bases as there were in 1989, the number of countries five in former colonies. Russia has around eight with US bases has roughly doubled from 40 to 80. in former Soviet republics. For the first time since In recent years, President Obama’s “Pacific pivot” World War II, Japan’s “Self-Defence Forces” have has meant billions of dollars in profligate spending a foreign base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, in Asia, where the military already had hundreds alongside US and French bases there. South Korea, of bases and tens of thousands of troops. Billions India, Chile, Turkey, and Israel each reportedly have more have been sunk into building an unparalleled at least one foreign base. There are also reports that permanent base infrastructure in every Persian Gulf China may be seeking its first base overseas. In total, country save Iran. In Europe, the Pentagon has been these countries probably have about 30 installations spending billions more erecting expensive new bases abroad. This means that the United States has at the same time that it has been closing others. approximately 95% of the world’s foreign bases. Since the start of the Cold War, the idea that our country should have a large collection of bases “Forward” Forever? and hundreds of thousands of troops permanently stationed overseas has remained a quasi-religious Although the United States has had bases dictum of foreign and national security policy. The in foreign lands since shortly after it gained its nearly 70-year-old idea underlying this deeply held independence, nothing like today’s massive global belief is known as the “forward strategy.” Originally, deployment of military force was imaginable the strategy held that the United States should until World War II. In 1940, with the flash of a maintain large concentrations of military forces and pen, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bases as close as possible to the Soviet Union to “destroyers-for-bases” deal with Great Britain that hem in and “contain” its supposed urge to expand. instantly gave the United States 99-year leases to But the disappearance of the Soviet Union made installations in British colonies worldwide. Base remarkably little difference to the forward strategy. acquisition and construction accelerated rapidly Two decades after the Soviet Union’s demise, once the country entered the war. By 1945, the US support for the forward strategy has remained the military was building base facilities at a rate of consensus among politicians of both parties, national 112 a month. By war’s end, the global total topped security experts, military officials, journalists 2,000 sites. In only five years, the United States and almost everyone else in Washington’s power had developed history’s first truly global network structure. Opposition of any sort to maintaining of bases, vastly overshadowing that of the British large numbers of overseas bases and troops has long Empire upon which “the sun never set.” been pilloried as peacenik idealism or the sort of After the war, the military returned about half isolationism that allowed Hitler to conquer Europe. the installations but maintained what historian George Stambuk termed a “permanent institution” of bases abroad. Their number spiked during the Costs of Garrisoning the World wars in Korea and Vietnam, declining after each There are many reasons to question the overseas of them. By the time the Soviet Union imploded base status quo. The most obvious one is economic. in 1991, there were about 1,600 US bases abroad, Garrisons overseas are very expensive. According to with some 300,000 US troops stationed on those in the RAND Corporation, even when host countries Europe alone. like Japan and Germany cover some of the costs, Although the military vacated about 60% of US taxpayers still pay an annual average of $10,000 its foreign garrisons in the 1990s, the overall base to $40,000 more per year to station a member of infrastructure stayed relatively intact. Despite the military abroad than in the United States. The additional base closures in Europe and to a lesser expense of transportation, the higher cost of living JANATA, August 12-19, 2018 57 in some host countries, and the need to provide Human Toll schools, hospitals, housing and other support to Beyond the financial costs are the human ones. family members of military personnel mean that the The families of military personnel are among those dollars add up quickly—especially with more than who suffer from the spread of overseas bases given half a million troops, family members, and civilian the strain of distant deployments, family separations employees on bases overseas at any time. and frequent moves. Overseas bases also contribute By my very conservative calculations, to the shocking rates of sexual assault in the maintaining installations and troops overseas military: an estimated 30% of servicewomen are cost at least $85 billion in 2014—more than the victimised during their time in the military and a discretionary budget of every government agency disproportionate number of these crimes happen at except the Defence Department itself. If the US bases abroad. Outside the base gates, in places like presence in Afghanistan and Iraq is included, that South Korea, one often finds exploitative prostitution bill reaches $156 billion or more. industries geared to US military personnel. While bases may be costly for taxpayers, they are Worldwide, bases have caused widespread extremely profitable for the country’s privateers of environmental damage because of toxic leaks, twenty-first-century war like DynCorp International accidents, and in some cases the deliberate dumping and former Halliburton subsidiary KBR. As scholar of hazardous materials. GI crime has long angered and former CIA consultant Chalmers Johnson noted, locals. In Okinawa and elsewhere, US troops have “Our installations abroad bring profits to civilian repeatedly committed horrific acts of rape against industries,” which win billions in contracts annually local women. From Greenland to the tropical island to “build and maintain our far-flung outposts.” of Diego Garcia, the military has displaced local Meanwhile, many of the communities hosting peoples from their lands to build its bases. bases overseas never see the economic windfalls that In contrast to frequently invoked rhetoric about US and local leaders regularly promise. Some areas, spreading democracy, the military has shown a especially in poor rural communities, have seen preference for establishing bases in undemocratic short-term economic booms touched off by base and often despotic states like Qatar and Bahrain. construction. In the long-term, however, most bases In Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, US bases rarely create sustainable, healthy local economies. have created fertile breeding grounds for radicalism Compared with other forms of economic activity, and anti-Americanism. The presence of bases near they represent unproductive uses of land, employ Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia was a major relatively few people for the expanses occupied, and recruiting tool for al-Qaeda and part of Osama bin contribute little to local economic growth. Research Laden’s professed motivation for the September 11, has consistently shown that when bases finally 2001, attacks. close, the economic impact is generally limited Although this kind of perpetual turmoil is and in some cases actually positive—that is, local little noticed at home, bases abroad have all too communities can end up better off when they trade often generate grievances, protest and antagonistic bases for housing, schools, shopping complexes, and relationships. Although few here recognise it, our other forms of economic development. bases are a major part of the image the United States Meanwhile for the United States, investing presents to the world—and they often show us in an taxpayer dollars in the construction and maintenance extremely unflattering light. of overseas bases means forgoing investments in areas like education, transportation, housing, and healthcare, despite the fact that these industries are Creating a New Cold War, Base by Base more of a boon to overall economic productivity and It is also not at all clear that bases enhance create more jobs compared to equivalent military national security and global peace in any way. In the spending. Think about what $85 billion per year absence of a superpower enemy, the argument that would mean in terms of rebuilding the country’s bases many thousands of miles from US shores are crumbling civilian infrastructure. necessary to defend the United States—or even its allies—is a hard argument to make. On the contrary, 58 JANATA, August 12-19, 2018

the global collection of bases has generally enabled Cuba, roughly 90 miles from the US border. the launching of military interventions, drone strikes Placing US bases near the borders of countries and wars of choice that have resulted in repeated like China, Russia and Iran, for example, increases disasters, costing millions of lives and untold threats to their security and encourages them to destruction from Vietnam to Iraq. respond by boosting their own military spending By making it easier to wage foreign wars, bases and activity. US officials may insist that building overseas have ensured that military action is an ever yet more bases in East Asia is a defensive act meant more attractive option—often the only imaginable to ensure peace in the Pacific, but tell that to the option—for US policymakers. As the anthropologist Chinese. That country’s leaders are undoubtedly Catherine Lutz has said, when all you have in your not “reassured” by the creation of yet more bases foreign policy toolbox is a hammer, everything starts encircling their borders. Contrary to the claim that to look like a nail. Ultimately, bases abroad have such installations increase global security, they tend frequently made war more likely rather than less. to ratchet up regional tensions, increasing the risk Proponents of the long-outdated forward strategy of future military confrontation. will reply that overseas bases “deter” enemies and In this way, just as the war on terror has become help keep the global peace. Few have provided a global conflict that only seems to spread terror, the anything of substance to support their claims. While creation of new US bases to protect against imagined there is some evidence that military forces can future Chinese or Russian threats runs the risk of indeed deter imminent threats, little if any research becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. These bases suggests that overseas bases are an effective form may ultimately help create the very threat they are of long-term deterrence. Studies by both the Bush supposedly designed to protect against. In other administration and the RAND Corporation—not words, far from making the world a safer place, US exactly left-wing peaceniks—indicate that advances bases can actually make war more likely and the in transportation technology have largely erased country less secure. the advantage of stationing troops abroad. In the case of a legitimate defensive war or peacekeeping Behind the Wire operation, the military could generally deploy troops just as quickly from domestic bases as from most In his farewell address to the nation upon leaving bases abroad. Rapid sealift and airlift capabilities the White House in 1961, President Dwight D. coupled with agreements allowing the use of bases Eisenhower famously warned the nation about the in allied nations and, potentially, pre-positioned insidious economic, political, and even spiritual supplies are a dramatically less expensive and less effects of what he dubbed “the military–industrial– inflammatory alternative to maintaining permanent congressional complex,” the vast interlocking bases overseas. national security state born out of World War II. It is also questionable whether such bases Our 70-year-old collection of bases is evidence of actually increase the security of host nations. The how, despite Ike’s warning, the United States has presence of US bases can turn a country into an entered a permanent state of war with an economy, a explicit target for foreign powers or militants—just government and a global system of power enmeshed as US installations have endangered Americans in preparations for future conflicts. overseas. America’s overseas bases offer a window onto Similarly, rather than stabilising dangerous our military’s impact in the world and in our own regions, foreign bases frequently heighten military daily lives. The history of these hulking “Little tensions and discourage diplomatic solutions to Americas” of concrete, fast food, and weaponry conflicts. Imagine how US leaders would respond provides a living chronicle of the United States in if China were to build even a single small base in the post-World War II era. Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean. Notably, the We may think such bases have made us safer. In most dangerous moment during the Cold War—the reality, they’ve helped lock us inside a permanently 1962 Cuban missile crisis—revolved around the militarised society that has made all of us—everyone construction of Soviet nuclear missile facilities in on this planet—less secure, damaging lives at home and abroad.

Established 1946 1 Pages 16 Price : Rupees Five

Vol. 73 No. 31 71 Years On, Frosty Relations Continue August 26, 2018 Why is the Central Government Kuldip Nayar Silent on Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand's Fast? Sandeep Pandey Senior journalist and author It was August 12, 1947, three Kuldeep Nayar died at Escorts days before India became free. Let Us Not Forget the Glimpse hospital in New Delhi at 12.30 am My father, a practicing doctor, We Got of the Real Vajpayee on August 23. Nayar was a human summoned us, three brothers and When the Mask Slipped rights activist, had served as High asked what our programme was? Siddharth Varadarajan Commissioner to the UK in 1990 I told him that I wanted to stay in From Eugenics, Biometrics to and was also nominated to the Rajya Pakistan just as the Muslims would Jurimetrics: Supreme Court Sabha. in India. My elder brother, who Judges on Trial The veteran journalist who was studying medicine at Amritsar, Gopal Krishna began his career as an Urdu reporter intervened to say that Muslims also served as the editor of the Delhi would ask the Hindus to vacate our Does Raising Questions on the edition of The Statesman and was house in West Punjab just as the Rights of Adivasis Make the Editor of The Indian Express. Muslims living in East Punjab would Me a ‘Deshdrohi'? Stan Swamy A syndicated columnist, he has be asked to leave. I asked how that written around 15 books, including could be possible if the Hindus did The Atomic Plague well known works like India after not agree to quit. He replied that we Wilfred Burchet Nehru, Emergency, Emergency would be forcibly ousted. Editor : G.G.Parikh Retold, Without Fear: The Life This was precisely what and Trial of Bhagat Singh and his happened. On August 17, two days Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain autobiography, Beyond the Lines. after independence, some Muslim Managing Editor : Guddi Nayar was among the journalists gentlemen came to us and made who had staunchly opposed the the request to leave the house. I Editorial Board : Emergency imposed by the then asked one of them where do we go? B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and He gave the keys of his house at Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah, was jailed under Maintenance Jalandhar and said that we would Amarendra Dhaneshwar, of Internal Security Act (MISA) not have to do anything because Sandeep Pandey for leading a protest against the his house was well furnished and excesses of the administration. ready for occupation. We declined D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Kuldip Nayar was a great the offer. Naushir Bharucha Marg, supporter of Janata and used to send But after they left, all of us sat Mumbai - 400 007. us his pieces regularly for printing. around the dining table to decide Email : [email protected] Below is an article that he sent us on the future. I told them that I Website:www.janataweekly.org just a few days before his death. was staying back in Pakistan and 2 JANATA, August 26, 2018 they said they would be going to the bodies had been removed by the showing rigidity in issuing visas. Amritsar and would come back time. The stench, however, was very There is practically no contact on once the disturbances were over. We much in the air. official and even non-officials sides. agreed that even though the scenario At that time I promised myself New Prime Minister-designate was dismal, we would be back, at that I would try to foster good Imran Khan has said in an interview the most after a month. My mother relations between the two countries. that he would ensure trade and remarked when she was locking the That was the main reason why business. My only worry is that house that she had a strange feeling I started lighting candles on the his proximity to the army may not as if we were not coming back. My Wagah border, a process that began allow him to carry out his promises. elder brother agreed with her. some 20 years ago. It was a small In Pakistan, the army has the last I packed one traveler and a shirt movement with just 15-20 people word. But, maybe, the army angle in a blue canvas bag and parted, to begin with. Now roughly one is being exaggerated. It also wants saying that we would meet at our lakh people on this side have also to have peace because it’s their men maternal uncle’s place in Darya Ganj joined the cause and the people of who have to fight the war and all in Delhi. My mother gave me Rs Pakistan, though in limited number, that it entails. 120 to sustain myself until we met have followed suit. New Delhi should make an effort. in Delhi. My father had made my Peoples’ enthusiasm knows no But it has adopted a harsh stand not journey easier. He told a Brigadier, bounds. But the governments are in to negotiate with Islamabad until who was his patient, to take his three the way. There is curfew in the entire Pakistan stopped providing shelters sons across the border. He said he area and one has to take a permit to to the terrorists and punishing those had no space in his Jonga and he reach the border. I have written to who were instrumental in Mumbai could accommodate only one of us. Home Minister Rajnath Singh to blasts. Imran Khan should take the The following morning I was pushed instruct the authorities, both Border initiative, keeping in view India’s into his vehicle. I could not conceal Security Force and Central Reserve demands, to build cordial relations my tears and wondered whether we Police Force, to allow us to reach between the two countries. would all meet again. the zero point, where the steel gates The journey from Sialkot to check the movement into either side, Sambrawal was uneventful. But for lighting candles. Janata from there the caravans of people This exercise is confined to a few is available at from either side, the Hindus moving individuals. I wish that the border to the Indian side and the Muslims to could be made soft and the situation www.lohiatoday.com the Pakistani part, were on the move. became calm so that enmity between Suddenly, our Jonga was stopped. the two countries is banished. I was Janata Subscription An old Sikh stood on the way and on the bus that Prime Minister Atal begged us to take his grandchild to Behari Vajpayee rode to Lahore. Annual Rs. : 260/- India. I told him politely that I was There was bonhomie on both sides still studying and would not be able and I thought that the trip would Three Years : 750/- to carry his grandson, however fair resume a regular exchange of trade, Demand Draft / his request was. joint ventures and people-to-people The old man said that he had contact between the two nations. Cheque on Mumbai Bank lost all his family members and the But I feel disappointed with the in favour of only survivor was his grandson. And barbed wires on either side of the he wanted him to live. I still recall border preventing people’s passage JANATA TRUST his tearful face but I had told him into each other’s country and with the facts. How would I bring up the so many visa restrictions. In the D-15, Ganesh Prasad, child when I myself was not sure past, intellectuals, musicians and Naushir Bharucha Marg, about my future? Then we moved artists could meet and hold joint Grant Road (W), on. And, as we travelled, we could programmes. But today, even that Mumbai 400 007. see the scattered luggage all over but has stopped, with the governments JANATA, August 26, 2018 3

Obituary: Socialist Party (India) Kuldip Nayar Passes Away: A Burning Torch in the Darkness Has Gone Out

Dr. Prem Singh Kuldip Nayar was one of the in 2011 Kuldip Nayar stated that this He was in complete agreement strongest symbols of trust in the is the toughest period in the Indian with Socialist Party's belief that Indian civil society. He was among politics after the independence. secularism and democracy cannot be the few persons who could not If the party is revived then do not saved after abandoning the socialist compromise on basic constitutional close it for the sake of future India. goal of the Constitution for neo- and human values even in front of He was a special invitee to the liberal policies. biggest troubles or temptations. His National Executive of the Socialist Kuldip Nayar's demise is an demise is to extinguish a burning Party since its re-establishment. irreparable loss to the Socialist Party. torch in today's dark phase for Indian He used to attend most of the The Socialist Party offers humble society and polity. meetings, conferences, conventions tributes and the last salute to its At the time of the re- and programs of the party and would special member and guide. establishment of the Socialist Party give his views and suggestions.

Why is the Central Government Silent on Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand's Fast?

Sandeep Pandey

86 years old Swami Gyan Kanpur and as Member-Secretary, is simply not enough to handle all Swaroop Sanand is on a fast Central Pollution Control Board and the wastes generated and whatever unto death since 22 June, 2018 is responsible for putting into place capacity has been built is not always in Haridwar demanding a law for a number of pollution related norms. functional. For example, against the conservation of river Ganga but the Ganga couldn't be cleaned after 400 million litres per day of sewage Central government has not taken Rs 500 crores were spent as part generated in Varanasi city, the built a step to convince him to give up of Ganga Action Plan. The present capacity of STPs is only one-fourth. his fast. This raises question on the government has proposed a budget Bhagwanpur plant, near Banaras intention of government. It appears of Rs 20,000 for the Namami Gange Hindu University, has a capacity of 8 that the government is deliberately project, of which Rs 7,000 have MLD, Deenapur plant has a capacity ignoring Swami Sanand's fast. Let already been spent. Swami Sanand of 80 MLD and Konia plant has a us not forget that young seer Swami says that Ganga will not be cleaned capacity of 150–200 MLD but works Nigmanand died on the 115th day because the present government is at only 30–40% of its capacity. of his fast demanding halt to illegal following a similar programme as Among these, the Bhagwanpur mining in Ganga in 2011. the past governments. plant works best but its capacity Swami Sanand is not merely The capacity of Common is minuscule compared to the total a religious person. He was known Effluent Treatment Plants and sewage generated. Two more STPs as Professor G.D. Agarwal before Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to are now under construction. When he became a saint. He has served clean industrial waste and sewage the plants are out of order or there at Indian Institute of Technology, produced by cities, respectively, is no electricity, the waste flows 4 JANATA, August 26, 2018 directly into the river untreated. fact that Narendra Modi declared undervaluing Swami Sanand's fast Assi river, which looks more when he went to contest the election and will not have any qualms if like a drain, discharges 80 MLD from Varanasi that he had got a he dies? Does the government, so of untreated sewage and Varuna call from mother Ganga. After he worried about saving cows' lives, not river with 80–90 MLD of sewage took over as prime minister, the give priority to saving a Sadhu's life? discharges 75–80% of it untreated name of Water Resources Ministry Acquaintances of Swami Sanand into Ganga. Parts of these two rivers, was changed to include 'Ganga are appalled at the way he has been from whom the city Varanasi derives Rejuvenation' in it, as if there were left to die. If there is any sensitivity its name, are also used by the Nagar no other rivers in the country. left in the government, it should Nigam as landfills. Seepage from Is this the famed Indian culture immediately enter into dialogue with these garbage heaps also pollutes which Rashtriya Swayamsewak Swami Sanand to end his fast and the rivers. Sangh boasts off that just as the agree to make a law for conservation Kanpur city produces 600 MLD Naremdra Modi–Amit Shah duo of not just Ganga but all water bodies of sewage and industrial waste has marginalised senior leaders of of the entire country. whereas the built capacity to treat Bhartiya Janata Party, they are now E-mail: [email protected] waste is hardly 200–250 MLD. Corruption also has a role to Let Us Not Forget the Glimpse play in this pollution. Employees of Municipal Corporation or We Got of the Real Vajpayee State Pollution Control Boards, responsible for looking after the When the Mask Slipped CETPs, allow the industrial waste to directly flow into the river bypassing Siddharth Varadarajan the treatment plants by accepting bribes. When the companies increase Perhaps the most significant attacking another king. This is our their production capacity they don't elaboration of the Golwalkar– culture. This is our outlook, which inform the PCBs officially. The extra Savarkar thesis of India as a treats all faiths equally.” India, he waste generated is also allowed to Hindu nation beset by Muslim added, was secular before Muslims join the river in exchange for bribes. trouble-makers in recent times and Christians set foot on her soil. For example, none of the CETPs was that provided by Atal Bihari Once they came, they had freedom built in Ahmedabad are functional, Vajpayee in his speech to the BJP of worship. “No one thought of reason for the extremely polluted national executive meeting in Goa converting them with force, because water of Sabarmati river downstream on 12 April 2002. The speech is this is not practiced in our religion; of the city. The water itself comes remarkable for the manner in which and in our culture, there is no use from Narmada canal as upstream a prime minister attempts to justify for it.” from the city the river has dried up. the murder of Muslim citizens in Here, Vajpayee was trying Only the contractors benefit Gujarat by referring to Godhra and to contrast the “tolerance” of from construction of STPs and contrasting the supposed “traditional Hindus and Hinduism, which he CETPs. Government's motivation tolerance” of Hindus with the alleged described as “our religion”, with the to clean Ganga seems lacking and ‘intolerance’ of Muslims. supposed intolerance of Muslims therefore Swami Sanand has sat on Like Golwalkar, who believed and Christians. The reference to the a fast unto death to demand a law for only Hindus were true Indians, destruction of idols and conversion conservation of the river. Vajpayee uses “us”, “our”, “Hindus” “with force” is a standard part of It is shocking that the and “Indians” interchangeably the RSS arsenal. At the root of government is not taking Swami throughout his speech. He begins by major incidents of violence, he Sanand's fast seriously and neither making an observation about Hindu said, was “growing intolerance”. is the media giving coverage to the kingdoms in ancient Cambodia: “No Since Hindus are, by definition, fast, most likely at the behest of the king destroyed a temple or damaged tolerant, the obvious inference is government. This is in spite of the the deities’ idols at the time of that this “growing intolerance” is JANATA, August 26, 2018 5 on the part of the Muslims. Turning nation” come from? The Hindi a privilege motion was raised in immediately to the burning issue of text provides a clue. Vajpayee Parliament—for Vajpayee had made the day, he asked: deliberately uses the Urdu word the mistake of claiming on the floor mazhabi for “religious” (rather than of the House on May 1, 2002 that the What happened in Gujarat? If a the Hindi word dharmik) when he doctored version of the speech was conspiracy had not been hatched to says “religious extremism”. We do the true version—that he was forced burn alive the innocent passengers not believe in religious extremism; to admit the word “such” had been of the Sabarmati Express, then it is the Muslims. His exact words deliberately interpolated. However, the subsequent tragedy in Gujarat were “Hum mazhabi kattarta mein he reiterated that “no one who reads could have been averted. But this vishwas nahin karte”. The fact that my entire speech and takes note of did not happen. People were torched mazhabi is the only Urdu word used the tribute I have paid to the tolerant alive. Who were those culprits? in the sentence is not accidental. and compassionate teachings of The government is investigating In Sangh parivar literature and Islam, can be in any doubt that my into this. Intelligence agencies propaganda, whenever a positive reference . . . is only to the followers are collecting all the information. reference to religion is made, the of militant Islam”. But we should not forget how the word used tends to be dharm, The allegation of Muslims not tragedy of Gujarat started. The implying Hinduism; when the living in co-existence with others subsequent developments were no reference is negative, the word used and not mingling with others is such doubt condemnable, but who lit the tends to be mazhab. And terrorism, a standard trope in RSS propaganda fire? How did the fire spread? of course, is synonymous with Islam, that Vajpayee’s claim of intending to Here, in as unsophisticated a or “militant Islam”, as Vajpayee refer only to militant Muslims does fashion as Narendra Modi had stated chose to put it. But having first made not seem very convincing. Earlier in it earlier, we find Vajpayee presenting a distinction between militant Islam his speech, he had equated militant his own version of Newton’s Third and tolerant Islam, he then makes a Islam with terrorism. “Not mingling Law. There is no remorse about sweeping generalisation about all with others” is a peculiar charge the killing of hundreds of innocent Muslims: to level against terrorists. In any people, no apologies for the failure case, it was a bit odd for the prime Wherever Muslims live, they of the government to protect its minister to talk about terrorism don’t like to live in co-existence with citizens. He makes no attempt to and militancy as if they were the others, they don’t like to mingle with distinguish between the criminal preserve of the adherents of Islam— others; and instead of propagating perpetrators of the Godhra attack especially at a time when his own their ideas in a peaceful manner, and the innocent victims of the Sangh parivar was heavily involved they want to spread their faith by “subsequent tragedy in Gujarat”. in acts of terror in Gujarat. But there resorting to terror and threats. For him, Muslims are an amorphous, was a deeper level of dishonesty The world has become alert to this undifferentiated lot who collectively in the charge against Muslims, danger. “lit the fire”. They were to blame, not for it is precisely the policy of the his party men who took part in the The statement is classic hate RSS to ghettoise and isolate the “subsequent developments”. speech, but after it generated a Muslim community. As sociologist Going from the specific to the huge controversy, Vajpayee Dhirubhai Sheth has argued, it was general, Vajpayee then launched a claimed his remarks were aimed not accidental that the Muslims who frontal attack on Muslims. He asserts not at all Muslims but only “militant bore the brunt of the Sangh parivar’s that “For us, the soil of India from Muslims”. violence in Gujarat were those who Goa to Guwahati is the same, all the The Prime Minister’s Office chose to live in Hindu-majority people living on this land are the subsequently issued a doctored areas. The communal killings in same. We do not believe in religious version of the speech in which the the state, he says, have exposed the extremism. Today, the threat to our word “such” was inserted between dishonesty of the ‘Hindutvavadis’ nation comes from terrorism.” “Wherever” and “Muslims live”. who reproach Muslims for not Who is this “we” and where Many newspapers subsequently entering the ‘national mainstream’ exactly does this “threat to our printed this version. It was not until but then beat them back into their 6 JANATA, August 26, 2018 ghettos whenever they do emerge. freedom enjoyed by the Sangh World Trade Centre terrorist strike. In another attempt to soften the parivar in Gujarat expired—and In less than a year since 9/11, a man impact of his Goa remarks, Vajpayee even then, all he could do was appeal in Texas was sentenced to death told parliament that he was as for calm and tolerance. In fact, his for the ‘retaliatory’ murder of a opposed to militant Hinduism as he attempt to blame the ordinary people Sikh immigrant. To date, however, was to militant Islam. “I accept the of Gujarat—and their supposed lack Vajpayee has yet to even publicly Hindutva of Swami Vivekananda of “harmony”—for the mass killings acknowledge that Muslim citizens but the type of Hindutva being in their state was a disingenuous of India were victimised in Gujarat propagated now is wrong and one manoeuvre aimed at absolving or to threaten the attackers with the should be wary of it.” Having said himself, his party colleagues and the severest consequences. this, however, he went back to state machinery they control, of any Indeed, Vajpayee was later to square one by adding that although responsibility for the crimes. Like demonstrate that he was so loyal to there were laws to deal with such Rajiv Gandhi in November 1984 his party and parivar that he didn’t an eventuality, he was confident no and Narasimha Rao in January 1993, mind undermining the majesty of Hindu organisation would become Vajpayee will go down in history the state and his own office. On a danger to the country’s unity. as a prime minister who preached April 17, 2002, he said that if only In other words, only Muslim (or the virtues of tolerance even as he parliament had condemned Godhra, Christian or Sikh) organisations turned a blind eye to the massacre the subsequent massacres would have the potential of endangering of innocent citizens. Instead of not have happened. The fact is the country’s unity. After maligning using national television to tell the that he is leader of the House and Vivekananda—who never spoke people of Gujarat that the genocidal could have ordered a discussion of Hindutva but of Hinduism— mobs would be put down with a firm and condemnation of Godhra on Vajpayee went straight back to hand—and that policemen failing the day it happened—instead of the teachings of Golwalkar and to protect the life and liberty of the scheduled presentation of the Savarkar. all would be punished—Vajpayee budget. Apart from reverting to the usual delivered a sermon on the need for In early May, he made another chauvinist line of the Sangh parivar, religious sadbhavna. curious statement, this time on the Vajpayee was also diverting the There was little passion or floor of the Rajya Sabha: That he debate into a dead end. The issue is feeling in what he said, no words had decided to remove Modi in April not whether he personally opposes of succour for the victims, no anger but didn’t act fearing a backlash in militant Islam or Hinduism but or opprobrium for the killers. He Gujarat. “I had gone to Goa making whether, as prime minister, he is said the violence was a “black mark up my mind on changing the ruler prepared to defend the constitutional on the nation’s forehead” but he in Gujarat but according to my own rights of all Indians. Regardless couldn’t bring himself to say that assessment, I felt that the change of his own views and beliefs, a retaliatory attacks on Muslims for in leadership will only worsen the prime minister cannot speak for what happened at Godhra would situation.” At the time, the only only a section of citizens. Do the attract the same punishment as the people opposed to a change in Muslims of Gujarat have the right burning of the train. Here was a leadership were the RSS and VHP. to physical security? Is he prepared violent disturbance that had made Removing Modi may or may not to punish those who have committed a mockery of state power as it is have provided temporary relief for crimes regardless of their political supposed to operate, yet the prime Gujarat’s beleaguered Muslims but or ideological affiliation? Rather minister issued no dire warnings it was odd for the prime minister than dealing with these questions, to those who were challenging to admit being held hostage to the Vajpayee is trying to cover up his his authority and power as chief threats of criminals and goons. own political failure and culpability. executive. In the US, President “Vajpayee,” wrote B.G. Verghese, It is remarkable that Vajpayee’s George W. Bush and his senior “placed the diktat of the mob above first televised address to the country aides publicly warned citizens his oath of office . . . the emperor has was only on March 2, 2002—after against attacking Muslims, Arabs no clothes, stripped of the last shred the seventy-two hours of apparent and other immigrants following the of moral authority.” JANATA, August 26, 2018 7

Letter to Editor: Activist Who Brought Hope to Bundelkhand Villages is No More

Bharat Dogra Bhagwat Prasad,a leading social considerable relief to a drought hope in many poor households, activist of Bundelkhand region, prone region experiencing frequent most of them Kol tribals or dalits. breathed his last on August 8. As water scarcity. His organization When this in turn was followed up director of a leading voluntary very recently received a prestigious with water conservation work, many organization of this region named award for its water conservation households who had never thought Akhil Bhartiya Samaj Seva Sansthan work. This work of the ABSSS was of growing adequate food to meet (ABSSS), Bhagwat Prasad was known and appreciated widely for their needs were able to harvest closely associated with several achieving good and enduring results bountiful harvests. welfare programs relating to welfare at a low cost. In his last days Bhagwat Prasad of Kol tribals and other weaker At a time when land reforms was involved in improving rural sections of this region. In particular were being widely neglected, school education. To sustain and he will be remembered for the Bhagwat Prasad and his colleagues continue his unfinished work other important contribution he made in received considerable success in land activists and organisations should the execution of several successful distribution work. This combined surely lend a helping hand. water conservation and water with earlier work for rehabilitation harvesting projects. These brought of bonded workers brought new E-mail: [email protected] From Eugenics, Biometrics to Jurimetrics: Supreme Court Judges on Trial

Gopal Krishna

In the moment of Uber-isation “profiled to the nth extent for all and through jurimetrics. This non-human and Ola-isation of services, wherein sundry to know” by 12-digit Unique turn ends up promoting use of an app links a supplier with a Identification (UID) / Aadhaar symbolic logic, behavior models, consumer via a platform and the number for Central Identities Data mechanical aids for prediction of app provider may be based in one Repository (CIDR) is indefensible. both individuals and groups to country, the supplier in another and The trust which the lawyers eliminate personal element from the consumer in a third, the imminent of Ministry of Electronics and judicial, administrative and political verdict on the unjustness of Aadhaar Information Technology (MeitY)'s decisions. Act has put the five judges of the Unique Identification Authority of A decision in favour of UIDAI Constitution Bench of Supreme India (UIDAI) and its proponents will imply accepting infallibility Court on trial. It has emerged that wish the judges of the Constitution of computer prediction without the problem that beset the trial Bench to place in the certainty factoring in the “Heisenberg feed- judges also engulfs the appellate and guidance of UID technology, back effect” and the alchemy of judges. Allowing present and future Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine learning. While judges presidents, prime ministers, judges, technology, computer prediction and work in the open (having learnt that military personnel, citizens and even statistical inquiries tantamount to sunlight is the best disinfectant), non-citizens to be biometrically predicting human judicial behavior the computer programmers and 8 JANATA, August 26, 2018 their visible and invisible beneficial D.Y. Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan consigned to the archives, reflective owners work behind the scene. If 24x7 Kaul and S. Abdul Nazeer. of what was, but should never have identification and authentication of As part of his joint order in been.” In order to compare this citizens and residents is deemed the right to privacy, Justice D.Y. highly questionable verdict of Chief constitutionally permissible by Chandrachud dwelt on the flawed Justice A.N. Ray and Justices M. electronic and biometric systems, verdict of the four judges of Supreme Hameedullah Beg, Y.V. Chandrachud then the possibility of trial by these Court’s 5-Judge Constitution Bench and P.N. Bhagwati, drawing from very fallible systems too cannot be in ADM Jabalpur v Shivakant Shukla Siddhartha Mukherjee’s The ruled out in the immediate future. delivered on the black day of 28 Gene: An Intimate History, Justice The fact remains that these systems April 1976. The submission of the Chandrachud recalled that the have beneficial owners and these detenues in the Court was that the decisions like the one of the US technologies are not class and caste suspension of the remedy to enforce Supreme Court in Buck v Bell neutral as they reflect the prejudices Article 21 does not automatically ranks amongst those which should of the programmers of all shades. entail suspension of the right or the never been delivered. In the Buck This will add up yet another layer rule of law and that even during an v Bell case of 1927, Justice Oliver of automated inequality amidst emergency the rule of law could Wendel Holmes Jr. opined that: continuation of gross rampant not be suspended. A majority of “three generations of imbeciles is historical inequality. four judges of this Court (Justice enough” and accepted the forcible Attempts at predicting human H.R. Khanna dissenting) held that: sterilisation of Carrie Bucks as behavior including judicial behavior “Liberty is confined and controlled part of a programme of state through these technologies will have by law, whether common law or sponsored eugenic sterilisation. unprecedented collateral damage. It statute. It is in the words of Burke a Bucks’s abdomen was opened. A is destined to fail. regulated freedom. It is not an abstract section of both fallopian tubes of The Record of the Proceedings or absolute freedom. The safeguard her was removed by John Bell, the before the Supreme Court's 5-Judge of liberty is in the good sense of doctor. He tied the ends of the tubes, Constitution Bench for 10 May, the people and in the system and sutured them shut. With this the 2018 reads “Hearing concluded. of representative and responsible chain of heredity was broken under a Judgment reserved” in the case government which has been law which presumed that imbecility related to the world’s biggest Central evolved. If extraordinary powers can be inherited. Holmes wrote, “The Identities Data Repository (CIDR) are given, they are given because principle that sustains compulsory of 12–digit biometric UID/Aadhaar the emergency is extraordinary, vaccination is broad enough to numbers. Now the second judgment and are limited to the period of the cover cutting the fallopian tubes” in the UID/Aadhaar case can be emergency.” Justice Chandrachud under the influence of junk science pronounced on any of the coming has held: “The judgments rendered called eugenics which was promoted days. The final hearing began on by all the four judges constituting because American and European 17 January 2018. The original case the majority in ADM Jabalpur are White people were worried about the was filed on 18 October 2012. seriously flawed. Life and personal contamination of their gene pool if The first verdict in this case was liberty are inalienable to human interracial marriages and marriages pronounced on 24 August 2017 by existence.” The fact is that it was with African slaves and White a 9-Judge Constitution Bench. The not just seriously flawed; it was immigrants is allowed. 5-Judge Bench comprises of Chief profoundly immoral, unpardonable, British colonial power had Justice Dipak Misra and Justices sinful and monstrous. The verdict in suspect identification offices in Egypt A.K. Sikri, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. ADM Jabalpur case was authored by and India after the development Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan. the evil personified. of biometric identification by Sir The 9-Judge Bench comprised of Justice Chandrachud observed: Francis Galton, an English eugenicist Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar “When histories of nations are who supported slavery, that compiled and Justices J. Chelameswar, S.A. written and critiqued, there are data of suspects. In the book Imprint Bobde, R.K. Agrawal, Rohinton Fali judicial decisions at the forefront of the Raj: How Fingerprinting was Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, of liberty. Yet others have to be born in Colonial India, Chandak JANATA, August 26, 2018 9

Sengoopta reveals how biometric between the money lenders, bankers case of individuals and Rs 5,000 for identification technique was and their clients. companies. fine-tuned by the Bengal Police. The second verdict in the This makes individuals and Eugenics and slavery has long been UID / Aadhaar case is going to be households totally transparent, abandoned, the scientific claims significant, as it will be coming after devoid of even an iota of privacy. of biometrics too have been found the verdict on right to privacy, in the But donations to political parties to be dubious by reputed official context of 360 degree surveillance from foreign and Indian companies institutions. Yet, the Biometric UID of citizens and their activities. have been made anonymous by / Aadhaar project assumes every The Privacy Bill, 2011 defines the amendments made through the resident of India to be a suspect. The “surveillance as covertly following a Finance Bills of 2017 and 2018! proponents of UIDAI’s project are person or watching a person, placing Given the fact that Aadhaar treating residents and citizens worse secret listening or filming devices Act is one of two e-commerce than prisoners who are regulated near him, or using informants to laws, it is germane to recollect that by Identification of Prisoners Act, obtain personal information about at the 11th ministerial of World 1920, an Act that authorises the him.” This Bill has been referred to Trade Organisation (WTO) which taking of measurements including in the privacy verdict. concluded in December 2017, India finger-impressions and foot-point The provisions of Aadhaar Act had submitted a written position on impressions and photographs of must be read with the provisions of e-commerce opposing the demand convicts and others. It a sister Act Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 for negotiations on e-commerce by of the Prisons Act, 1894. which defines “informant" in Section US and its allies. As per their written UIDAI’s report titled Analytics: 2 (c). “Informant” can be any person submission, the latter are demanding Empowering Operations states, who supplies or is required to access to citizens’ database for the “Data can be considered as the supply statistical information and free. The WTO has a 1998 Work equivalent of water. There are a includes an owner or occupier or Programme on e-commerce. This number of processes involved before person in-charge or his authorised Work Programme provides for the the actual consumption of water representative in respect of persons discussion of trade-related issues and data. The journey begins with or a firm registered under the Indian relating to e-commerce to take place data, like water, being generated Partnership Act, 1932 or a co- in the relevant WTO bodies like the at multiple sources. These are then operative society registered under Council for Trade in Services and the brought together into one central any Co-operative Societies Act or Council for Trade in Goods. location.” The simile of water flow a company registered under the In recent times, proposals are for data flow reveals the sensitivity Companies Act or a society registered being pushed by some developed of the controller and owner of the under the Societies Registration Act, countries to negotiate new rules grids—be it water grid, power grid 1860 or any association recognised in addition to the existing ones in or data grid. There are economic or registered under any law for the WTO Agreements with regard and military forces at work that the time being in force. Unlike to e-commerce amidst vehement seem to seek centralisation of every the 1953 version of Collection opposition by many developing conceivable resource, unmindful of Statistics Act, the 2008 Act countries including India, because of its cognitive consequences provides for collection of data from it goes beyond the 1998 mandate. and civilisational cost. Despite “economic, demographic, scientific Since the 1998 WTO Ministerial colonial experience, the far reaching and environmental aspects.” The Conference when members adopted ramifications of such free flow of Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 a temporary moratorium of not human data in one direction remains makes it compulsory for individuals, imposing customs duties on electronic to be fathomed in its entirety. The fact households and companies to share transmissions, this moratorium has remains that one of the key factors information required by government been renewed at subsequent WTO for colonisation was information through data collectors which it Ministerial Conferences. Global asymmetry between the occupiers has hired on contract. If one fails trade remains open and closed for and the occupied, between the to do so, then one will have to face strategic reasons. It is increasingly conqueror and the vanquished, and a maximum penalty of Rs 1,000 in evident that trade in services and 10 JANATA, August 26, 2018 non-agricultural products is going Forum which has also launched a “Like a mothball, which goes from to acquire electronic route in the Global Redesign Initiative to make solid to gas directly, I expect the near future in a dramatic manner. nation states appear like medieval nation-state to evaporate without It emerges that WTO’s Work residues or redundant. The verdict first going into a gooey, inoperative Programme of 1998 is linked to on Aadhaar Act, the e-commerce mess, before some global cyber state India’s e-commerce and privacy law will come in a backdrop of commands the cyber ether. Without related legislations like Aadhaar Henry Kissinger’s observations in question, the role of the nation-state Act, IT Act, Collection of Statistics his book World Order: Reflections will change dramatically and there Act and Consumer Protection Bill. on the Character of Nations and the will be no room for nationalism than As per Consumer Protection Bill, Course of History wherein he claims there is for small pox”. Arguments of 2018, e-commerce means “buying or that “Cyberspace has colonised the Negroponte and Kissinger imply that selling of goods or services including physical space and, at least in major national law is beginning to become digital products over digital or urban centres, is beginning to merge irrelevant for the cyber world given electronic network”. Aadhaar Act with it.” It is not a coincidence that the fact that cyber law is essentially defines “service”. Service means all the proponents and supporters of global law. any provision, facility, utility or UID / Aadhaar are city folks. This creates the possibility of the any other assistance provided in any Meanwhile, in a seemingly country getting colonised yet again form to an individual or a group of related development India’s National by the asymmetry of information individuals and includes such other Council of Applied Economic created through information, services as may be notified by the Research (NCAER), University communication, identification, Central Government. This implies of Maryland and University of AI and surveillance technologies that “service” can be impregnated Michigan have established a National because it is now realised that all with more meaning than it currently Data Innovation Centre (NDIC) for empires have been information has. In the light of submissions in enhancing methodological research and communication based regimes. World Trade Organisation (WTO), on data collection techniques. The Notably, it has been accepted that it is increasingly becoming apparent main objective of NDIC is to serve aadhaar number data is entered that “goods” can be made to mean as a laboratory for experiments in in various applications. In order “services”. data collection, interfacing with to enter quality data of aadhaar The Constitution Bench on UID/ partners in think tanks, Indian numbers, UIDAI felt the need Aadhaar matter is all set to deliver and international universities, and to validate the entered Aadhaar its verdict amidst the possibility of government. number. Therefore, “UIDAI has civilian and non-civilian military The core issue is: how do concerns recommended Verhoeff algorithm applications of UID being bulldozed emerging from data nationalism and for validating the same. Based on by commercial entities in order resource nationalism get reconciled the same, component has been to store and read biometric and when the Union of India collaborates developed to validate the Aadhaar DNA script of present and future with foreign entities whose national number entered in an application.” AI Indian citizens in the aftermath of interest may not necessarily based machine learning algorithms, the sequencing of human genome converge with India’s supreme in which computers learn through for epigenetics, vested interest of national interest. Deliberations in trial and error has been deemed to pharmaceutical industry, big data WTO on e-commerce issues have bea new form of "alchemy" by AI entities, social control technology already revealed that there is no researchers who admittedly “do not companies and inhuman aspects of convergence in the national interests know why some algorithms work inheritance, eugenics and genetic of these countries and India. and others don't, nor do they have determinism. The cumulative effect Prof Nicholas Negroponte, rigorous criteria for choosing one of these efforts has the potential author of Being Digital has already AI architecture over another”. This to make digital colonisation fool explained how world trade has assumes significance given the fact proof through data colonisation traditionally consisted of exchanging that Rakesh Dwivedi, UIDAI’s in what is being called the Fourth atoms, not bits. Bits form the basis lawyer, has admitted in the Court Revolution by the World Economic of cyber world. He predicts that that “UIDAI is using matching JANATA, August 26, 2018 11 algorithm.” Countries like USA, UK, Does Raising Questions on the Rights China, Australia and France of Adivasis Make Me a ‘Deshdrohi'? have rejected biometric profiling based identification projects like Aadhaar. This is open declaration Stan Swamy of war against citizens’ sensitive personal information like biometric This short note was written by implementation of the 5th data by transnational entities and Fr Stan Swamy after the Jharkhand Schedule of the Constitution, governments captured by them and authorities filed a case of sedition Article 244(1), which clearly paves the way for the enslavement against him for supporting the stipulates that a ‘Tribes Advisory of generations to come through adivasi Pathalgadi movement. Council’ (TAC), composed Aadhaar database that lies on cloud Over the last two decades, I have solely of members from the beyond Indian jurisdiction. This identified myself with the Adivasi Adivasi community, will creates a compelling logic to factor people and their struggle for a life advise the governor of the state in the findings of Julian Assange and of dignity and self respect. As a about anything and everything Edward Snowden who have put their writer, I have tried to analyse the concerning the protection, well- lives at risk to tell Indian government, different issues they face. In this being and development of the Indians and others that they are being process, I have clearly expressed Adivasi people in the state. spied upon by foreign governments, my dissent over several policies and The governor is the banks and transnational surveillance laws enacted by the government in constitutional custodian of the technology companies. Unless the light of the Indian Constitution. I Adivasi people and he/she can judges factor in the ungovernability have questioned the validity, legality make laws on his/her own and of these technologies and their and justness of several steps taken by can annul any other law enacted beneficial owners, present and future the government and the ruling class. by the parliament or state presidents, prime ministers, judges, As for the Pathalgadi issue, I assembly, always keeping in legislators and officials handling have asked the question, “Why are mind the welfare of the Adivasi sensitive assignments may become Adivasis doing this?” I believe it is people. Whereas the reality redundant with regards to their age because they have been exploited is that in none of the states, old roles for securing “national and oppressed beyond tolerance. The during all these nearly seven resources and assets”. rich minerals which are excavated decades, has any state governor If jurimetrics is not a wise and in their land have enriched outsider ever used his/her constitutional certain way of decision making in industrialists and businessmen and discretionary power to reach out legal disputes, if eugenics is now a impoverished the Adivasi people to the Adivasi people, proffering discredited science, how can AI and to the extent that people have died the excuse that they have to work biometrics be deemed sane in the of starvation. They have had no in harmony with the elected matters of life and death of present share in what is produced. Also, government of the state. The and future generation of Indians. the laws and policies enacted for meeting of the TAC takes place Galton advocated three things: their well being are deliberately rarely, and it is convened by slavery, eugenics and biometrics. left unimplemented. So they have and presided over by the chief Two of his beliefs have been reached a situation where they minister of the state and is debunked. The Constitution Bench realise ‘enough is enough’ and are controlled by the ruling party. has the choice of joining the ranks of seeking to re-invent their identity TAC has thus been reduced eugenicists like him, Justice Holmes, by empowering their gram sabhas to a toothless body. Verily a Doctor Bell and the bench of ADM through Pathalgadis. Their action is constitutional fraud meted out Jabalpur to promote biometrics, or to understandable. to the Adivasi people. declare Aadhaar Act as a black Act. Some of the questions I have 2) I have questioned why the raised are: Panchayats (Extension to E-mail: [email protected] 1) I have questioned the non- Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, 12 JANATA, August 26, 2018

has been neatly ignored which know, are the basis of the and state governments have for the first time recognised the economic life of the Adivasi found a way out by re-allotting fact the Adivasi communities people. Their traditional these illegal mines through in India have a rich social rights in the forests have been auction to make it look legal. and cultural tradition of self- infringed upon systematically 6) I have questioned the reasons governance through the gram over the decades. At long last, why the SC observation is being sabha. Whereas the reality is this the government realised that ignored that “mere membership Act has deliberately been left a historic injustice has been of a banned organisation will not unimplemented in all nine states. done to the Adivasis and other make a person a criminal unless It means the capitalist ruling traditional forest-dwellers. To he resorts to violence or incites class does not want Adivasi correct this anomaly, it enacted people to violence or creates people to self govern. this Act. public disorder by violence or 3) I have questioned the silence The reality is far from incitement to violence”. The of the government on Samatha desirable. From 2006 to 2011, court rejected the doctrine of Judgment, 1997, of the about 30 lakh applications were ‘guilt by association’. Supreme Court which came made all over the country for It is common knowledge that as a huge relief to the Adivasi title deeds. Of these, 11 lakh many young men and women are communities in Scheduled applications were approved but held in prison on the suspicion Areas. It came at a time when 14 lakh were rejected and five of being “helpers of Naxalites”. consequent to the policy of lakh were left pending. Of late, After arresting them, other penal globalisation, liberalisation, the Jharkhand government is clauses are added on. It is an marketisation and privatisation, trying to bypass the gram sabha easy label that can be put on national and international in the process of acquiring forest any one whom the police wants corporate houses started to land for setting up industries. to catch. It does not require any invade Adivasi areas in central 5) I have questioned the inaction proof or witness. The Supreme India to mine the mineral riches. of the government in carrying Court says even membership in The government machinery out the SC order that the ‘owner a banned organisation does not gave its full cooperation to of the land is also the owner of make a person a criminal. How these companies. Any resistance sub-soil minerals’. In its order, far removed are the law and by the Adivasi people was put the court said, “We are of the order forces from the judiciary? down with an iron hand. The opinion that there is nothing in 7) I have questioned the recently judgment was meant to provide the law which declares that all enacted amendment to the Land some significant safeguards mineral wealth sub-soil rights Acquisition Act, 2013, by the for Adivasis to control the vest in the State, on the other Jharkhand government which excavation of minerals in their hand, the ownership of sub-soil/ sounds a death knell for the lands and to help develop mineral wealth should normally Adivasi community. This does themselves economically. follow the ownership of the land, away with the requirement In reality, the state has unless the owner of the land is for “social impact assessment’ ignored this verdict of the highest deprived of the same by some which was aimed at safeguarding court. Several cases have been valid process.” the environment, social relations filed by affected communities, The rich minerals in their and cultural values of affected but the ‘law of eminent domain’ lands are being looted by people. The most damaging of the colonial rulers is invoked the government and private factor is that the government to alienate Adivasi land and to companies. The Supreme Court can allow any agricultural land loot the rich mineral resources. has declared 214 out of the 219 for non-agricultural purposes. 4) I have questioned the half- coal blocks in the country illegal So any and every thing can be hearted action of the government and ordered their closure and included. on the Forest Rights Act, 2006. levied a fine on them for their 8) I have questioned the ‘land bank’ ‘Jal, jungle, jameen’, as we illegal mining. But the Central which I see as the most recent JANATA, August 26, 2018 13

plot to annihilate the Adivasi people. During ‘Momentum The Atomic Plague Jharkhand’ in February 2017, the government announced that 21 Wilfred Burchett lakh acres are in the land bank, of which 10 lakh acres is ready On August 6, 1945, the US of the deadly lingering effects of for allotment to industrialists. dropped an atomic bomb on radiation. Hiroshima; three days later, US authorities tried to counter “Gair-majurwa” land Nagasaki was hit. General Douglas Burchett’s articles by attacking (uncultivated land) can be ‘khas’ MacArthur promptly declared the messenger. MacArthur ordered (private) or ‘aam’ (common). As southern Japan off-limits, barring Burchett expelled from Japan (the per tradition, individual Adivasi the press. Over 200,000 people order was later rescinded), his families or communities have been died in the atomic bombings of the camera mysteriously vanished while in possession and use this land cities, but no Western journalist he was in a Tokyo hospital, and (jamabandi). Now the government witnessed the aftermath and told US officials accused him of being has shockingly cancelled all the story. Instead, the world’s media influenced by Japanese propaganda. ‘jamabandi’ titles and claims that all obediently crowded onto the USS Then the US military unleashed ‘gair-majurwa’ land belongs to the Missouri off the coast of Japan to a secret propaganda weapon: they government and it is free to allot it to cover the Japanese surrender. deployed their very own Timesman. anybody (read industrial houses) to A month after the bombings, It turns out that William L. Laurence, set up their small and big industries. independent journalist Wilfred the science reporter for the New York People are in the dark that their Burchett defied MacArthur and Times, was also on the payroll of the land is being written off. The TAC after riding a train for 30 hours and War Department. For four months, has not given its approval as is walked into the charred remains of while still reporting for the Times, required by the Fifth Schedule. The Hiroshima. Laurence had been writing press respective gram sabhas have not For Burchett, that experience releases for the military explaining given their consent as required by was a turning point, “a watershed the atomic weapons program; he the PESA Act. Affected Adivasi in my life, decisively influencing my also wrote statements for President people have not given their consent whole professional career and world Truman and Secretary of War Henry as required by Land Acquisition Act. outlook.” The story which he typed Stimson. He was rewarded by being These are the questions that out on his battered Baby Hermes given a seat on the plane that I have consistently raised. If this typewriter, sitting among the ruins, dropped the bomb on Nagasaki, an makes me a ‘deshdrohi’ then so be remains one of the most important experience that he described in the it ! Western eyewitness accounts, and Times with religious awe. Email: [email protected] the first attempt to come to terms Three days after publication with the full human and moral of Burchett’s shocking dispatch, consequences of the United States' Laurence had a front page story initiation of nuclear war. in the Times disputing the notion Spectre Burchett’s article, headlined that radiation sickness was killing The Atomic Plague, was published people. His news story included of Fascism on September 5, 1945 in the this remarkable commentary: “The London Daily Express. The story Japanese are still continuing their Contribution Rs. 20/- caused a worldwide sensation, and propaganda aimed at creating the Published by was a public relations fiasco for impression that we won the war the US military. The official US unfairly, and thus attempting to Janata Trust & Lokayat narrative of the atomic bombings create sympathy for themselves D-15, Ganesh Prasad, downplayed civilian casualties and milder terms . . . Thus, at the Naushir Bharucha Marg, and categorically dismissed as beginning, the Japanese described Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 “Japanese propaganda” reports ‘symptoms’ that did not ring true.” 14 JANATA, August 26, 2018

Laurence won a Pulitzer Prize Hiroshima does not look like a dying from the uncanny after-effects. for his reporting on the atomic bombed city. It looks as if a monster For no apparent reason their bomb, and his faithful parroting of steamroller had passed over it and health began to fail. They lost the government line was crucial in squashed it out of existence. I write appetite. Their hair fell out. Bluish launching a half-century of silence these facts as dispassionately as I spots appeared on their bodies. And about the deadly lingering effects of can in the hope that they will act the bleeding began from the ears, the bomb. It was only in the 1990s, as a warning to the world. In this nose and mouth. around the 50th anniversary of the first testing ground of the atomic At first the doctors told me they bombing, that there was significant bomb I have seen the most terrible thought these were the symptoms print and media coverage about the and frightening desolation in four of general debility. They gave their actual impact of the atomic bomb years of war. It makes a blitzed patients Vitamin A injections. The on the people of Hiroshima and Pacific island seem like an Eden. results were horrible. The flesh Nagasaki. The damage is far greater than started rotting away from the hole We print below Burchett’s photographs can show. caused by the injection of the needle. dispatch published in The Daily When you arrive in Hiroshima And in every case the victim Express on September 5, 1945. It you can look around and for 25, died. is a piece of journalism that should perhaps 30, square miles you can That is one of the after-effects be read over and over again—“as hardly see a building. It gives you an of the first atomic bomb man ever a warning to the world”—because empty feeling in the stomach to see dropped and I do not want to see any like no other account, it brings home such man-made devastation. more examples of it. But in walking the inhuman reality of a nuclear I picked my way to a shack used through the month-old rubble I holocaust. as a temporary police headquarters found others. in the middle of the vanished city. “I Write This as a Warning Looking south from there I could see The Sulphur Smell to the World” about three miles of reddish rubble. My nose detected a peculiar That is all the atomic bomb left of odour unlike anything I have ever The Daily Express, London, dozens of blocks of city streets, smelled before. It is something like September 5, 1945. of buildings, homes, factories and sulphur, but not quite. I could smell Express Staff Reporter Peter human beings. it when I passed a fire that was still Burchett was the first Allied staff smouldering, or at a spot where they reporter to enter the atom-bomb city. Still They Fall were still recovering bodies from the He travelled 400 miles from Tokyo There is just nothing standing wreckage. But I could also smell it alone and unarmed carrying rations except about 20 factory chimneys— where everything was still deserted. for seven meals—food is almost chimneys with no factories. I looked They believe it is given off by unobtainable in Japan—a black west. A group of half a dozen gutted the poisonous gas still issuing from umbrella, and a typewriter. Here is buildings. And then again nothing. the earth soaked with radioactivity his story from— The police chief of Hiroshima released by the split uranium atom. welcomed me eagerly as the first And so the people of Hiroshima HIROSHIMA, Tuesday. Allied correspondent to reach the today are walking through the city. With the local manager of forlorn desolation of their once In Hiroshima, 30 days after Domei, a leading Japanese news proud city with gauze masks over the first atomic bomb destroyed agency, he drove me through, or their mouths and noses. It probably the city and shook the world, perhaps I should say over, the city. does not help them physically. But people are still dying, mysteriously And he took me to hospitals where it helps them mentally. and horribly—people who were the victims of the bomb are still From the moment that this uninjured by the cataclysm—from being treated. devastation was loosed upon an unknown something which In these hospitals I found people Hiroshima the people who survived I can only describe as atomic who, when the bomb fell, suffered have hated the white man. It is a hate plague. absolutely no injuries, but now are the intensity of which is almost as JANATA, August 26, 2018 15 frightening as the bomb itself. bombs. The scientists told me they have noted a great difference between the “All Clear” Went Heap of Rubble effect of the bombs in Hiroshima and The counted dead number The Imperial Palace, once an in Nagasaki. 53,000. Another 30,000 are missing, imposing building, is a heap of Hiroshima is in perfectly flat which means “certainly dead”. In rubble three feet high, and there is delta country. Nagasaki is hilly. When the day I have stayed in Hiroshima one piece of wall. Roof, floors and the bomb dropped on Hiroshima the – and this is nearly a month after everything else is dust. weather was bad, and a big rainstorm the bombing – 100 people have died Hiroshima has one intact developed soon afterwards. from its effects. building – the Bank of Japan. This And so they believe that the They were some of the 13,000 in a city which at the start of the war uranium radiation was driven into seriously injured by the explosion. had a population of 310,000. the earth and that, because so many They have been dying at the rate of Almost every Japanese scientist are still falling sick and dying, it 100 a day. And they will probably has visited Hiroshima in the past is still the cause of this man-made all die. Another 40,000 were slightly three weeks to try to find a way plague. injured. of relieving the people’s suffering. At Nagasaki, on the other These casualties might not have Now they themselves have become hand, the weather was perfect, and been as high except for a tragic sufferers. scientists believe that this allowed mistake. The authorities thought this For the first fortnight after the the radio-activity to dissipate into was just another routine Super-Fort bomb dropped they found they the atmosphere more rapidly. In raid. The plane flew over the target could not stay long in the fallen addition, the force of the bomb’s and dropped the parachute which city. They had dizzy spells and explosion was, to a large extent, carried the bomb to its explosion headaches. Then minor insect bites expended into the sea, where only point. developed into great swellings fish were killed. The American plane passed out which would not heal. Their health To support this theory, the of sight. The all-clear was sounded steadily deteriorated. scientists point out to the fact that, and the people of Hiroshima came Then they found another in Nagasaki, death came swiftly, out from their shelters. Almost a extraordinary effect of the new terror suddenly, and that there have been minute later the bomb reached the from the skies. no after-effects such as those that 2,000 foot altitude at which it was Many people had suffered only Hiroshima is still suffering. timed to explode – at the moment a slight cut from a falling splinter when nearly everyone in Hiroshima of brick or steel. They should have was in the streets. recovered quickly. But they did not. The Unemployment Hundreds upon hundreds of the They developed an acute sickness. dead were so badly burned in the Their gums began to bleed. And Crisis: terrific heat generated by the bomb then they vomited blood. And finally Reasons and that it was not even possible to tell they died. Solutions whether they were men or women, All these phenomena, they told old or young. me, were due to the radio-activity Of thousands of others, nearer released by the atomic bomb’s Contribution Rs. 25/- the centre of the explosion, there was explosion of the uranium atom. no trace. They vanished. The theory Published by in Hiroshima is that the atomic Water Poisoned Janata Trust & Lokayat heat was so great that they burned They found that the water had D-15, Ganesh Prasad, instantly to ashes – except that there been poisoned by chemical reaction. Naushir Bharucha Marg, were no ashes. Even today every drop of water Grant Road (W), If you could see what is left of consumed in Hiroshima comes from Mumbai 400 007 Hiroshima you would think that other cities. The people of Hiroshima London had not been touched by are still afraid. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, August 26, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, August 26, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, August 29, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 32 Joint Statement Condemning Arrest September 2, 2018 of Activists and Public Intellectuals Flood Havoc in Kerala B.Vivekanandan Are Immigrants in Assam a We, the undersigned, are shocked intellectuals. Security Threat? by the serial raids across the country The so-called raids carried out Ram Puniyani on the homes of activists and public on the houses of these activists intellectuals who are critical of the are aimed at creating a spectacle, Saint-Engineer Stakes His Life to Save Ganga government and the ruling party at as the writings and views of these Sandeep Pandey the Centre. The arrests of prominent intellectuals are already publicly activists and intellectuals Sudha known and are well documented. Kandhamal Without Closure Apoorvanand Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, This seems like a conspiracy to Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, divert attention from the gravity Growing Evidence Against Arun Ferreira, Kranthi Tekula and of the Sanatan Sanstha conspiracy GM Crops others, are nothing but an attempt to carry out serial bomb attacks Bharat Dogra by the government to strike terror on Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi! The Larger Picture on among those who are fighting for The same Sanatan Sanstha was GDP Numbers justice for the marginalised. This also involved in the murder of Arun Kumar is also an attempt by the BJP to Gauri Lankesh, as per the ongoing MODIGATE, THE RAFALE invent a false enemy and engage in investigations by Karnataka police. SCAM: Deal Imperils National scaremongering in order to polarise Today’s arrests have been carried Security the 2019 elections in its favour. out in order to give cover to the Editor : G.G.Parikh Already, the government and the murderers of Gauri Lankesh. People media houses close to the BJP like Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain have been trying to spin a false Navlakha and others who have been Managing Editor : Guddi narrative of a Maoist conspiracy arrested are friends of the people since June 2018. Terms like “urban who have dedicated their entire Editorial Board : naxals” are invented in order to stifle lives to the betterment of the Indian B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali, any criticism of the government. public. By arresting them, the BJP Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah, We have learnt that the Delhi is only exposing its insecurities Amarendra Dhaneshwar, Police, after having arrested Sudha and its intolerance to any dissent or Sandeep Pandey Bharadwaj, waited for Republic criticism of its policies. TV to arrive before taking her to The arrests should be seen D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the court. This simply shows that in continuation with the recent Naushir Bharucha Marg, the arrests are incomplete without attacks on pro-justice voices such Mumbai - 400 007. the accompanying sensationalist as Swami Agnivesh, Umar Khalid Email : [email protected] media propaganda to demonise and many other activists from Website:www.janataweekly.org activists, human rights defenders and Delhi to Lucknow. A BJP lawmaker 2 JANATA, September 2, 2018 from Karnataka even advocated the murder of “intellectuals.” Both the Flood Havoc in Kerala arrests and the physical attacks on justice loving people must be seen B.Vivekanandan as a part of a series of attempts to stifle dissent and deny social justice. For twelve days, between 8th elsewhere. There was a tremendous We demand immediate release and 20th August this year, Kerala display of solidarity among people, of the arrested individuals, dropping has suffered a devastating flood young and old, cutting across all of all false and malicious charges, as disaster. The last time the state dividing lines. The goodness of man these arrests are politically motivated suffered a similar flood disaster was was in full expression, strengthening and unjustified. 94 years ago, in 1924. The intensity the hope for the construction of a of floods in the state this time was new world of equality and solidarity Statement signed by: so severe because all 44 rivers in the in future. Admiral Ramdas, Shabnam state were in spate due to continual The rescue and relief operations Hashmi, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, torrential rain, and all 42 major dams have been carried on by the state and Jignesh Mevani, Nivedita Menon, and most of the 40 minor dams in central administrative machineries, Kavita Krishnan, Teesta Setalvad, the state had to lift their sluice gates and the public. Besides the state Ram Puniyani, Swami Agnivesh, to prevent more serious disasters. administrative machinery, like the Mallika Sarabhai and hundreds Almost all districts of the state have police, revenue officials, medical of other citizens from all over the suffered severe losses of multiple staff, motor vehicles department, fire country. dimensions. It is estimated that at force, rapid action force, etc., there least 322 people have lost their lives has been full participation of the due to the floods. central forces, including the army, The flood has left countless navy and air force, National Disaster Janata families without a shelter. Thousands Response Force, Coast Guard, BS of pets dogs and other domestic and CRPF, in the rescue and relief Subscription animals and birds, trapped in operations. floods, perished. 10.4 lakh people, Annual Rs. : 260/- including children, women and the Role of Fishermen Volunteers aged who were entrapped in their In the rescue operations, the Three Years : 750/- flooded homes and backwoods under most commendable was the selfless trying circumstances (many did devotion displayed by the fishermen Demand Draft / not have anything to eat or drink, of the Kerala coast, who voluntarily Cheque except the rain water, for four days jumped in the fray, with their small consecutively), were rescued and mechanised boats, their only means on housed in 5,645 relief camps, which of livelihood. (Many boats and Mumbai Bank were set up in all parts of Kerala. their engines have actually got damaged due to their operations in in favour of Rescue and Relief Operations the uneven terrains of the flooded The rescue and relief operations areas in the interior parts of the JANATA TRUST in the state during the floods have state). 420 fishermen volunteers been exemplary. In the wake of from Trivandrum and Quilon rushed D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the disaster, people of Kerala have to the flooded areas in Alleppy and Naushir Bharucha Marg, displayed a commendable sense of Pathanamthitta districts with their Grant Road (W), unity, compassion and solidarity. fishing boats and joined the rescue Mumbai 400 007. Indeed, they rose in unison, and operations. They ventured to reach together did everything possible impenetrable areas where even the to rescue the victims marooned in well-trained central and state rescue their homes, charity institutions and forces could not tread, and rescued JANATA, September 2, 2018 3 the entrapped victims. During the tune with the well-established social have suffered crop losses worth Rs operations, one of them was found democratic principles and norms of 681 crore due to the floods. helping some aged persons to step international solidarity actions for Since the torrential rains have into the boats by kneeling in the the victims of natural calamities stopped now, and the water is muddy waters and making himself in any part of the world. But the receding, people have started their a stepping stone. That was the spirit Narendra Modi Government, which struggle to resume their normal of sacrifice the fishermen volunteers is not familiar with the principle of lives in their old slush-filled houses. have shown during the crisis. Their international solidarity, has taken Losses apart, just cleaning the houses humble and dare-devil actions a narrow view of it and has not to make them livable itself is bound during the rescue operations have allowed such international support to be a herculean task. Rehabilitation been widely acclaimed, and won from reaching the victims of the is also going to be a big and long- people's hearts. No wonder, they floods in Kerala. It has issued a drawn-out task. For most people, were given a hero's welcome when statement saying that it would not they will have to start their lives all they triumphantly returned to their accept any foreign aid for providing over again, from scratch. native fishing villages after their relief for natural calamities in India! rescue operations. They are being This is petty, indecent, uncivil and Man-Made Disaster honoured at specially organised disgraceful. The Government of What was the reason for the public functions for their valour, India should immediately lift its severe intensity of the floods? chivalry and solidarity action. opposition to the flow of foreign One factor is the failure of the aid to help the victims of Kerala. administration to grasp the Support from Centre and States Needless to say, the rehabilitation seriousness of the recommendations and Abroad of nearly 2 million flood victims contained in the 2011 report of the A complementary development would need enormous resources. environmental expert committee is the spontaneous display of It is estimated that for post-flood headed by Madhav Gadgil for solidarity and flow of support for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the protection of the ecologically the flood victims from the Centre victims, Kerala would need at least fragile areas of the Western Ghats, and other states of India, and also Rs 25,776 crore, for which the state including Kerala. The Gadgil from abroad. India's Prime Minister government, reportedly, has decided Committee had recommended that visited Kerala to see for himself to go in for a loan of Rs 10,500 crore. practically the entire Western Ghats the severity of the situation and As the state is already deep in debt, region be designated as ecologically promised a support of Rs 500 crore this new loan would put the state sensitive area (ESA). Within this as an interim relief measure from finances in a tizzy in the years ahead. area, smaller regions were to be the Centre. Many state governments identified as ecologically sensitive have also offered generous support Loss Estimate zones (ESZ) I, II or III based on of several crores of rupees. The spirit It is going to take considerable their existing condition and nature of the unity of India is visible in all time to make proper assessments of of threat. It suggested that ESZ1 these spontaneous responses from losses due to the floods. However, it and ESZ2 would be largely ‘no- the states. is undeniable that the victims have go’ zones for mining and polluting From the international suffered heavy losses. For many, all industries as well as large-scale community, the government of their household items, including all development activities, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) electronic and clothing items, have new railway lines. It also objected has offered a donation of Rs 700 been rendered useless by the muddy to new dams, thermal power stations crore for the victims of floods in floodwaters which filled their homes. or massive windmill farms or new Kerala. Japan and Thailand too Preliminary estimates indicate that townships in ESZ1. The Gadgil have indicated their intention to at least 57,000 houses need to be Committee had specifically called send their donations. Many other rebuilt or repaired. for notifying 17 areas in Kerala, governments have shown their The floods have damaged about including Munnar, as ecologically readiness to send similar support. 10,000 kms of PWD roads, and fragile areas. But vested interests They are reaching out this way in many bridges. Nearly 2 lakh farmers opposed this recommendation, 4 JANATA, September 2, 2018 and the then political leadership mined using powerful dynamites, it also reduced the percolation space. was 'persuaded' to support the shakes the ecologically fragile areas When natural outlets are blocked vested interests. In order to by- at the top and in the neighbourhood. by upstarts for luxury and pleasure, pass Gadgil recommendations and Most of the 537 landslides in water will find its own way to flow, re-draw the recommendations in the Western Ghats during those which cumulatively can only take favour of vested interests, a new traumatic 12 days took place due the form of floods. Kasturirangan Committee was first to these mining activities. In a way, We may also note that these appointed, to be followed by another therefore, this disaster in partly man- floods are a spill over effect of committee headed by Prof. Oommen made. The people affected by these global warming. In fact we are yet V. Oommen, to make tailor-made landslides are also aware of this, to acknowledge that global warming recommendations. These committees which is why many evacuees from and climate change are current totally diluted the Gadgil Committee these landslide areas are refusing to realities. Scientists have analysed, recommendations. Vested interests go back to these places, as they are in great detail, how human activities were allowed to encroach and build genuinely afraid of the recurrence of are causing global warming which is resorts and tourism centers and carry such landslides in future. They want leading to more and more frequent out other construction activities in to be rehabilitated in safer areas in and severe extreme weather events the ecologically fragile areas, in the planes. such as heavy rains and floods. violation of the Gadgil Committee A systematic failure to protect like the one that gripped Kerala in recommendations. Now, it is clear the traditional paddy fields in Kerala August this year. that had the state government is another factor that aggravated the implemented the Gadgil Committee flood situation in the state. Falling Building a New Kerala recommendations during the last under the 'influence' of the real In the circumstances, what seven years, the scale of the disaster estate businessmen, governments, the Kerala government should do this year would not have been as through various enactments, have immediately is go back to the Gadgil severe as has taken place. allowed large-scale filling of paddy committee recommendations and Thus, for instance, during the fields for the construction of high implement them faithfully, and stop 12 days of rain and floods in Kerala, rise multi-storeyed flats, resorts, all environmentally destructive there took place 537 landslides, convention centres, malls, etc., activities in the ecologically fragile mostly in the foothills of Western and changed the natural ecological areas of the Western Ghats. Ghats. This was largely due to the balance in Kerala. Traditionally, The floods also provide an large-scale stone quarrying activities paddy fields in the state absorbed and opportunity to lay the foundations in the foothills, in violation of stored substantial quantity of rain for building a new Kerala, including the letter and spirit of the Gadgil water. The usual water percolation building a welfare state system based Committee recommendations. The into the ground during the rains on equality and equal justice— stone mafia gangs have come up has been considerably blocked now which would give to every person in large numbers everywhere to by a large-scale use of cement and in Kerala state-guaranteed protection quarry stones and supply them paver blocks to construct roads from cradle-to-grave, including free for construction activities and for and circulating areas in housing healthcare and free education. This the large-scale widening of roads areas following the construction would necessarily require the public taking place in the state, and most boom in the state, heralded by Gulf sector to play a dominant role. recently, to supply the 88 lakhs money. Besides, the large-scale tonnes of stones needed for building road-widening taking place all Email: [email protected] a Container Transhipment Terminal across the state—from 9 metre-wide Port in Vizhinjam, near Trivandrum, 2-lane roads to 45 to 60 meters- a useless and wasteful project. The wide 4-lane and 6-lane roads—with impact of mining activities in these World Bank loans for the promotion Janata quarries on the ecologically fragile of the sales of luxury cars of big is available at areas of Western Ghats is instant. multinational car companies of When the rocks in the foothills are Europe, America and Japan has www.lohiatoday.com JANATA, September 2, 2018 5 Are Immigrants in Assam a Security Threat?

Ram Puniyani

A pandora’s box has been opened in other parts of India also. Ethnic people have continued to migrate to with the release of the preliminary and linguistic aspects apart, the Assam for economic reasons. draft of the National Register of communal forces have been raising As regards the documents on Citizens (NRC) for Assam. This list the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants which the NRC is basing itself, leaves out nearly 40 lakh people time and again. For instance, in it is interesting to note that while from the draft list of citizens. Till the Mumbai this was raised in the some legitimate people may not final list is published after reviewing wake of the Mumbai carnage of have proper documents, some non the appeal of the ‘left out’ people, 1992–93. In Delhi too this issue has ‘citizens’ might have forged the an uncertainty will hang over their occasionally been brought up; in a documents. The argument that heads. Amit Shah, the president of related instance, only recently, there migration has been encouraged for the ruling BJP, stated that those left took place the burning of a Rohingya vote bank politics may only be partly out are ghuspaithiyas (infiltrators), Muslims colony in Delhi. true; largely, people choose to stay they are a threat to our security and So far as Assam is concerned, or migrate under extreme situations; that due to them there is competition the core issue with regards to the it is a matter of their entire life. We for the limited resources of the state religious linguistic composition of need to remember that there is no and the natives are suffering due to Assam is the influx of immigrants social security in India, and most that. The perception is that those due to many historical and political of those who have migrated to not finding a place in the NRC are reasons. One recalls that the first Assam make their living by doing Bangladeshi Muslims. The primary time this took place was during the most menial jobs and live in anger of Amit Shah is against this the colonial period, when the extreme poverty. These children of group of people. British introduced their ‘Human ‘lesser gods’ are also human beings Those not finding their names Plantation program’. This program trying to make their living in this in the list are a diverse group and encouraged people from over- cruel world, where the haves can there are reports that a large number populated Bengal to migrate to buy citizenship with their money, of these are Hindus as well, from Assam and till the land. It had a or some can escape from India with Nepal, West Bengal and other parts dual aim, of releasing the population a large booty and choose from a of the country. Interestingly, many pressure on overpopulated Bengal, number of countries which welcome families have been torn apart by and increasing the production of such people for their wealth. The the NRC, as some members find foodgrains to solve food shortage ‘Poor of the World’ have no choice! themselves in this list, while names by utilising the vast tracts of land in India has so far been a country of others are missing. The chief Assam. Those migrating included with compassion and heart. We minister of the neighbouring state, both Muslims and Hindus. At the have accepted the Tamil speaking Mamata Banerjee, has come out time of partition, Assam had a Sri Lankans and the Buddhists from heavily against the NRC. large Muslim population, so much Tibet. The proposal to treat Hindus The understanding being so that at the time of partition of coming from Afghanistan and percolated is that apart from being the country, Jinnah demanded that Bangladesh as refugees and Muslims a security threat and a drain on Assam should be part of Pakistan. as infiltrators is very inhuman. Even the states’ resources, this group of Later, with the genocide launched by if we are able to advance the exercise people is a threat to the ethnic and Pakistan army in East Bengal, many of NRC to making the final draft, linguistic composition of the state. people migrated to Assam to escape what will we achieve? The social- Voices are now being raised that persecution by the army. After the economic indices of Bangladesh such an NRC should be initiated formation of Bangladesh, probably today are higher than those of India. 6 JANATA, September 2, 2018

Bangladesh states that these people are not from Bangladesh and it will Saint-Engineer Stakes His Life to not accept their repatriation. So what Save Ganga will we achieve by identifying those not having proper documents? Put them in camps? At the moment they Sandeep Pandey are making their meagre living doing the hardest work at the lowest level This article was written after conversation with Swami Sanand at in society, so what will be the net Matre Sadan, Haridwar on the 62nd day of his fast on 22 August 2018. achievement? Matre Sadan, on the bank of development' once in its four and a And the talk of extending this river Ganga, is no ordinary ashram in half years regime. Development for exercise to other states of the country Haridwar and Swami Gyan Swaroop government means construction. is meaningless. What is needed is Sanand, fasting since 22 June 2018, Recently the Uttarakhand the revival of compassion for these demanding a law for conservation of government has taken a decision people which was in existence Ganga, is no ordinary sadhu. Earlier to contruct a road though the Jim when Tamil speaking people were Swami Shivanand, head priest of the Corbett National Park, posing a accommodated or Buddhists from ashram, and his disciples Swamis threat to the forest and wildlife. The Tibet were accepted. India has Nigmanand, Dayanand, Yajnanand government has also undertaken seen changes in its population and Purnanand have observed long an ambitious all weather Char profile after partition due to massive fasts to prevent illegal mining in Dham road project connecting translocations of people as well as Ganga in Haridwar. Nigmanand Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri economic migrations. We claim to died on the 115th day of his fast in and Yamunotri at an estimated cost believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam 2011 after he was poisoned with of Rs 12,000 crore. Swami Sanand (world is one family). We need to organophosphate while in hospital thinks this is a disastrous project as remember that only those polices during the regime of Bhartiya Janata it'll involve cutting large number will succeed which are based on Party government in Uttarakhand of trees, creating instability by compassion for weaker sections of at the behest of a mining mafia cutting hilly slopes, muck of which society. To think that they pose is Gyanesh Agarwal associated with will come down into the rivers. He threat to our security is a misplaced Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. expressed astonishment that Nitin way of seeing the issue. We need Now Swami Gyan Swaroop Gadkari can hold both ministries to evolve the principles where Sanand, formerly known as Professor of Road Transport, Highways and exclusivism gives way to empathy. Guru Das Agrawal, is on fast and Shipping as well as Water Resources, appears committed to laying down River Development and Ganga Email: [email protected] his life for the sake of Ganga. He Rejuvenation at the same time. It says his well wishers should worry requires the ingenuity of Prof. G.D. more about the health of Ganga than Agrawal to see this contradiction. his health. Swami Sanand thinks The 285 projects undertaken under that it is too late now to redeem the National Mission for Clean Ganga situation. He is critical of the Swachh which is also popularly known as Bharat Abhiyan. He doesn't think Namami Gange are mostly related that a few people picking up brooms to construction of sewage treatment can clean local areas. The pollution plants and riverfront development, is a result of flawed developmental which has nothing to do with policies. A pro-ecology development conservation. Similarly he points out policy is necessary for sustainable that the Ministry of Environment and development. But the Narendra Forests counts approving of projects Modi government has not even as among its achievements, all of uttered the phrase of 'sustainable which involve clearing of forests! JANATA, September 2, 2018 7

Swami Sanand thinks the present requesting Swami Sanand to end his Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. idea of development is an enemy of fast has mentioned that in Kanpur, In 2013, he fasted from 13 June to environment and doesn't think that 80 MLD sewage out of 140 MLD 13 October, of which he spent 15 Ganga can be saved unless the task flowing through Sisamau drain is days in jail. The general secretary is given to people who are sensitive now being diverted to Bingawan of Ganga Sabha, Jitendranand, towards it. On 20 August 2018, the STP. Swami Sanand questions why delivered a letter to him from the Uttarakhand High Court ordered the a STP with a capacity of only 80 then BJP President Rajnath Singh state government that no untreated MLD was built? When the city was committing that when Narendra sewage should be dumped in Ganga. expanding, a STP with a higher Modi government comes to power, The sewage received by the sewage capacity should have been planned. it will accept all the demands of treatment plant (STP) at Haridwar But the approach of the government Swami Sanand related to Ganga. is more than double of its installed is to build whatever capacity can be However, the Modi government has capacity of 45 millions litres per day created from the available funds. been a big let down. Swami Sanand (MLD), and so the rest flows into The nature of planning is adhoc. feels that Manmohan Singh–Jairam Ganga untreated. Swami Sanand Swami Sanand is also quite Ramesh–Jayanthi Natarajan team asks what has the Pollution Control critical of activities like Kawanriya was more sensitive than Narendra Board and National Green Tribunal Yatras and Ram Kathas in the Modi–Nitin Gadkari–Uma Bharti being doing till now? He also raises name of religion and culture which towards caring about Ganga. He has a question on how these sewage create more pollution. He gave special praise for Jairam Ramesh, flows are measured. Most likely it the example of how people treat who got the making of Ganga Master is not the maximum flow. It is the Kanwariyas with Chole-Bhature Plan by foreign experts with United flow on the particular day when and other eatables from road side States funds cancelled. On Pranab it was measured. Sometimes the stalls, and entire area gets littered Mukherjee's suggestion, this task flow estimate is derived by simply with waste. Morari Bapu delivered was given to Indian Institute of assuming sewage generation of 50 a Ram Katha at Gangotri Dham, Technology Consortium. litres per day, and then multiplying Uttarkashi from 18 to 26 August, Swami Sanand wrote a letter to it by the population. 2018. Swami Sanand questioned the Nitin Gadkari on 4 July and to the As an example of bad planning, wisdom of conducting Ram Katha Prime Minister on 5 August, 2018. he points to the pumping station at this location which would have But there has been no reply from at Assi drain in Varanasi, which put additional burden on the local either. Swami Sanand is disappointed pumps the sewage upstream to the ecology. with the government as well as civil 35 MLD capacity STP in Ramana. Swami Sanand went on fast from society including IIT Consortium, What is the logic of pumping sewage 13 to 30 June, 2008, 14 January and has therefore put his life at stake. upstream of river? He also narrated to 20 February, 2009 and 20 July Are we going to let this Seer simply an incident when the environment to 23 August, 2010 against three die fasting? minister in the United Progressive hydroelectric projects—Bhairon Alliance government, Saifuddin Ghati, Lohari Nagpala and Pala Email: [email protected] Soz, visited the Rajendra Prasad Maneri—and was able to stall them Ghat sewage pumping station in all, even though the tunnel in Lohari Varanasi, only to be told that it had Nagpala was complete. He even Spectre not been functioning for the last managed to get the government to month and a half. With such callous declare 125 kilometres of Bhagirathi of Fascism attitude, he is not sure how Ganga as eco-sensitive zone. His fourth fast Contribution Rs. 20/- can be made clean. He feels that the was from 14 January to 16 April, commitment as well as competence 2012. It was done in stages—on Published by to even operate the STPs is missing. fruits in Allahabad, on lemon water Janata Trust & Lokayat North India has no good consultants in Haridwar, and finally without D-15, Ganesh Prasad, in this area. water in Varanasi, after which he Naushir Bharucha Marg, Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 Nitin Gandkari in his letter had to be admitted to the All India 8 JANATA, September 2, 2018 Kandhamal Without Closure

Apoorvanand

Kandhamal is yet another If the victims themselves national debate on conversion after milestone in the journey of the appeal for peace and there is no the carnage against Christians in the Independent India. It reminds repentance or atonement on part district of Dangs in Gujarat to deflect us that we are moving towards of the perpetrators, the talk of attention from those killings. the normalisation of a genocidal reconciliation becomes farcical. The Supreme Court also gave mindset. For the last ten years, it For the last 10 years, the Christians a justification for the hate crime has only been the Christians who have been fighting a lonely battle while lowering the quantum of remember this atrocity . The majority for justice. Nearly all state organs, punishment to the perpetrators. community does not seem to feel the including the police and civil Let us recall the exact words of the need to share of suffering, pain, administration, actively resisted and bench to understand why Kandhamal humiliation and sense of injustice of blocked the relief operations in the was waiting to happen. Justice their Christian compatriots. We are immediate aftermath of the attack. Sathasivam and Justice Chauhan turning into a nation of fractured After that, they did everything to said: “Though Graham Staines and sensibilities with little sense of deny the crime, put the onus on the his two minor sons were burnt to justice. victims themselves and obstructed death while they were sleeping inside The Archbishop of Cuttack– their battle for justice. a station wagon at Manoharpur, the Bhubaneswar Mgr. John Barwa Leave alone compensating the intention was to teach a lesson to has appealed for a holy mass on victims adequately and ensuring Staines about his religious activities, 25 August which marks the 10th the return of the survivors, the state namely, converting poor tribals to anniversary of the anti-Christian has not even acted on the order of Christianity.” violence in Kandhamal that led to the the Supreme Court given in 2016 Holding Staines responsible killing of more than 100 Christians, to re-investigate 315 cases of anti- for his murder, the bench used this looting and burning and destruction Christian violence. The NHRC opportunity to condemn the act of nearly 6,000 houses spread over has not opened its mouth on this of conversion: “It is undisputed more than 400 villages, desecration violence. With criminals enjoying that there is no justification for and destruction of hundreds of impunity, it is impossible to even interfering in someone`s belief by churches, convents and hostels think of reconciliation. Are the way of ‘use of force’, provocation, and displacement of nearly 60,000 Christians expected to reconcile conversion, incitement or upon a Christians from their homes. with this state–society apathy and flawed premise that one religion is The Archbishop says that this stop demanding justice? Would it be better than the other.” mass is an expression of the will of called return of peace then? In the case of Kandhamal the people of Odissa to turn a new leaf The mass violence against it was the murder of Swami and move towards a renewed society Christians in Kandhamal was Lakshmanananda which acted as filled with peace and harmony, preceded by a long and sustained an excuse and justification of the a move towards reconciliation hate campaign against them in mass violence against the Christians. and restoration of amity between the name of anti-conversion The Maoists claimed responsibility communities. Recalling the horror campaign. Remember the murder for the act but it did not deter the of Kandhamal which started on of the Australian missionary Graham Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other 25 August 2008 and continued for Staines and his two adolescent sons leaders of the affiliates of the RSS months, Mgr. John Barwa hopes by burning them. This crime by from blaming the Christians and that “ten years ago, what happened members of the Bajrang Dal was their organisations for his killing. in Kandhamal, Odisha should have legitimised obliquely using the Despite the Maoist claim, 7 innocent never happened and should never argument given by a person like Atal Christian tribals were given life ever happen again.” Bihari Vajpeyee who had called for a terms. Their appeal has not been JANATA, September 2, 2018 9 heard by the High Court for the last daily affair. Beating up of priests, that the violence of Kandhamal has 5 years. breaking up of prayer meetings succeeded in its mission. It has made The action-reaction theory, and carols, desecration of churches us so insensitive that unless there is invoked in 2002 in Gujarat to justify and arrests of priests, enactment a repeat on this scale, we would not the genocidal violence against of anti-conversion laws as done even accept that violence against Muslims, was invoked in Kandhamal in Jharkhand or villages being Christians has now become our too. The technique was also the made out of bounds for them as national habit. same. In Gujarat, the bodies of the in Chattisagarh lack the spectacle people who perished in the burning of Kandhamal. Our indifference to Email: [email protected] of the Sabarmati Express were these incidents only demonstrates taken out in a procession and then the violence started. Similarly, the funeral procession of the Swami was Growing Evidence Against GM Crops allowed to be led by Pravin Togadia, who was shouting anti-Christian Bharat Dogra slogans and calling for revenge. The funeral procession meandered A recent legal case which has evidence of the safety of its products through dense forests covering attracted worldwide attention relates by which the giant multinational 250 kilometers through Christian to the award of huge compensation company (MNC) had been swearing populations instigating violence. to DeWayne Johnson, a school had many holes in it, and at times its Not only the violence but the groundskeeper, by a California own findings were being passed off cover up operation done by ‘The jury on account of his health being as the opinion of reputed scientists. India Foundation’ by blaming it on damaged severely by a herbicide As the issues of food safety Christians through its propaganda glyphosate which this groundskeeper and health hazards are so important material should alarm us, as many had used regularly, resulting in very and as this and a few other MNCs functionaries of the Foundation painful and life-threatening blood- appear to be so determined to are now in leading positions in the cell cancer. There was widespread gain increasing domination of the government. sympathy for this victim and Edward world food and farming markets by Ten years later, we need not Kennedy, son of the famous Senator relentless lobbying for GM crops and recall the graphic details of the by the same name, was among the agri-chemicals tied to these crops, it violence done to women, children team of lawyers who argued this is important to look carefully at the and old men to generate sympathy case. scientific evidence available on this for them. It makes them look pitiable For people involved in food subject. While some of the most and helpless. Instead we need to safety issues, this case has an eminent scientists in the world have record the valiant battle that all the additional significance. The damages been warning against GM crops, victims and survivors have waged are to be paid by Monsanto, which these powerful companies along to secure justice with the help of is the manufacturer of glyphosate. with their influential collaborators the much maligned but a very small Monsanto is also in the forefront of in the government and the media group of human right organisations, the spread of genetically modified have been claiming that scientific individuals and lawyers. They have (GM) crops. It has been involved evidence is on their side. So the continued their fight, despite the in providing packages in which the common people are sometimes indifference, and stonewalling, by company’s GM seeds are closely confused regarding whom to believe. the state organs. For this, we need to tied to the marketing of the disputed This confusion can be cleared by be thankful to them, as through this herbicide whose serious health looking at what the most eminent struggle they have kept alive the idea hazards have been the subject of scientist of India on this subject of justice for all of us. much debate earlier also. In the said shortly before his death. This These ten years have seen hate course of the hearings of this case, scientist was the most well-informed and violence against Christians however, it became increasingly scientist in India on this subject. Our being routinised and turned into a clear that the so-called scientific reference here is of course to Dr. 10 JANATA, September 2, 2018

Pushpa Bhargava. Elsewhere in this article On the contrary, sufficient evidence Dr. Pushpa M. Bhargava was the he commented, “The central has emerged to raise serious safety founder of the Centre for Cellular and government departments that have concerns, that if ignored could result Molecular Biology and in addition he been acting as peddlers of GM in irreversible damage to health and was also the Vice Chairperson of the technology—probably in collusion the environment. GM crops should National Knowledge Commission. with MNCs marketing GM seeds— be firmly rejected now.” Many people’s science movements have shown little respect for law.” The Independent Science Panel looked upon him as their mentor. He In a review of recent trends titled (ISP) is a panel of scientists from had been appointed by the Supreme “Food Without Choice” (published many disciplines and countries, Court of India as an observer in in the Tribune), Prof. Bhargava, who committed to the promotion of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal was an internationally acclaimed science for the public good. In Committee as he was widely authority on this subject, drew a document titled The case for perceived to be not only a very pointed attention to the “attempt a GMO-free Sustainable World, accomplished expert on this issue by a small but powerful minority to the ISP has stated further, “By and that too of the highest integrity propagate genetically modified crops far the most insidious dangers of but in addition he was also seen on to serve their interests and those of genetic engineering are inherent the basis of his past record as a very multinational corporations (read the to the process itself, which greatly strong and persistent defender of US), the bureaucracy, the political enhances the scope and probability public interest. setup and a few unprincipled and of horizontal gene transfer and Therefore it is very useful and unethical scientists and technologists recombination, the main route interesting to see what this very who can be used as tools.” Further to creating viruses and bacteria senior scientist with a comprehensive he warned, “The ultimate goal of that cause disease epidemics. understanding of this issue had this attempt in India, of which the This was highlighted, in 2001, to say about GM crops. First of leader is Monsanto, is to obtain by the ‘accidental’ creation of a all he made a strong and clear control over Indian agriculture and killer mouse virus in the course effort to break the myth which thus food production. With 60 per of an apparently innocent genetic had been created by relentless cent of our population engaged in engineering experiment. Newer manipulation by the very powerful agriculture and living in villages, techniques, such as DNA shuffling, forces trying to spread GM crops in this would essentially mean not are allowing geneticists to create in India. According to this myth most only a control over our food security a matter of minutes in the laboratory scientific research supports GM but also over our farmer security, millions of recombinant viruses crops. While demolishing this myth agricultural security and security of that have never existed in billions Dr. Bhargava wrote, “There are the rural sector.” of years of evolution. Disease- over 500 research publications by The strong stand of Dr. Bhargava causing viruses and bacteria and scientists of indisputable integrity, against GM crops is supported their genetic material are the who have no conflict of interest, by other eminent scientists in predominant materials and tools that establish harmful effects of GM various parts of world. A group for genetic engineering, as much as crops on human, animal and plant of eminent scientists organised for the intentional creation of bio- health, and on the environment and under the Independent Science weapons.” biodiversity. For example, a recent Panel have stated in very clear Several scientists involved paper by Indian scientists showed terms, “GM crops have failed to in studying the implications and that the Bt gene in both cotton and deliver the promised benefits and impacts of genetic engineering brinjal leads to inhibition of growth are posing escalating problems on got together at the International and development of the plant. On the farm. Transgenic contamination Conference on ‘Redefining of Life the other hand, virtually every paper is now widely acknowledged to be Sciences’ organised at Penang, supporting GM crops is by scientists unavoidable, and hence there can be Malaysia, by the Third World who have a declared conflict of no co-existence of GM and non-GM Network. They issued a statement interest or whose credibility and agriculture. Most important of all, (the Penang Statement) which integrity can be doubted.” GM crops have not been proven safe. questioned the scientific basis of JANATA, September 2, 2018 11 genetic engineering. This statement said : The Larger Picture on GDP Numbers The new biotechnology based upon genetic engineering makes Arun Kumar the assumption that each specific feature of an organism is encoded in With the back series for GDP UPA-I and -II was higher than what one or a few specific, stable genes, growth since 1993–94 becoming has been achieved during the present so that the transfer of these genes available, this new data on GDP has NDA regime. results in the transfer of a discrete raised a political storm. Its importance feature. This extreme form of genetic lies in the fact that in 2015, a new Points to the issue reductionism has already been series was announced which showed There are three distinct aspects rejected by the majority of biologists India’s GDP growing faster than to the controversy. First, why was and many other members of the that shown by the earlier series. the back series—now the bone of intellectual community because it This was politically advantageous contention—needed? Second, what fails to take into account the complex to the National Democratic Alliance do the data show? And, third, why interactions between genes and their (NDA) government which came to was the rate of growth during the two cellular, extracellular and external power in 2014. UPA regimes higher? environments that are involved in the The NDA claimed that the An economy produces a large development of all traits. second United Progressive Alliance number of goods and services and It has thus been impossible (UPA-II) government had messed new ones are added all the time. The to predict the consequences of up the economy and it had turned production of all these items has to transferring a gene from one type of it around. But in the new series, the be estimated in order to calculate organism to another in a significant rate of growth during the last two the rate of growth of the economy. number of cases. The limited ability years of UPA-II was also higher than This requires lots of data, which to transfer identifiable molecular what the old series showed, so that is a tall order. So, a select set of characteristics between organisms the economic performance under items is taken to represent the entire through genetic engineering does not the UPA also did not look so bad. production. The question that arises constitute the demonstration of any What the new series also showed is: how accurate are the data? comprehensive or reliable system for was that the NDA had inherited an Technology poses another predicting all the significant effects economy with GDP growing at 8.4% challenge. Older items become of transposing genes. in the second quarter of 2014. Most redundant and newer ones need to macroeconomic variables had also be included. Email: [email protected] recovered from their lows in 2013. So, as time passes, the earlier Data show that after the NDA series of data does not represent the took over, the rate of growth fell true growth rate of the economy The Unemployment and then rose to a peak of 8.65% and needs to be modified. That is Crisis: in 2015–16 Q4. After that it fell for why the old series is replaced by a five consecutive quarters—to 5.57% new one periodically. The earlier Reasons and by 2017–18 Q1. The two shocks to series (from 2004–05) was replaced Solutions the economy (demonetisation and by a new series (from 2011–12). then the GST) had a big negative Another question arises: How do the Contribution Rs. 25/- impact on the rate of growth. This data from the new series compare with those of the old series? Is it Published by is not even captured in the new data since a shock requires a change that growth was also higher earlier? Janata Trust & Lokayat in methodology for calculation of Analysts have demanded a back D-15, Ganesh Prasad, GDP. The political slugfest between series whenever a new series is Naushir Bharucha Marg, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the prepared. There were problems Grant Road (W), Congress is due to data showing that with the new series which is why Mumbai 400 007 the average growth rate under the the back series was not generated 12 JANATA, September 2, 2018 automatically. This is also why the balance sheet problem), higher However, the current slowdown new committee (which has presented inflation and current account deficit. is largely policy induced and less its report) was set up. But the higher growth was on due to international factors. The The difficulty with the new the back of a 38% rate of investment twin shocks (demonetisation and series (2011–12) was because it not and a 36% rate of savings achieved the GST) have played havoc with only changed the bundle of items by 2007–08. These are now down the unorganised sector (not yet used to calculate growth but also to 32% and 30%, respectively. The captured in the data). Household used a more extensive data base 2007–08 crisis was a global one, but savings have declined sharply and (of companies) called MCA21. the Indian economy continued to the investment climate remains This data base was available from grow when many other economies poor with large numbers of dollar 2006–07. However, it kept changing were slowing down due to an millionaires leaving the country. The every year and did not stabilise till increase in the fiscal deficit from government might consider leaving 2010–11—so it was not comparable its record low in 2007. The crisis the data debate to experts and not across years and could not be used of 2012–13 was due to the rise in make it a political issue. to generate the back series. This is petroleum prices and largely due to also why the task of the committee international factors. Email: [email protected] was a difficult one and it could not mechanically generate the back series. The committee had to use a MODIGATE, THE RAFALE SCAM: new method which has its own Deal Imperils National Security assumptions, which are likely to be debated by experts. A bias in Statement released by Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and the results seems to be that the Prashant Bhushan at a press conference on August 8, 2018 growth rate in the new time series (edited by us for reasons of space). for the 1990s is lower than in the old series, whereas it is higher for the 2000s. It is also unable to The manner in which the order manufacture, but does have a record take the black economy and the for the Rafale fighter was suddenly of failing in large projects, and is changes in the unorganised sectors changed. The gross violation of mired deeply in debt. into account. The report has been mandatory procedures. The dogged Each of these features has submitted to the National Statistical effort of the government to conceal convinced us that there is a major Commission which will finalise it. facts. The contradictory and scandal here, gross misuse of Therefore, government functionaries ever-shifting statements of the office, and monumental criminal are arguing that the data cited by the Minister of Defence. The gross misconduct. Nor is this an ordinary media are not final. misuse of friendly media to purvey scandal or ordinary misconduct: it is falsehood, and to drown vital facts one that imperils the security of the Quarrel about causes and questions in an avalanche of country, and puts serious pressure on It is interesting that the criticism abuse. Invoking secrecy clauses in the already fragile defence capital is more about the causes of the the contract that are just not there. budget. Moreover, it is by far larger higher rate of growth under the The inexplicable dropping from than ones that the country has had to UPA than the methodology of the the project of the one national contend with in the past. study. The implicit admission is that organisation that has decades of the economy did grow faster under experience in building aircraft—the Facts and questions the UPA but due to wrong policies public sector organisation Hindustan In accordance with requirements (allowing the fiscal deficit to rise, Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL)—and the specified by the Indian Air Force, undue expansion of bank loans, etc). incomprehensible induction of a the United Progressive Alliance The argument is that these have led private company that has absolutely (UPA) government issued a Request to non-performing assets (the twin no experience in the field of aerospace for Proposal (RFP) on August 28, JANATA, September 2, 2018 13

2007 for 126 Medium Multi-Role advanced technologies; an order of Indian Air Force was now to get Combat (MMRC) aircrafts. The RFP such a large magnitude—buying only 36 fighters—nothing was made clear that the bids were to be 126 fighters—ought to be leveraged mentioned about the rest. inclusive of cost of initial purchase, to obtain advanced technologies All that was said by government transfer of technology, licensed from the foreign vendor. Third, sources in justification of this deal production, etc. This gives lie to the the one Indian company that had was that the Air Force needed the government’s repeated assertion decades of experience in building planes urgently, and that these 36 that a higher price is being paid to aircraft—HAL—should build the planes would reach India within two Dassault now because of “add-ons”. fighter in India so that it would be years. Three years later, the aircraft Six vendors, that is Dassault in a position to maintain, service are nowhere in sight. It has in fact Aviation, Lockheed Martin, and overhaul the Rafale through its been announced in Parliament that Boeing, Saab, Eurofighter GmbH service life of 30–40 years. In the the first Rafale fighters will come and Russian Aircraft Corporation process, HAL would also acquire only by September 2019 (four- submitted bids. After flight trials advanced manufacturing capabilities and-a-half years after the prime and technical assessment, the Indian to become self-reliant in producing minister’s announcement). The Air Force announced in 2011 that state-of-the art fighter aircraft. full pack of 36 aircraft will not be Dassault’s Rafale and Eurofighter Accordingly, the 126-aircraft available to India till mid-2022. GmbH’s Typhoon fighters met the deal envisaged that the first eighteen If the government had adhered air force’s requirements. In 2012, it aircraft would be procured in a to the original RFP, the 18 aircraft was found that Dassault’s bid was “fly-away condition”, that is, these would have come within two and the lowest and therefore negotiations would be fully built by the vendor. half years, and, as Dassault would began between Dassault and the The remaining 108 fighters would have been bound to commence Indian government. be manufactured in India by HAL production within three years, the Intensive negotiations took under a Transfer of Technology additional aircraft would also have place. They reached the penultimate agreement. At the time the RFP was been available to the Air Force by state. Addressing the press on March floated in 2007, the total cost for mid-2022. The planes thus would 25, 2015 in France, Eric Trappier, 126 MMRC aircrafts was estimated have been available at the pace at the chief executive officer of by government to be Rs 42,000 which the government now claims it Dassault stated: “You can imagine crores. The final price that was being has ensured as a matter of urgency, my satisfaction to hear . . . from negotiated under the deal is not in the and, in addition, the country would the HAL Chairman, that we are in public domain. have gained from the technology that agreement for the responsibilities During his visit to France, would have been transferred. sharing, considering as well our Prime Minister Narendra Modi Several questions arise: conformity with the RFP in order announced on April 10, 2015 that • Did the Air Force urge that to be in line with the rules of this India will purchase 36 Rafale jets the original deal with its all- competition. I strongly believe that in a government-to-government important multiple objectives be contract finalisation and signature agreement. There are several scrapped and a new one confined would come soon.” startling facts about this agreement: to 36 aircraft be concluded? The UPA government steered • There was no explanation for How was the Air Force’s studied the negotiations to fulfil three inter- how the number of 36 aircraft estimate that it is in dire need related objectives. First, the Air had been arrived at; of 126 aircraft summarily Force should get some aircraft at the • There was no mention of jettisoned? earliest possible, since the MiG-21 any planes that were to be • As this was entirely a new deal, and MiG-27 fleet had completed manufactured in India; why were fresh tenders not their service lives and were being • There was no mention of the invited? In particular, why was retired from service. Second, requirement that the supplier this not done in view of the fact India’s aerospace industry has to must transfer technology; that the suppliers Eurofighter be rejuvenated: for this to happen, • From securing 126 fighters, the GmbH had formally written the country must acquire access to 14 JANATA, September 2, 2018

to the then Defence Minister required to process Offset proposals. Aviation as part of a separate process Arun Jaitley on July 4, 2014, In an inexplicable abdication of its underway; the delivery would be in offering to reduce the cost of the mandatory duty, the government has time-frame that would be compatible Eurofighter Typhoon by a full now claimed that it has nothing to with the operational requirement 20%? do with the matter, and that it is the of IAF; and that the aircraft and prerogative of Dassault to choose its associated systems and weapons Enter Anil Ambani group, exit Offset partner. Two questions arise: would be delivered on the same HAL i) Could an experienced configuration as had been tested In March 2014, it was widely manufacturer like Dassault have and approved by Indian Air Force, reported that a Work Share picked a company that had no and with a longer maintenance Agreement was entered into experience whatsoever of responsibility by France.” between Dassault Aviation and HAL manufacturing aircraft, without Two implications of the Joint according to which HAL would do approval from the Indian Statement are manifest: 70% of the work on 108 planes that government? • The price of the 36 Rafales were to be manufactured in India ii) As mentioned above, this would be cheaper than what was while Dassault would undertake approval was necessary under the already being negotiated. Since the rest of the work. However, in Government of India’s own offset they were being supplied in “fly- the new deal signed by Modi, there policy. Surely, the government away condition”, they had to be was no mention now of transfer of must be able to list the grounds on cheaper than the 18 Rafales that technology; HAL was manifestly which its own company, HAL, was Dassault had bid to supply in the kicked out, and with it the much removed? MMRC aircraft tender. vaunted Make in India. Neither Reliance Defence nor • The aircraft and systems were to That’s not all. Some time after any of its allied companies have be “on the same configuration as the announcement of the Rafale any experience of manufacturing had been tested and approved deal, it was revealed that a new Joint aerospace and defence equipment. In by the IAF” in the MMRC Venture has been struck between contrast, HAL has over 60 years of aircraft evaluation. This clear Reliance Defence Ltd. and Dassault experience in aircraft manufacturing. and emphatic affirmation in Aviation, with Anil Ambani as the the Joint Statement nails the chief executive officer. Reliance is to Secrecy clause: ‘As much of a lie falsehood that has been spread hold 51% of the equity and Dassault as it is baseless’ since then, namely, that the price 49%. This brand new company is the The Government of India has per aircraft is so much higher one that has been assigned 70% of been insisting that it cannot disclose because of some novel “India the Offset benefits—that is, orders the price of the aircraft because of specific enhancements” in the worth Rs 21,000 crore out of a total an agreement of secrecy with the 36 Rafales now contracted. offset liability of Rs 30,000 crore. Government of France. This claim On November 18, 2016, in Strangely, Reliance Defence is as much of a lie as it is baseless. response to a question asked in Limited was incorporated only on It has also been maintaining that the Lok Sabha on the acquisition March 28, 2015, just 12 days before the cost of 36 Rafale jets cannot of fighter aircrafts, the Minister the Rafale deal was announced by be “directly compared” with the of State for Defence stated that: PM Modi. original proposal to buy 126 combat “Inter-Governmental Agreement Now, Clause 8.6 of the Defence aircraft as “deliverables” were with the Government of French Offset Guidelines brought into force significantly different. Republic has been signed on by this government on April 1, 2016, Let us go back to the India- 23.09.2016 for purchase of mandatorily require that, “all Offset France Joint Statement issued on 36 Rafale aircraft along with proposals will be processed by the April 10, 2015. It stated: “The two requisite equipments, services Acquisition Manager and approved leaders agreed to conclude an Inter- and weapons. Cost of each by Raksha Mantri, regardless of Governmental Agreement for supply Rafale aircraft is approximately their value.” Thus, approval of the of the aircraft on terms that would Rs 670 crore and all the aircraft Defence Minister was mandatorily be better than conveyed by Dassault will be delivered by April 2022.” JANATA, September 2, 2018 15

As will be evident from this National security implications and of ensuring that government statement: The net result of the gross misuse remains accountable as well as of office by which the original media must exhume every fact • The price was disclosed by the project for the acquisition of 126 about how the original project was government itself; fighter aircraft has been sabotaged is: jettisoned, and one without rationale • The price was put at Rs 670 crore • National security has been has been put in its place. per aircraft; jeopardised; • In the government’s own • An enormous additional burden telling, this price included the has been placed on the national “requisite equipments, services exchequer; and weapons.” • The one organisation in the It now stands revealed that the country which has had decades- Minister had lied to Parliament. long experience in manufacturing The actual price of 36 aircrafts aircraft—HAL—has been was revealed in a Press Release by kicked out of the project; Dassault and Reliance Defence on • A private party which has had February 16, 2017 and Financial absolutely no experience in Press Release statement of Dassault manufacturing aerospace and for 2016. Both the documents show defence equipment has been the total price of the deal to be about handed an enormous financial Rs 60,000 crore (about 8.139 Billion benefit. Euros) for 36 aircrafts. This is what The entire transaction is is embarrassing for the government thus a textbook case of criminal for it works out to Rs 1,660 crore per misconduct, of misuse of public plane. This is more than double the office, and of enriching parties at the price of the aircraft under the earlier expense of the national interest and 126 MMRC aircrafts deal. And national security. almost Rupees one thousand crore Parliament and other agencies higher per plane than the price that charged with the responsibility was furnished by the government of overseeing the defence of our itself to Parliament on November country, of preventing corruption, 18, 2016. It is only when the Opposition started claiming that there was a scam in the Rafale deal that the government has now started claiming that the price of the aircraft cannot be disclosed. The fact of the matter is, the secrecy clause in the agreement only binds India not to disclose the technical specifications and operational capabilities of the aircraft, it does not bind India to keep the price secret. In fact, the French President, Emmanuel Macron himself stated explicitly in March 2018 in an interview to India Today that how much is to be disclosed in this regard is entirely up to the Indian government. R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, September 2, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, September 2, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, September 5, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 33 Kerala Wake-Up Call on Growth September 9, 2018 and Development Political Sociology of English Education in India Vandana Shiva Dilip Chavan How Aadhaar KYC is Destroying The images of floods and of ‘development’ and ‘growth’. Government Databases mudslides in Kerala, known as These two words dominate the Anupam Saraph “God’s own country”, should be economic, political, social and A Good Few Days for the a wake-up call—we should ask cultural discourse. They are amoeba British Left ourselves if we are on a sustainable words that can be given whatever Andy Stowe development path. shape/meaning the speaker and Modi's Kashmir Policy is Playing In the 1970s, deforestation was listener assign to them. Right into the Hands of leading to landslides and floods Development is originally a Pakistan's ISI in what is now Uttarakhand. The biological, not an economic term. It Prem Shankar Jha women of the mountains banded refers to the auto-poetic evolution of Solution to Assam's together as “Chipko” to stop the a seed into a plant, an embryo into Foreigners Problem logging. I became a volunteer in the a person. It refers to self-organised, Sandeep Pandey Chipko movement. After devastating self-directed, self-evolutionary The Communal Movement in floods of 1978, the government development. The structure of future Venezuela: Part I realised that the small revenues it forms of development is enfolded collected from extractive forestry in the complex potential of living Editor : G.G.Parikh in the fragile hills were insignificant systems. Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain in the context of the costs of flood ‘Development’ was genetically destruction. engineered into an economic/ Managing Editor : Guddi The Gadgil report on the Western political concept on January 20, 1949 Editorial Board : Ghats established that deforestation when US President Harry Truman, B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali, of fragile catchments, building of too in his inaugural speech, declared Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah, many dams and construction in flood the former Southern Hemisphere plains was a recipe for ecological colonies—that had been drained of Amarendra Dhaneshwar, disaster. Add to it climate extremes their wealth through colonisation— Sandeep Pandey driven by climate change, and we as “underdeveloped areas” needing D-15, Ganesh Prasad, have the disaster we are now seeing development, which now became Naushir Bharucha Marg, in Kerala. another term for recolonisation. Mumbai - 400 007. Every ecological warning From its meaning as self- Email : [email protected] was ignored as governments of organised evolution, it now became Website:www.janataweekly.org different parties share the religion an externally imposed economic 2 JANATA, September 9, 2018 system designed to keep former super-rich, millionaires become accumulation of extreme wealth colonies dependent on the empire, billionaires, so that ‘growth’ can is a single interconnected process. entrapped in debt, a source of rents end poverty. England’s increase in wealth during from interest repayments. In a The increase of money flow via colonialism was linked to the meeting at Bretton Woods in 1944, GDP is totally disassociated from creation of poverty and famines in two years after Mahatma Gandhi real value, but those who accumulate India. The concentration of wealth gave the “Quit India” call, new financial resources can stake claim in the hands of the one per cent is institutions like the World Bank on people’s real resources—land and linked to the planetary crisis, and and IMF were created to continue water, forests and seeds. ‘Hungry’ the crisis of deepening hunger and colonial extraction and economic money is predating on the last drop poverty. drain. ‘Development’ became the of water and the last inch of land Economic growth hides the new colonisation to legitimise on the planet. This isn’t an end to poverty it creates, both through displacement of tribals from their poverty, but an end to human rights, destruction of nature, and nature’s forests and farmers from their land. justice and ecological security. ability to provide goods and services, ‘Growth’ too has its origins People are made disposable in a as well as through destroying self- in the world of biology and life. world where money rules and the provisioning capacities of societies Plants grow, children grow. Growth, value of money has replaced human which Gandhi called “swadeshi”. like development, earlier referred values that lead to sustainability, The manipulation of the economy to growth and flourishing of life. justice and human dignity. through GDP needs to be replaced ‘Growth’ as GDP was invented to What growth measures is the by a development model for the mobilise resources for war. The super-profits of the one per cent. well-being of all life and all people. definition of growth was based on “if What it fails to measure is destruction That’s why nations like Bhutan you produce what you consume, you of life in nature and society. The have adopted Gross National don’t produce”. This was a global poverty and exclusion of the 99 Happiness instead of Gross National assault on local self-provisioning, per cent from the economy of one Product to measure well-being. self-reliant economies. per cent is linked to the growth Economists like Joseph Stiglitz Nature’s amazing cycles of paradigm. It’s said that the cake must and Amartya Sen have admitted renewal of water and nutrients are grow bigger so that it can be shared that GDP doesn’t capture the defined thus as non-production. The among a larger number. That’s how human condition. Navdanya (the world’s small peasants, providing poverty will be removed in the organisation with which Vandana 72 per cent of its food, are defined fundamentalist religion of growth. Shiva is associated – editor) is as unproductive. Women who do But the illusions substituting real working with Bhutan to make a most of the work are defined as wealth and real people are actually transition to a 100 per cent organic not working in this paradigm of making the ecological/material Bhutan, as well as transition from ‘growth’. cake shrink. Further, the shrinking GDP to Gross National Happiness as GDP, or gross domestic product, cake is being poisoned by processes a measure of socio-economic well- emerged both as the most powerful that create ‘growth’. A shrinking being. Growing organic is growing number and dominant concept of poisoned cake becomes a cause happiness and well-being for the our times. It is supposed to measure for increasing poverty, inequality, planet—for farmers as well as for the wealth of nations. Limitless disease. It’s not an answer to poverty, everyone who eats. growth is the fantasy of economists, it’s the cause of both poverty and Email: [email protected] businesses and politicians. It’s seen ecological destruction. as a measure of wealth and progress. The processes that allow the Vandana Shiva wealth are also those through which It is repeatedly said that to they grab resources and livelihoods is available at remove poverty, we must have of people, creating poverty. The www.lohiatoday.com growth. The rich must become creation of extreme poverty and JANATA, September 9, 2018 3 Political Sociology of English Education in India

Dilip Chavan

Language has always been This is achieved through ideological south was the Sanskrit language a subject of great consideration hegemony, which is combination of and the sacred texts written in and concern for human beings. coercion and consent. The tenets Sanskrit.i The scholars of language have of this ideology which benefit only As Sanskrit was considered the been incessantly trying to interpret the ruling or oppressing class are language of deities and celestial this phenomenon since times accepted by the oppressors as well beings and their surrogates on Earth, immemorial. There is no dearth of the oppressed. In other words, the access to it was restricted, by and studies which are devoted to language oppressed internalise the ideology large, to the upper varnas of the in general. However, most of these of the oppressor. The oppressed Brahmins and Kshatriyas. studies are made in descriptive, become the ‘collaborators’ of their technical and mechanical modes. own oppressors. Language is one The study of language has to of the ideological apparatuses used English Education: Colonial be made keeping in view the fact by the oppressors. It functions as Period that language is essentially and the carrier of the ideology of the Like the educational policies, predominantly a social phenomenon. oppressor. the linguistic policies also arise out Language is not merely a system The Gramcian concept of of the contemporary needs of the of conveying information, it also hegemony and the importance of ruling class. They are framed to suit fulfills some social functions. The language as an ideological apparatus to the interests of the elite. Many development of sociolinguistics has can be illustrated well by citing the colonial documents reveal the fact shifted the emphasis from an abstract example of Sanskrit language. In that the British colonial rulers in study of the rules of language to a country as large as India, it has India used “linguistics” to achieve study of language in relation to always been necessary to have one “non-linguistic” goals. They used social factors. Politically speaking, language functioning as the lingua- English (the education of English) language and linguistic policies franca or link language. In the to establish their hegemonic rule may be used as means of achieving classical times, Sanskrit performed over India. ‘Linguistic colonialism’ the dominance of one class over the this role. During that time, this was part of ‘economic colonialism’. other. Language provides additional language was the vehicle of the Macaulay’s Minute on Education power to the socially advantageous ideology of the ruling class (ruling clearly states that the colonial power class in the society. This paper varnas or castes). As Robert D. King intended to create an educated attempts to study the language puts it: and westernised class that would issue in India in the socio–political– function as a mediating class Suffice it to say here that the cultural context. between the ruler and the ruled. great unifier of India has always We make our study in the English education offered various been ‘Brahmanical ideology’; light of the Gramscian concept of opportunities of personal gains to not only the familiar structures hegemony. Gramsci, the Italian only the upper classes / castes of of Hinduism such as caste, cow Marxist thinker, has formulated a society; and they came forward with worship, religious ceremonies, concept of hegemony to elucidate a great zeal to enjoy the fruits of this cremation and so on, but the how the ideology of the ruling class language. intellectual authorities of comes to be accepted by the ruled. the great classical texts, the According to Gramsci, the ruling Post-Colonial Period Vedas, the Upanishadas, the class does not achieve its domination After independence, India Bhagvadagita. The instrument on the subjects through force alone, should have redefined the goals and of penetration of Brahminised but by making the subjects willingly priorities in education in general ideology into the Deccan and the submit themselves to their masters. and English education in particular. 4 JANATA, September 9, 2018

However, it is a fact that English also political clout in their respective fluency and accuracy eludes these education in post-colonial India regions. They are now trying hard to learners. This has an adverse effect has only been a continuation of the create a space for themselves in the on their morale. Many of them get colonial experience. power structure at the national level. frustrated and give up attempting to After independence, the Over the last thirty years, the learn English. Every year, thousands domestic elite castes/classes old national elite has gradually of students fail in English in the tightened their hold on the levers incorporated the regional elites into S.S.C. and the H.S.C examination. of power at the national level. This itself. The relationship between the The British colonisers made group controls the higher echelons national elites and the regional elites English important by introducing of politics, bureaucracy, the armed is of patron–client type. Major share it as a compulsory course in the forces, corporate business and the of the national income and natural competitive examinations. This professions. And so, it continued resources are appropriated by the policy continued even after with the British education policy of national elites and a very small independence. Majority of the having English as the most important portion of it is left for the regional students who have had their education medium of instruction in education. elites. Though the regional elites through regional languages fail Education in general and English express their resentment at this to attain proficiency in English. education in particular became relationship, they are also benefited Resultantly, they cannot compete an additional tool in the hands of by this relationship as they function with the English-educated upper this national elite to exercise its as the secondary allies of the national class city dwellers. Thus, English domination over the country. elites. becomes a barrier to their social The post-colonial education However, the regional elites mobility. policy resulted in a dual education have not given a boost to education in One of the inevitable system in an already stratified Indian their respective regional languages. consequences of the language society. The rich upper castes had Instead of that, they have joined policy implemented in India is that for their children private high cost hands with the national elite in the for millions of the lower caste– English medium schools, and after latter’s use of the English language class masses, learning English has studying in these schools, their as one of the means of asserting its remained an illusion. According to children easily got the few cushy hegemony over Indian society. And the 1991 Census, only 9 percent and lucrative jobs available in the so, despite the rise of this regional of the Indians—that translates country. As a section of the not- elite, the pre-eminence of English into around 9 crore people—know so-rich lower castes became more has continued in India. The Indian English as the first, second or third wealthy, they also began sending elite classes, whether national or language. This indicates that English their children to these English regional, understand the nexus has remained a prerogative of a few. medium schools, and they were between knowledge and power very even willing to pay huge amounts well. They use English as a mean Towards an Equity-Oriented for this. The other side of the coin of exclusion and an instrument of Language Education was that as a result of this class– cultural hegemony. 1. A total restructuring of the caste based educational policies, This is why, today, there is not a education system is a prerequisite the majority of the poor population single city in India where the English to an equity-oriented language has remained uneducated and, medium schools have not sprouted education. The national resultantly, deprived of English. like some kind of viral fever. expenditure on education must Since the 1970s, because of This language policy has be raised to 10% of the GDP so democratic politics and the Green produced a whole generation of as to achieve hundred percent Revolution, there has taken place mofussil youth which has little literacy. the rise of a new regional elite class exposure to English. The teachers 2. The pre-eminence of English in India. This class has arisen from of English in the mofussil areas should be reduced. The issue is the dominant peasant castes in the are not competent enough to teach obviously not about abolishing respective states. They have not English. And so, despite spending English. The predominance of only acquired economic clout but several years in learning English, English has created a big divide JANATA, September 9, 2018 5

between the metropolitan–rich– elite and the mofussil–poor– How Aadhaar KYC is Destroying subaltern. The continuation of Government Databases the dual education system in which one stream of schooling uses English as a medium Anupam Saraph of instruction needs to be reoriented. Post-infection by the Aadhaar (DIN). It states, “The Central 3. Nowadays, all the Indian bug, every organisation in India has Government shall, within one languages and dialects are been suffering inability to recognise month from the receipt of the undergoing a deepening crisis those that they have recognised application under section 153, allot under the impact of imperialistic for decades. Suddenly, they need a Director Identification Number to globalisation. Language is an Aadhaar and an annual know- an applicant in such manner as may being used very strategically your-customer (KYC) to allow be prescribed.” by the imperialist forces to the relationship of decades to be There is no provision in the realise their goals. English has continued till yet another KYC next Companies Act to require a director, emerged as a potential threat to year. who has been allotted a DIN, to the Indian languages. Therefore, The ministry of corporate affairs undergo KYC process. There are urgent steps need to be taken to (MCA) is the latest to have been no provisions in the Act to require a strengthen regional languages. hit by the KYC bug. Calling for DIN to be validated again once it has conducting KYC of all directors of been allotted or for it to be cancelled. all companies annually through a It is obvious that the government is i. Robert D. King, Nehru and new e-form, DIR-3 KYC, the MCA infected with the Aadhaar bug that the Language Politics of India has made Aadhaar mandatory, apart is causing every ministry to create (1997; New Delhi: Oxford U P, from filing of their unique personal illegal and invalid procedures and 1998) 11. mobile number and personal email ID requirements to include Aadhaar Email: [email protected] duly verified by one time password numbers into its databases. (OTP) using their own DSC (Class There is no rule or notification Janata 2) and duly certified by a practising on the MCA website that provides professional (Chartered Accountant any legal base to the DIR-3 KYC Subscription (CA) / Company Secretary (CS) / process. Letters issued to directors Certified Management Accountant registered with the MCA do not give Annual Rs. : 260/- (CMA)). reference to any legal provision, Three Years : 750/- Directors on various companies thus making them ab initio ipso jure for more than a decade expressed invalid. Demand Draft / shock as some of them have changed RS Sharma, the chairman of Cheque mobiles and email IDs several times Telecom Regulatory Authority of in the past 20 years and many have India (TRAI), in a Twitter session on stayed away from Aadhaar for on #AskTRAI refused to answer a Mumbai Bank different reasons. Several directors question on the regulator’s policy in favour of still prefer landlines and postal about recycling mobile numbers. services. Some with an Aadhaar Mobile numbers get recirculated have discovered, to their utter shock, to different subscribers when JANATA TRUST that their biometrics do not work like subscribers do not renew their D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the science fiction projected by the subscription or lose their numbers Naushir Bharucha Marg, Unique Identification Authority of for other reasons. They are neither Grant Road (W), India (UIDAI). bound to a unique subscriber for life Section 154 of the Companies nor are they bound to a single user Mumbai 400 007. Act provides for the allotment of over the period of subscription. The a directors identification number same is true for email IDs. If the 6 JANATA, September 9, 2018

MCA requires a unique channel for Clearly, there is no merit in any as there is no way to distinguish real each director isn't it more appropriate claim that the biometrics can be individuals, on-boarded through for them to just allot a mobile the basis for unique entries in the careful legal process by government number and email ID for the life of Aadhaar database and that the officials, from those added through the director? Aadhaar database is free from ghosts the Aadhaar database. If demanding a unique mobile and duplicates. From the looks of There is prima facie enough case, number and unique email ID are it, at least 60 crore numbers in the and national security at stake, for the not absurd as demanding a unique database are ghosts and duplicates. Central Bureau of Investigation address, the KYC using Aadhaar is It cannot serve any KYC or (CBI) to investigate into the use and even more bizarre. transparency to replace certified propagation of the Aadhaar. UIDAI, under Right to IDs that have been the basis of Citizens across the country Information (RTI) Act, has stated governance for last seven decades have written to various government that the biometric and demographic with uncertified, unverified and ministries and agencies highlighting information associated with any unaudited Aadhaar issued by an these issues. Senior bureaucrats, Aadhaar number is not certified, agency, the UIDAI, that takes no who realise this for the first time, verified or audited by anyone. responsibility for any Aadhaar are utterly shocked. They have never They also state that they have no number turning out to be a ghost or realised how the Trojan Horse of idea what primary documents were for any transaction undertaken with Aadhaar got into their department used as proof of identity or proof of the Aadhaar numbers. or ministry. An uncertified biometric address to obtain Aadhaar and that Unfortunately, most bureaucrats or demographic has no legal value they have no idea how many unique have not realised that merely and causes incalculable harm to the biometrics, names, addresses, email including Aadhaar in the database country. ids or mobile numbers exist in their makes indistinguishable such records While some ministries are database. They also state that they from those that were painstakingly making an effort to protect their cannot retrieve unique records created through legal processes over databases from Aadhaar, they have with any biometrics. (For more on decades. What neither the UIDAI yet to ensure that the Aadhaar bug this, please see the article “Unique nor the government seem to have is destroyed before it destroys the ID is not Unique, does not certify recognised is that the issue, use and country. anything, says UIDAI”, by Anupam mandating Aadhaar under these The Central Board of Direct Saraph, available on the internet.) circumstances could be considered Taxes (CBDT) has already enabled The UIDAI has also indicated, as an offence under various sections the process to allow filing of income- under RTI, that it does not identify of Chapter XI of the Indian Penal tax returns (ITRs) without Aadhaar. anyone nor is it responsible for any Code. The MCA has announced that it will use or consequences of the use of The use of Aadhaar, therefore, not insist on Aadhaar although it has Aadhaar. Identification requires the by any stretch of imagination, not yet clarified the legal basis of identifier to not only certify and take cannot serve any legitimate and legal the DIR-3 KYC. Directors from at responsibility for identification but purpose or any national interest. least four different states have been also be co-present with the person In India, where every preparing to challenge the vires of identified to be able to establish government document had to be the DIR-3 KYC and the Aadhaar identity. attested by a gazetted officer, the mandate in their respective High In fact, the UIDAI does not pendulum has swung to the other Courts. even know how many unique extreme. Suddenly, biometric and This, however, has become a biometrics exist in the entire demographic data submitted by matter of national security that is database. Astonishingly UIDAI’s private operators to UIDAI is being far more serious and important than affidavit to the Supreme Court in used to replace legally valid or a misinformed and misplaced case the WP 494 of 2012 and associated legitimate identification documents for governmental expediency or the matters indicates that at least 60 issued and certified by government right of the government to create crore Aadhaar numbers out of 120 officers. Once Aadhaar replaces procedures for its functioning. crore have never been used to existing documents, it causes authenticate any transaction ever. unprecedented harm to the country Email: [email protected] JANATA, September 9, 2018 7 A Good Few Days for the British Left

Andy Stowe

It was a test of strength between presidents. He is an internationalist more or less said he wants to see the left and neo-fascist right in and anti-racist and he is not prepared racial violence in Britain: “You’re Scotland as well as several English to compromise on these things. going to have to fight to take your town and cities. It was a big victory The next day was another major country back, every day.” for the left. working-class demonstration, the This will have been understood In Scotland it wasn’t even a Durham Miners’ Gala. It was by his neo-fascist followers as an contest. The right didn’t mobilise attended by more than 200,000 encouragement to physically attack to welcome Trump and the left people and Corbyn spoke at that too. immigrants and Muslims. was out in force. Even the Scottish So, in two days the labour The anti-Trump protests were Conservative Party leader Ruth movement got more than 450,000 another reminder that British politics Davidson sent messages indicating people onto the streets in a celebration is polarised between a pro-Brexit, her support to the participants in of trade union solidarity and to reject nationalist, often racist alliance that the Pride march and the anti-Trump a racist imperialist president. includes Farage, hard-right Tory protests, reminding them to drink While this was happening, Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and Tommy water and use sunscreen. Prime Minister Theresa May was Robinson’s supporters on one hand July 13, 2018 in London involved watching her days-old Brexit deal and, on the other, a leftward moving what was the largest demonstration disintegrate in front of her eyes. Labour Party pulling together the in the city since 2 million marched The ever-helpful Trump had told the internationalists and anti-racists, the against the war in Iraq in 2003. world that he thinks she’s useless overwhelming majority of whom are The police estimate that 250,000 and would prefer to have Boris anti-Brexit. people took to the streets to show Johnson as prime minister. Its challenge now is to capitalise Trump he’s despised and unwanted. Just over a month before, a on the success of these mobilisations Even the Evening Standard, edited significant neo-fascist movement to get the Tories out. by former Tory Chancellor of the managed its largest mobilisation in Exchequer George Osborne, had some years when about 10,000 had a front page which conveniently turned up demanding the release of doubled as an anti-Trump placard. its figurehead Tommy Robinson. Few of the marchers would On that occasion, the anti- The Unemployment have been natural Tory supporters. fascists were heavily outnumbered. Crisis: While thousands of organisations They were on the streets again on Reasons and were represented, the most striking July 14 and this time the numbers feature of the day was the huge were more evenly matched. About Solutions number of homemade signs, 5,000 Robinson and Trump fans placards and banners—always an turned up. The smaller event shared Contribution Rs. 25/- indication that what you are seeing some features with the earlier one. is a real movement of people who UK Independence Party (UKIP) was Published by are organising themselves. there; it was extremely Islamophobic Janata Trust & Lokayat Trafalgar Square was the first of and there was more evidence that they D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Jeremy Corbyn’s two major speaking are co-ordinating internationally. Naushir Bharucha Marg, engagements of the weekend. Their major coup was Trump’s Grant Road (W), Addressing the demonstration, his former chief strategist Steve Bannon Mumbai 400 007 speech marked a major departure calling for Robinson’s release on a from previous Labour leaders’ radio show hosted by former UKIP practice of grovelling to American leader Nigel Farage. On air, Bannon 8 JANATA, September 9, 2018 Modi's Kashmir Policy is Playing Right into the Hands of Pakistan's ISI

Prem Shankar Jha

Since the fateful evening when force to crush Kashmiri separatism. survived six bullets in his stomach I heard that Shujaat Bukhari, my It was the most cold-blooded and because, knowing that an ISI car was friend and colleague for the past meticulously planned assassination following him, he drove straight to 26 years, had been assassinated in recent years, on par with those of a hospital to seek shelter there, and in Srinagar while going home to Mirwaiz Maulvi Farouq in 1990 and was shot at its doorstep. Saleem break his Ramzan fast with his Abdul Ghani Lone in 2002. was tortured and killed ten days family, I have often wondered And it was, beyond a shadow of after the publication of his book who his assassins could have been, doubt, instigated by Pakistan’s Inter- detailing links between the ISI, and what could have been going Services Intelligence (ISI). various rogue officers of the Pakistan through their minds as they sat Four video cameras caught the army and terrorist organisations on their motorcycle waiting for assassins riding on their motorbike like the Tehrik-e-Taliban-i-Pakistan him to emerge from his office. before and after the assassination. (TTP). In the same year, 12 other Were they simply semi-educated But not one caught them loitering Pakistani journalists met a similar youth with no future in civilian life, for 45 minutes as they waited for fate, though perhaps not all at the brainwashed into believing that Shujaat to emerge from his office hands of the ISI. Shujaat was a traitor to Kashmir who because they had chosen the only In Kashmir, the ISI has a 28-year was taking money from the state and ten-metre stretch of road that was record of killing any leader who Central governments to undermine not covered by any of the CCTV has shown willingness to negotiate their fight for freedom? Or were cameras scanning this high security peace with the Indian government. they mercenaries who were lining area. Only inside information, The list of its victims begins with their pockets and soothing their possibly from within the police, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farouq, the father consciences by pretending that they could have made them choose that of Mirwaiz Umar Farouq, on May were doing Allah’s work? precise spot. 21, 1990, and the elimination of Till today, more than a month all the six other Kashmiri leaders after his death, there is no answer. Weapon of choice with whom George Fernandes had Speculation is still rife. The majority For the ISI, assassination has held secret talks in the first few view is that Shujaat’s murder was been a weapon of choice not only months of that year. It stretches the outcome of the radicalisation in Kashmir, but much more so in through Qazi Nissar, the leader and Islamisation that Prime Minister Pakistan itself. According to the of the Muslim United Front, in Narendra Modi has unleashed upon Human Rights Commission of 1993; professor Abdul Ghani Butt’s the Valley. Writing in Firstpost, Pakistan, nearly 10,000 people brother in 1996; Abdul Majid Dar, Khalid Shah concluded that “the have gone missing in the country the area commander of the Lashkar- situation in the state has slipped since 2001, with nearly 3,000 still e-Tayabba, who declared a unilateral from contemporary timelines and unaccounted for. In 2016 alone, there ceasefire, in July 2000; Abdul Ghani is back to the 1990s now”. In the were 728 disappearances. Lone, who had decided to take the Washington Post, Barkha Dutt Journalists have figured Hurriyat into the 2002 elections, on echoed this: “Kashmir is sliding into prominently on the ISI’s hit list, May 21, 2002; Mir Mushtaq, the a black hole of possibly no return.” two of the most celebrated being uncle of Mirwaiz Umar Farouq, in But Shujaat’s assassination Hamid Mir, the host of Geo TV’s 2006; and the failed assassination was not a by-product of the tidal Capital Talk, and Shahzad Saleem, of Fazal Qureshi, the senior most wave of anger created by the Modi the former bureau chief of Asia member of the Hurriyat (M)’s government’s relentless use of brute Times (online). Mir miraculously executive council in 2007 only JANATA, September 9, 2018 9 weeks after he formally announced them a chance to surrender and and Islamabad, set up a Kashmir its acceptance of the Manmohan then boasting about its ‘kills’ to the Initiative Group, whose stated Singh-Pervez Musharraf four-point national press. This had the opposite purpose was to take the now stalled formula for settling the Kashmir of the desired effect because from dialogue on peace to civil society. dispute. a mere 16 in 2013, the number of The group started working in a ISI’s ambition to wrest Kashmir young men who joined the militancy small way by organising a tour of from India had dwindled during the in south Kashmir rose to 126 in PoK by ten journalists from Jammu years of peace and reconciliation 2017. More disturbing still, data and Kashmir, and held meetings that had followed Atal Bihari collected by the Kashmir police in the two parts of Kashmir. It Vajpayee’s historic 2004 meeting showed that most of new recruits gained strength when it obtained with Musharraf. They dwindled are coming from the villages where the financial backing of Conciliation further when, in 2012, the Pakistan ‘encounters’ had taken place, and Resources, an international NGO army command officially revised its that the maximum recruitment was with impeccable credentials. threat perception and stated that this taking place after the funerals of The group’s work gained lay mainly to its west and not its east. slain ‘terrorists’. importance, however, when even Its ambitions were revived From the ISI’s point of view, after Burhan Wani’s death had shut when the surreptitious hanging of therefore, the Modi government down the Valley for four months, Afzal Guru by Delhi in February was a gift from heaven. The very Delhi refused to change its one 2013 caused a spike in the number last thing it wanted was anything to track policy of repression by even of young men joining the armed impede India’s accelerating descent a jot. But it became a threat to the militancy, just as the hanging of into self-destruction in Kashmir. ISI’s plans only after it organised a Maqbool Butt had done in 1986. Asad Durrani, a former director large conference in Dubai on July But it was Modi’s policies, of general of the ISI and convinced 31 last year. The two-day meeting humiliating the Hurriyat, spurning “peacenik”, summed this up at a was attended by 28 people belonging Nawaz Sharif’s overtures for peace, recent book launch in Delhi. When to political parties in both parts destroying the Peoples Democratic asked what the ISI would do next, of Kashmir and national parties Party by entering into an alliance he said, “Nothing. You have done in India and Pakistan, including with it that it had no intention of everything it wanted.” the BJP, and a number of eminent respecting, ignoring and trivialising The one obstacle that remained observers who included two former the remaining mainstream parties was the ordinary Kashmiris’ aversion director generals of the ISI—Durrani in the Valley, putting the moderate to Pakistan and the overwhelming and Ehsan-ul Haq—and Air Vice- nationalist leaders in Kashmir— desire for peace. A Chatham House Marshal Kapil Kak. from Mirwaiz Umar Farouq, Yasin survey carried out as recently as in The Dubai meeting turned out Malik and Ali Shah Geelani, to 2009 had shown that even in the to be a roaring success. Despite Shabbir Shah, Naeem Khan and four most estranged districts of disagreements on many issues, Shahid-ul-slam—in jail or under Kashmir valley, only 2.5 to 7.5% of the conference arrived at a strong house arrest, and adopting a “ten the respondents had said that they consensus on several key points. for one” policy of retaliation for wished to be a part of Pakistan. This These were: the need for both the firing across the Line of Control was changing thanks to Modi, but Indian and Pakistani governments to that claimed the better part of 832 the last thing the ISI wanted was the make human security their paramount civilian lives in Pakistan-occupied sudden emergence of a civil society concern and therefore declare an Kashmir, that sent the ISI and the movement in Kashmir that would immediate and complete ceasefire Pakistan army onto a full offensive give a voice and direction to this on the LoC and take strong measures in Kashmir. inchoate desire for peace. against extremism in all its forms in The ISI concluded that its chance That emergence took place in both parts of Kashmir; to encourage had finally come when the Modi 2015 and Shujaat was one of its their respective governments to government began to gun down principal architects. That year, he re-engage in a political dialogue in Kashmiri youth, branding them all and Ershad Masood, an academic consultation with Kashmiri groups; as “terrorists”, often without giving and journalist based in Rawalpindi and for these groups to keep talking to 10 JANATA, September 9, 2018 each other despite their differences, Initiative Group into a target for the headlined it as “Kashmir Blood was to explore creative proposals that ISI. Shujaat Bukhari had always Sold in the Air Conditioned Halls of did not involve an immediate shift been an outspoken champion Dubai”. in their stated positions. Lastly, the of peace. His entire career in In Srinagar, this theme was conference was unanimous that journalism had been built on the picked up by the Kashmir Reader civil society in Kashmir, as well conviction that negotiations based and Hurriyat (Gilani) general as in India and Pakistan, had an upon misconceptions were doomed secretary Ghulam Nabi Sumji, but important role to play in creating an to fail. Only truth and honesty in later rejected by Gilani. Shujaat atmosphere conducive to dialogue. reporting what was happening on began to receive warnings that he Had this conference taken the ground could create the essential and two other participants in the place during former prime minister bedrock upon which the edifice of conference were on the hit list of Manmohan Singh’s rule, both peace could be constructed. When the ISI. governments might have welcomed the Modi government abruptly The campaign ended abruptly the initiative. But in August 2017, closed all doors to dialogue with in October after Ershad Masood the quality and eminence of the the Hurriyat in Kashmir, by force of and a colleague met Salahuddin participants, and the sheer breadth circumstance, he and his newspaper in Islamabad. Salahuddin denied of consensus, came as a rude shock became the ISI’s targets. playing any part in the campaign to the Pakistan army and the ISI The ISI might even then have against the conference, said that he because it threatened not only to done nothing if it had believed had initially been misinformed about derail its plans in Kashmir but that Modi would return to power its proceedings, and assured Masood perhaps more importantly its use in 2019. But the growing unity of that he was not so mean as to order of the threat from Modi’s India the opposition, the succession of the killing of a journalist. to restore a creeping military rule bye-election defeats suffered by the However it revived again, within Pakistan. BJP, and the coming together of the abruptly in April, two months before The attempt to do so began with Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka his assassination, with virulent the leaking of an open quarrel at a have made its return less and less attacks on the participants of the national security meeting in October likely. This may have been the final conference and specific threats to 2016 between Nawaz Sharif and straw that made it take the decision the lives of Shujaat and two or three key members of his cabinet and the to crush any possible revival of others who attended it. Shujaat took army chief, over the latter’s refusal dialogue in Kashmir, by killing its these threats very seriously, went to to reign in the Lashkar-e-Tayabba, current principal icon of peace. the Kashmir police and gave them Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Haqqani Shujaat is not, however, the only the names of the principal attackers. network, to Pakistan’s premier ‘peacenik’ that the ISI might attack For the record, they were Nazir newspaper Dawn. Since then, with in coming months. In the months Gilani in London, Sheikh Tajamul the help of a quiescent judiciary, after the Dubai conference, two Islam, Abdullah Geelani, Raees Mir, the army has succeeded in ousting, Kashmiris who head NGOs that had Aslam Mir and Athar Masood Wani charging and now jailing Nawaz not been invited to the conference— in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad, and Sharif and members of his family, Nazir Gilani and Athar Masood Iftikhar Rajput in Brussels. placing an exit ban on the journalist Wani, a former adviser to the prime It is difficult not to link this who wrote the story for Dawn, and minister of PoK—condemned revival of threats to the declining now placing a similar ban on General the conference as a “sell out” for fortune of the BJP in India. Suffice it Asad Durrani for having taken part not insisting on the right to self- so say that Shujaat took the attack on in the book launch in Delhi. Modi determination on the basis of UN the internet very seriously and lived continuing his policy of killing resolutions. Pakistan based Hizbul in fear of his life. Two days before Kashmiri militants has therefore Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin he was killed he had confided to a become a necessity for the Pakistan also described the participants in the friend in his office, “I have young army’s continued seizure of power conference as being on the payroll of children, I don’t want to die”. in the country. India. In Pakistan, the attack upon Hours after Shujaat died, one This is what turned the Kashmir it became so shrill that one paper of his young reporters told me in JANATA, September 9, 2018 11 a voice choked with grief, “Sir, we be cowed down by the cowards mourners who attended his funeral at have lost everything, everything!” who snatched you from us. We will Kreeri, his home village 23 km from But he and his colleagues had not uphold your principle of telling the Srinagar, drove the same message lost everything. On the contrary, they truth howsoever unpleasant it may home to their fellow Kashmiris, to had kept the one thing Shujaat had be . . .” And in a magnificent act of Pakistan, and the world. Burhan given them—raw courage. So, after defiance, they carried links on the Wani and Sabzar Bhatt were not the accompanying Shujaat’s body to the editorial page to every recent article only people who could make lakhs hospital and giving their accounts Shujaat had written. of Kashmiris grieve for them. Those to the police, his staff came back to The message they sent was who fought and gave their lives for the office not only to bring out the unambiguous: terrorists, and their peace, for a future in which ordinary paper, but fill the front page with his puppet masters, could kill a man but Kashmiris could plan and dream picture and words that will be graven not the ideals he embodied. The next without fear, could do so too. on every Kashmiri heart: “We won’t day, between 60,000 and 200,000 Solution to Assam's Foreigners Problem

Sandeep Pandey

Through the National Register of Assam. If BJP loses the next election search of employment even within Citizens update and the Citizenship in Assam, this will be an important states, is a nightmare. It usually (Amendment) Bill the ruling factor. The Assamese resent the requires a bribe or a clever advocate Bhartiya Janata Party government is historical attempts at cultural and or a middleman to get the job done. trying to communally polarise a state linguistic dominance by Bengalis, Assam is the only Indian state which doesn't have a history of any mainly Hindus. which is carrying out an updation major communal incidents except 3,29,91,384 people had applied of NRC after 1951. Otherwise, for the 1983 Nellie massacre. The for citizenship of which 2,89,83,677 normally it is a part of Indian culture six years agitation launched by All made it to the second draft list that foreigners have been accepted. Assam Students' Union demanding published on 31 August 2018. The Throughout history, whether as identification and deportation of 40.07 lakh left out include 2.48 aggressors or persecuted, people illegal immigrants which culminated lakh put in the category of “doubtful have come from outside and have in the 1985 Assam Accord with Rajiv voters”. The excluded list contains assimilated in the local culture. Gandhi was against all Bangladeshis, both Muslims and Hindus. The Hindus from East Pakistan not just Muslims. The Rashtriya To be eligible for inclusion in who came to Assam at the time Swayamsewak Sangh has been NRC, it was required to produce of partition and were promised running a campaign even in other either a proof from 1951 NRC rehabilitation found it difficult. The parts of country for the deportation or one of the twelve forms of Angarkata satyagrah is just one of of Bangladeshis, targeting only identity documents dated before 24 their documented struggles. Later, the Muslims, for long and the March 1971, a date decided by the Bangladeshis came in search of BJP came to power in Assam on Assam Accord. Those left out are employment and they still continue this promise. But what the people presumably mostly poor as it is quite to cross the border, some only for a of Assam were not prepared for unlikely that people would have temporary period with no desire to was the Citizenship (Amendment) been able to preserve documents for settle in India. Bill which provides for Hindus 48 years in a state prone to frequent Bengali speaking Muslims from Bangladesh to obtain Indian floods. with Assamese identity cards can citizenship. The popular Assamese It is well known that to get a be found in other parts of India, grassroots leader Akhil Gogoi held residence proof certificate from mostly picking up garbage. They a big protest against the Bill on the the local administration, especially are fulfilling a need of Indian cities eve of Amit Shah's recent visit to for the poor who have migrated in because the traditional sanitation 12 JANATA, September 9, 2018 workers have either moved up the Registration Officer with no voting the vogue in United States, so that ladder to obtain government jobs or rights for ten years from the date of they don't live under the fear of are pursuing other non-demeaning registration. deportation or have to spend time in vocations. If the people of Assam feel that detention camps, which are actually Bangladeshis coming to India they have more than their share of jails, and can lead a respectable seeking employment are no different foreigners, they could be distributed life with their families like other from Indians going to Dubai or among other states of India. Mamta India citizens, with equal access to United States, sometimes illegally, Banerjee has already made an offer benefits of education, health care, to eke out a living. Indians have to accept the Bengalis. In any case, a public distribution system and been to all over the world since number of them are working outside housing. After all, whether a citizen ages and most of them have not only Assam in other states. or not, everybody has a human right. settled in their respective chosen Instead of putting people who'll Similar to the present rule for people countries of employment, some not find a place in the NRC after who came to India before 1971, such of the adventurous ones are even objections and claims have been people should be reconsidered for holding or have held high positions entertained in the “doubtful voter” voting rights after a period of ten in governments. Imagine the tragedy or “declared foreigners” category, years. This is the only humane way if all these countries decided to they could be issued work permit of solving Assam's problem. deport the illegal immigrants from visas without voting rights, as is Emaul: [email protected] India. The more sad case is that of the Rohingyas. They are a persecuted The Communal Movement in lot and unlike Bangladeshis, their Venezuela: Part I decision to leave their motherland, Myanmar, was not voluntary. El Maizal commune is located in election. We are publishing it for it To treat Bangladeshis or the middle of the Venezuelan plains, gives important information about Rohingyas as security threat is between the Lara and Portuguesa the socialist construction being making a mockery of their abject states. With a history of struggle and attempted in Venezuela. poverty. There are more well to do construction of popular power, it is a citizens of India who are engaged in flagship of the communal movement With idea of moving forward with activities like committing financial in Venezuela. The commune was the commune, there have been fraud or provoking violent incidents, proposed by Chávez as a fundamental discussions about the “communal detrimental to the interests of our unit of popular power for the city.” Can you explain what this country. So, being a citizen or not construction of socialism. Bringing is all about? has no relation to how much of a together communal councils and With the political experience security threat one can pose to a other organisations, the idea of the and strength we have in this territory nation. We are also witness to how commune is to allow the community and with the work we have been little the rich like Mehul Choksi care to wield power directly through doing, El Maizal has found itself about Indian citizenship, in order assemblies, gradually taking control in a collective leadership role for to escape the law of the land. Vijay of both the means of production and all this area of Simón Planas, and Mallaya and Subrata Roy, before the various instances of political perhaps also in the rest of Lara state. they ran foul with the government, power. Chávez presented many We have gotten a lot of solidarity used to project themselves as great of these ideas in his landmark and many friends among social patriots. broadcast Aló Presidente Teórico #1. and popular movements in Lara However, Assamese have a Published below is an interview with and throughout Venezuela. So with genuine fear of being demographically Angel Prado, spokesperson for the all this experience, and knowing overtaken by outsiders. There is El Maizal commune. This interview that this process cannot be held a provision for Bangladeshis who was conducted in May 2017, before back—it is growing day by day came to India before 1971 to register the May 20 presidential elections with popular initiatives, proposals themselves with Foreigners Regional in which Nicolás Maduro won re- and participation—we believe that JANATA, September 9, 2018 13 it is time to stop thinking just about I think there is some political international aggression against El Maizal and move towards a exhaustion, some politicians have Venezuela, as if punishing us for bigger organisation, at a higher got worn out and have no initiative having gone through this very level, in order to build our dream anymore. There are many politicians interesting revolutionary process of socialism, as President Chávez who are probably over the hill, together with Chávez. But, despite used to say. perhaps they believe that Chavismo being a very tough year, 2017 was Far from being a utopia, I think is going to die with the death of also a year of great achievements it is something achievable. Here in Chávez, or that president Maduro and advances from the communal El Maizal there is a commune, which is going to be overthrown. Many perspective, both in political and is permanently under construction, have dedicated themselves in these electoral as well as productive terms. but which has been moving forward, past years to accruing riches and When President Nicolas and for us this progress makes sense. privileges while keeping popular Maduro proposed the National That is why we have dedicated our participation at an arm’s length. Constituent Assembly (ANC), we, lives to this. We have the political But at least here in Simón Planas as the organised people here in clout to go to other territories and call they have another thing coming, Simón Planas, took to the trenches, on people to organise in a communal because here there is a political force participated in that election, and city, in a large organisation that will that will not be stopped and which won with over 80% of the vote. contribute to developing the plans does not depend on one person. I had been charged with being and projects addressing the needs In my case, I simply take on the the territorial candidate to the of the people, but especially with role of a spokesperson, I have to ANC. Then came the regional and the people themselves building and always acts coherently accordingly municipal elections, in October defending such projects. More than a to our people’s interests and am and December, respectively. In the discourse, we need to offer tangible accountable to the people here for municipal elections, our community results so that people can see for that. What’s more, while we are here proposed that we participate in themselves that this makes sense. talking, there are people out there that process, and the communal The communal city project is working, holding assemblies, having movement of Simón Planas again not going to be easy. The principal meetings, organising activities, assigned me the responsibility of enemy is the right-wing, because participating in voluntary work being the candidate for mayor. the communal city at some point projects, etc. Then a lot of things happened. will imply ‘communalising’ the There is a very interesting Unfortunately, both right-wing territory. That project involves a dynamic which keeps the spirit of the political forces and forces within broader scope and more power, in commune alive. The communal city our government harassed us. These particular taking charge of the means will bring together all the activity are regrettable things, that come of production: factories, companies, that has taken place in the area in from people who hold a great deal etc. So we will be struggling for a broader sense, involving several of power. We were denied the chance power in the face of forces that territories in this area, where the to run on the ticket of the PSUV already exist. The capitalist class, people relate in one way or another (United Socialist Party of Venezuela, for economic reasons, wants to put to the political and communal founded by Chavez and the governing the brakes on Chavismo. Sadly, the movement in Simón Planas. party in Venezuela) and that of other reformist sectors in our camp are parties of the patriotic coalition, but also looking to rein in on on the What is the current status of the we managed to do get the ticket from tendencies and political currents Simón Planas mayorship issue? the Patria Para Todos party (another that threaten the privileges that some When we discuss this issue, it socialist party of Venezuela). What politicians in our government, or is important to recall the context followed was a great victory for people close to them, have become in which it happened. In 2017, we the communards. We really routed accustomed to. were facing a very tough crisis: an the PSUV, handing them their first economic, political, and (I would defeat in this municipality, which There is also a struggle inside also say) moral crisis, a crisis of is one of the more Chavista and Chavismo . . . values. There was, and still is, an “PSUVista” municipalities of all 14 JANATA, September 9, 2018

Venezuela. to the crisis we are living through Chavismo fall, nor to let reformism and could ideologically deepen the do in Venezuela what perhaps took What happened after the election? Chavista project (the task of building place in Brazil or Argentina, where Despite winning in the midst socialism that Chávez set for us). there have been significant setbacks. of threats, blackmail and pressure, The commune, with its dynamic our victory was not recognised of production and participation, (perhaps that was to be expected). can also help free us from our Our votes were assigned to the PSUV dependence on private capital and candidate. We went through a whole on government patronage. So long as legal process with the electoral the communal “cells” continue to be authorities—we filed an appeal built across the country and we also before the Supreme Court—but so work to develop people’s political far there has been no response. Our conscience, a new culture and new position is that, if the communards’ relations between communities that victory in Simón Planas is not going prioritise the common good, we will to be recognised, at least the results continue to make strides towards should be voided and new elections the socialist model of society that held. Everything we have done is comandante Chávez proposed. legal, so we hope for a resolution Unfortunately, there are big to this case. contradictions inside the state, Unfortunately, there have been between the state and the popular no pronouncements. Instead, the social movements, and between the issue has been ignored. Nevertheless, state and the commune. Because we know that having the mayor’s the government is very powerful office is not indispensable for our economically, it has the capacity to project. We will not stop producing, make big decisions, and sometimes we will not stop organising, we will with a single blow, it can put an not cease to vote for the Revolution end to interesting experiences. nor to support president Maduro. We In El Maizal we have had the have always made this clear. We have determination, the strength and never wavered on our support for the ability to withstand the blows Nicolás Maduro, because we believe dealt to our organisation, to our that with Maduro in the presidency experiment. There have been acts we can continue to move forward of sabotage, but we have resisted. and not towards confrontation. Beyond resisting, we also need Because of a municipality, or the to go on the offensive against the actions of a party, or because at one enemy before us, whether it is point the government did not pay the capitalists, the oligarchy, or heed to us, we are not going to lose reformism. The reformists aim sight of the strategic enemy. We to protect the new bureaucratic remain Chavistas. capitalist class that is now seeking to consolidate power over the state What role, in your opinion, can machinery after sidelining a class the commune play in the current which for a long time accumulated Venezuelan context? riches, and which, despite its From my point of view, if the revolutionary discourse, pays no government looked more closely at heed to the people’s cries. We are the communal issue, it would realise not willing to live under those that the commune holds the solution conditions, we are not willing to let JANATA, September 9, 2018 15

Letter to Editor Sham Celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by BJP Government

Chandrabhaal Tripathi

The Government of India is internationally? Government will help the ‘Art of reported to have constituted a high The news of the official Living’ guru in paying up the fine if level committee to celebrate the celebration of the 150th birth he has not done so yet. Please don't 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma anniversary of Bapu raises some turn Gandhi into a Hindutva figure. Gandhi. This report is amusing as other issues too. This is the 150th If you have to follow his teachings several Central Ministers, MPs, birth anniversary of Kasturba also. hold sarvadharma prayers in schools MLAs and important leaders Gandhian institutions have launched and colleges throughout the year and belonging to the ruling dispensation a two-year programme of celebration on special public functions. Gandhiji have never tried to hide their disdain of Ba–Bapu Jayanti since 2 October was particular about sarvadharma for the Mahatma and some of them 2017. But the Hindutva rulers and prayers before his public discourses have been openly spitting anti- bureaucrats seem to have forgotten every evening and these prayers are Muslim venom, diametrically that there was a woman known as compiled in the Ashram Bhajanavali opposed to the life-long goal of Bapu Kasturba behind Gandhi. brought out by Navajivan in cheap towards Hindu–Muslim unity. In the I am afraid that besides the editions and contain Bapu's favourite Rashtriya Sahara (Urdu) of August political aspect of the situation hymn Sermon on the Mount and 27, 2018, Dr. Tahir Mahmood, the programme provides a golden excerpts from the Gita, the Quran, former Chairperson of the National opportunity for bureaucrats of the Dhammapada, the Guru Commission for Minorities and the Ministries of Culture and Granth Sahib, the Jain scriptures former Member of the Law Tourism and some of their attached and the Zend-Avesta. Will the Commission, wrote, inter alia, that Departments and PSUs to mint political ruling class do this or the recently a lady Hindutva worker money. Neither the political masters forthcoming Gandhi celebrations leader said at some place in Meerut at nor the bureaucrats have any love will remain only another pre- the inauguration of a Godse temple: for Gandhi. The hundreds of crores General Election 2019 gimmick at “Param Pujya Nathuram Godseji of rupees allocated for these official the cost of the public exchequer? was born before me. Had I been born functions could be better spent I have no idea if the Celebration before I would have got the glory on strengthening the constructive Committee comprises only political of shooting Gandhi.” Three years programmes of Bapu including bosses and bureaucrats and a few ago, we read a story about another communal harmony. representatives of those cultural Godse temple coming up somewhere It is ridiculous to turn a part Gandhian institutions captured by in UP. Possibly there may be some of the Gandhi celebrations into the RSS controlled BJP Government other BJP ruled States, especially Gandhi Kathaa sessions by some or also some eminent independent the Hindi speaking States, where people of good as well as doubtful academicians and representatives such blasphemy is being openly repute led by Sri Sri Ravishankar of real Gandhians. The 'nakli' committed with the connivance of of the Delhi Yamuna bank cultural Gandhians in the Congress throttled the political ruling class and some jamboree fame, for which he was Gandhi and their counterparts in the bureaucrats. Is it not deceit that the fined a not too hefty amount by BJP seem to be determined to bury same forces which are celebrating the National Green Tribunal for Gandhi fathoms deep. Godse have planned programmes severely damaging the fragile banks for celebration of Gandhi's 150th of the river Yamuna in Delhi. The Email: [email protected] birth anniversary nationally and sudden munificence of the Central R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, September 9, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, September 9, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, September 12, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 34 For All That We May Become: September 16, 2018 On the Section 377 Verdict Does the BJP Really Care for Dalits? Ram Puniyani Gautam Bhan

Gandhi on Secular Law For all the lines of the 2009 Delhi hold my breath so often, whether and State High Court verdict (colloquially in fear or regret. That the cost of Anil Nauriya called the Naz judgment), the one freedom would not be loneliness. Is GST Curbing India’s that stayed with me the longest was On Thursday, standing in the Black Economy? perhaps an aside to the main point Supreme Court as the Constitution Arun Kumar about reading down Section 377. Bench read down Section 377 once Julian Assange and the Fate The High Court had said: “While and for all, I felt reaffirmed yet also of Journalism recognising the unique worth of each changed. I heard the judges once Lawrence Davidson person, the Constitution does not again speak of sexuality as dignity, The Communal Movement in presuppose that the holder of rights as mutual respect, as equality. I heard Venezuela: Part II is an isolated, lonely and abstract the invocations of Articles 14, 15, figure possessing a disembodied 19 and 21. Yet, I am not the same Samir Amin (1931–2018): and socially disconnected self. It person I was when I became part of a A Vital Radical Thinker who Challenged Dispossession acknowledges that people live in petition in the Naz case in 2005. The their bodies, their communities, law, thankfully, doesn’t have nearly Nick Dearden their cultures, their places and their the same importance in queer lives. Editor : G.G.Parikh times.” Perhaps most importantly, these are not the same times. This time, what Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain Reaffirmed, yet changed has remained with me are the words Managing Editor : Guddi As a gay man, what I heard them of the individual judgment of Justice say that muggy day in July was that D.Y. Chandrachud. In what feels like Editorial Board : I was not just my sexual orientation. both diagnosis and warning, he says: B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali, That my worth and my rights were “We must, as a society, ask searching Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah, not meant to be my responsibility questions to the forms and symbols Amarendra Dhaneshwar, alone. That I could expect, demand, of injustice. Unless we do that, we Sandeep Pandey get respect. That I could dream not risk becoming the cause and not just just of a life free of violence but one the inheritors of an unjust society.” D-15, Ganesh Prasad, of personhood, of joy. That our lives This is a different “we” from Naushir Bharucha Marg, as queer people could hold rights Naz. This is not a “we” of some of Mumbai - 400 007. and dignity without needing either us who are LGBTQ and the others Email : [email protected] extraordinary courage or immense who either accept or reject us. Website:www.janataweekly.org privilege. That I would not have to This is not just about our rights as 2 JANATA, September 16, 2018 they pertain to our sexualities and if it found echo in the freedoms be to ourselves and each other? How gender identities. This is a “we” of others. We are not just islands, can we use constitutional morality of all of us as a society, a public, a Naz had said, but bodies, cultures, as a transformative power to speak democracy, and a people needing communities, places, times. The not just of equality on the basis to face the inequalities that persist opposite of loneliness is not freedom of sexual orientation and gender in our names today. I realise today but fraternity. Dignity cannot be just identity but on all that divides us? that when I heard Naz all those years what we possess but must be what After Thursday, our work must ago, I wanted others to embrace we give to and share with others. On merely begin so that we may not be their constitutional morality to Thursday, what stayed with me was the cause of injustice from having extend to queer people the dignity not just the respect we are owed, but once been its inheritors. It is only we had been denied. It had felt vital the respect we owe as queer people then that we will truly be free. at the time. It was. Today, when to insist that the transformative dissent, freedoms and civil liberties power of constitutional values face unfathomable pressure far affirmed for us in page after page of Janata beyond just that experienced by the judgments be one that spreads far LGBTQ communities—a pressure beyond us. If our freedoms are not Subscription that draws precisely from what the inter-linked, they are not freedoms court called majoritarian sentiment at all. Annual Rs. : 260/- and arbitrary state power—it cannot The Chief Justice of India, Three Years : 750/- be just heteronormativity that we Dipak Misra, began his judgment Demand Draft / must fight. What is at stake is all by saying, “I am what I am.” There that is endangering the constitutional is no doubt that queer people in Cheque edifices of equality, liberty, dignity India have never had a chance to on and fraternity that the judges fully be ourselves, to believe and invoked. know what our own possibilities Mumbai Bank are. I have nothing but happiness in favour of Freedom’s echoes that, 24 years after the first AIDS Listed immediately after us in Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan petition JANATA TRUST the Chief Justice’s court was the against Section 377 in 1994, queer next hearing in Romila Thapar, the people will have won the right to D-15, Ganesh Prasad, petition challenging the continuing breathe and to dream. Yet we have Naushir Bharucha Marg, house arrest of activists under the never been alone in not having the Grant Road (W), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) right to be who we are. If there is Mumbai 400 007. Act, a law that defines the many one measure of the injustice and ways in which we are willing to inequalities that define us today as a sacrifice our civil liberties. When society, it is how many of us live at the judges called for a transformative some distance from the dignities our Janata constitutionality, when they spoke Constitution imagined: the dignity is available at of the need for all of us to do the of a home and a wage, of a life work to make our Constitution without fear and violence, of a right www.lohiatoday.com a living organism, when they to choose love, of a right to express reminded us, in the words of Justice ourselves, of a right to believe in the Spectre of Fascism Chandrachud, that “the process possibility of justice at all. Contribution Rs. 20/- through which a society matures and imbibes constitutional morality How to be truly free Published by is gradual, perhaps interminably A transformational Janata Trust & Lokayat so,” what remained in my mind constitutionality must go beyond just D-15, Ganesh Prasad, was that the freedom I had just had being who we are. It must instead Naushir Bharucha Marg, affirmed could have meaning only ask: who can we be? Who must we Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 JANATA, September 16, 2018 3 Does the BJP Really Care for Dalits?

Ram Puniyani

Some time ago, the Supreme power always twists and turns and calling it Western, and the BJP has Court diluted the Scheduled makes ideological compromises. never severed its umbilical cord to Castes and the Scheduled Tribes His own ideology is that of hunger the Hindu nationalist RSS. (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of for power and his words should not Lately, from within the BJP itself 1989 by including provisions for matter much except on the electoral from top down, Hindu nationalism is anticipatory bail and a “preliminary chess board. His projection of the being propagated and practiced. On enquiry” before registration of a case electoral battle between Ambedkar the eve of the 2014 general elections, under the Act. This led to strong and Congress is a very selective Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial protests all over the country. In presentation of the relationship candidate, himself pronounced that these protests, the anti-Dalit nature between Congress and Ambedkar. he is a nationalist, and that he was of the present ruling dispensation, While he points this out, he forgets born in a Hindu family, and so he the BJP-led NDA, was highlighted. that Ambedkar was not a member is a Hindu nationalist. A minister Under the pressure of the protests, of the Congress party at any point in Modi’s Cabinet, Anant Kumar the government had to bring in a bill of time. Nevertheless, the same Hegde, has stated that the BJP to restore its previous provisions. Congress invited him to serve as the has come to power at the Centre On August 6, 2018, the Lok Sabha nation’s first Law Minister in India’s to change the Indian Constitution unanimously passed a Bill to nullify first government after independence, and that people should identify the Supreme Court order; the Rajya which Ambedkar accepted. Paswan themselves with their religion rather Sabha passed it on August 9. The also needs to be reminded that than calling themselves secular. amended Act now rules out any Ambedkar was also made the To cap it all, the UP Chief Minster provision for anticipatory bail for a Chairman of Drafting Committee Yogi Adityanath stated that the person accused of atrocities against of the Indian Constitution at the word “secular” is “the biggest lie” people from SC or ST communities, instance of the Congress. To cap of independent India. restoring the Act to as it stood before this, he was also requested to draft As far as Dalits are concerned, its dilution by the Supreme Court. the Hindu Code Bill, a major step the BJP is very consciously walking Ram Vilas Paswan, president of Lok to reform the family laws towards the tightrope, balancing its phrases Janshakti Party that is a part of the gender just society. and actions. On the one hand, it has NDA, thanked the Prime Minster While the likes of Paswan, used the power lust of some Dalit and also criticised the Congress on hankering after power, do mouth the leaders like Paswan, Udit Raj and the occasion. To show that Congress name of Ambedkar, they deliberately Ramdas Athawale to win them over is anti-Dalit, he raked up the old issue forget that the most important and thus give a pro-Dalit veneer to of the Congress having contested opponent of the Constitution drafted its actions. It is also trying to woo elections against Dr Ambedkar by him and the major opposition to the Dalit castes by manufacturing twice. Ram Vilas Paswan’s own the Hindu Code bill also drafted by new icons like Suhel Dev and Shabri allegiance to Ambedkar’s ideology him came from the stable of the RSS, Mata, among others. For the sake of is under a cloud, as he is an ally the parent organisation of the party electoral equations, it is even forced of the BJP, a party whose central in whose alliance he is enjoying to pay obeisance to Ambedkar, agenda is transforming India into the perks of power. One can say despite having an agenda totally a Hindu Rashtra, something which that his ally BJP’s agenda of Hindu opposed to his political ideology. was an anathema for Ambedkar as he Rashtra is the polar opposite to the But at the same time, the BJP has stood for social justice, secularism dream of Babasaheb, the dream of unleashed policies which affect and democracy. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, the the Dalits in a very adverse way. Paswan has been well described dream of secular democratic India. The emotive issue of the holy cow, as a mausam vaigyanik, weather- The RSS has never hesitated in which led to the merciless beating cock, who in order to remain in criticising the Indian Constitution, of Dalits in Una which Paswan 4 JANATA, September 16, 2018 dismissed as a minor event, has affected the livelihood of Dalits in a Gandhi on Secular Law and State big way. We also need to remember that it is during this period that Anil Nauriya the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula and the anti-Dalit attack at Before the mid-19th century, the interference in religion, saying that Bhima Koregaon has taken place, term secular was sometimes used there were many situations in which tormenting the Dalit community to with contempt. For the clergy, in it was necessary for the state to no end. Even as regards the dilution particular, it was almost a synonym interfere even with religion. Only of the Dalit atrocity act, the Modi for the uninitiated or "ignorant". The "undue" interference ought to be Government was unwilling to move term was sought to be popularised in avoided. legislation in Parliament to overturn its political use by Charles Bradlaugh Later, on January 27, 1935, the Supreme Court order. It was and Holyoake in the mid-19th Gandhi addressed some members only when it realised that there was century. It took time to be adopted. of the Central Legislature. He told serious opposition to its dilution that Even Lincoln uses the word only them that “even if the whole body it was forced to retreat for electoral once and that too in a non-political of Hindu opinion were to be against calculations. context. Its usage lagged behind the removal of untouchability, still While BJP pays tribute to the formation of nation-states. he would advise a secular legislature Ambedkar on one side, at the same When more democratic forms of like the Assembly not to tolerate that time it presents Lord Ram as the government came to be established attitude.” central icon of its politics. What the political usage correspondingly On January 20, 1942 Gandhi Ambedkar has said about Lord Ram increased. remarked while discussing the in his various writings like Riddles of The Motilal Nehru Committee Pakistan scheme: “What conflict Hinduism is well known to us. For the Report on the Principles of the of interest can there be between BJP, what is important is to garland Constitution of India in 1928 makes Hindus and Muslims in the matter of Babasaheb; it is of no consequence no reference to the word itself though revenue, sanitation, police, justice, or to them to take the issues of social the spirit of the Report is entirely the use of public conveniences? The justice in any serious way. The secular. The Karachi Resolution difference can only be in religious attempt to selectively present the in March 1931, to which Gandhi, usage and observance with which a electoral battle of Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana secular state has no concern.” Ambedkar is a deliberate ploy Azad were party, stipulates religious Significantly, Gandhi's use of the to undermine the efforts made neutrality of the state. Secularism is term secular in relation to the state by the national movement and writ large on the resolution. But the is such as may, in contemporary Mahatma Gandhi–Congress to fight word is absent. political discourse, be described against untouchability in particular. A repeated usage of the term as "Nehruvian". That is, Gandhi We have miles to go as far as occurs early in Gandhi's writings does not attach any meaning to the Babasaheb’s dream is concerned, and speeches in 1933. Two Bills term secular that would have been but one thing which Ambedkar were then before the Central unacceptable to or unintelligible to pointed out was that Hindu Raj will Legislature. One of these related to Nehru. be a big tragedy for the Dalits of the untouchability. Gandhi supported This point is repeated as freedom country. It is unreasonable to expect the Bill, arguing that it properly dawns and Constitution-making that the likes of Paswan will revise sought to withdraw the sanction of begins. their understanding of Ambedkar "secular law" from a "custom that In September 1946, Gandhi ideology and realise the folly of is repugnant to the moral sense of told a Christian missionary: “If I allying with the BJP–RSS and mankind". Such a practice, he said were a dictator, religion and state realize that the very agenda of the on May 6, 1933, "cannot and ought would be separate. I swear by my RSS–BJP is inherently anti-Dalit! not to have the sanction of the law religion. I will die for it. But it is my of a secular state". In November personal affair. The state has nothing Email: [email protected] 1933 he defended the Bill against to do with it. The state would look the charge that it was an undue after your secular welfare, health, JANATA, September 16, 2018 5 communications, foreign relations, build a new India that would be the the secular government.” currency and so on, but not your glory of the world.” There was a creative tension or my religion. That is everybody's On November 15, 1947 the in the Gandhi–Nehru relationship. personal concern!” AICC adopted various resolutions They had differences. Gandhi's Gandhi’ s talk with Rev. Kellas on the rights of the minorities, religiosity was not shared by Nehru. of the Scottish Church College, repatriation of refugees and other Both often gave expression to Calcutta on August 16, 1947, the day issues. One of these resolutions differences publicly, in private after independence, was reported in affirmed that whatever be the letters to one another, and, in the Harijan on August 24: "Gandhiji situation in Pakistan, India would case of an incarcerated Nehru, in his expressed the opinion that the state be a “democratic secular state diary. Some writers have magnified should undoubtedly be secular. It where all citizens enjoy full rights these or focussed primarily on these. could never promote denominational enjoy full rights and are equally But they had strong mutual synergies education out of public funds. entitled to the protection of the on vital issues when the two would Everyone living in it should be State, irrespective of the religion to spring to each other's side. Gandhi’s entitled to profess his religion which they belong.” Gandhi warmly positions on the secular state are without let or hindrance, so long welcomed these resolutions, saying Nehruvian in character. Likewise, as the citizen obeyed the common at a prayer meeting that they were so Nehru's positions on the definition law of the land. There should be important that he wanted to explain of the Indian nation are the same as no interference with missionary the various resolutions “one by one”. Gandhi's. Both stand for territorial effort, but no mission could enjoy Speaking on Guru Nanak's nationalism, thus clearly demarcating the patronage of the state as it did birthday on November 28, 1947, themselves from those in the Hindu during the foreign regime.” This Gandhi opposed any possibility Mahasabha, the Muslim League and understanding came subsequently to of state funds being spent for the the pre-independence CPI of the be reflected in Articles 25, 26 and 27 renovation of the Somnath temple. 1940s which would define nation or of the Constitution. His reasoning was: “After all, we nationality on the basis of religion. It On the next day, August 17, have formed the Government for all. is difficult to work together even for Gandhi elaborated publicly on It is a ‘secular’ government, that is, it a while if differences overshadow the same point in his speech at is not a theocratic government, rather, commonalities. Gandhi and Nehru Narkeldanga, which Harijan it does not belong to any particular pulled together for decades. Gandhi reported thus: “In the India for religion. Hence it cannot spend as Congress president in 1924 whose fashioning he had worked all money on the basis of communities.” retained Nehru as general secretary. his life, every man enjoyed equality In supporting a secular state, He suggested Nehru's name for the of status, whatever his religion was. Gandhi understood that such a state Congress president on at least four The state was bound to be wholly would have to be backed by society. occasions—1929, 1935 (for 1936), secular. He went so far as to say Instinctively he saw the historical 1938–39 (on this occasion along that no denominational institution and social relation between a secular with the Marxist Socialist Narendra in it should enjoy state patronage. state and elements of humanism Dev’s name) and finally in 1946. All subjects would thus be equal in society. The relation was later Nevertheless, a Gandhi–Nehru in the eye of the law.” Five days neglected, especially post-1969, and divide was projected from various later, Gandhi observed in a speech this left the field free for Hindutva ideological platforms, some of them at Deshbandhu Park in Calcutta on forces to grow in society. Six days seeking to widen it into a chasm. August 22, 1947: “Religion was a before Gandhi was shot dead in The Hindutva forces, already stained personal matter and if we succeeded January 1948, he wrote: “A well- with Gandhi's blood, projected the in confining it to the personal plane, organised body of constructive divide because, separated from all would be well in our political workers will be needed. Their Gandhi, Nehru made for them life. . . . If officers of Government service to the people will be their an isolated and therefore easier as well as members of the public sanction and the merit of their work ideological target. The dichotomy undertook the responsibility and will be their charter. The ministers was further emphasised within the worked wholeheartedly for the will draw their inspiration from such post-1969 Congress because of a creation of a secular state, we could a body which will advise and guide perceived need to assert specific 6 JANATA, September 16, 2018 loyalties. This perhaps enabled even Nehru divide. Some of them styled Gandhi from Nehru. They picked on leaders like, for instance, Vasant themselves as Nehruvians in relation specific differences between Gandhi Sathe, who had been in the RSS in to Gandhi; but not all of them held and Nehru and converted them into 1939–41, to present themselves as to the Nehruvian position where the their own defining characteristic. Nehruvian. Those tied to the pre- choice was between the Gandhi– For several years this enabled many Independence CPI tradition of the Nehru view of the nation and the of them to wash their hands of 1940s (not necessarily or always Muslim League notions of nation or contemporary developments. But the identical with the contemporary nationality. Some of the Gandhians hour of reckoning now approaches. Left), also ‘theoremised’ the Gandhi– too promoted the separation of Email: [email protected] Is GST Curbing India’s Black Economy?

Arun Kumar

Recently, the government stated The moot point is: are revenues measure which can’t stop the process that states and union territories have from GST more buoyant than earlier? of black income generation. GST, in been paid Rs 52,077 crore since In all, 1.1 crore businesses are contrast, can potentially check this July 2017 to compensate them for registered under GST. Initially only process. But will it? the shortfall in their tax revenue. half of them filed returns and paid Businesses generate black After the last goods and services tax tax. The number has since risen incomes via under and over invoicing (GST) council meeting in July, it was to 70%, but the tax collection has of their sales and purchases. A trader reported that several states and union hardly increased. After crossing selling 100 yards of cloth at Rs 10 territories have reported shortfall in Rs 1 lakh crore of collection in the per yard may declare only 95 yards revenue of up to 43%. month of April 2018 (due to year- sold at Rs 9.5 per yard. A sale of Given this background, should end factors), it slowed down to Rs Rs 1,000 is shown as Rs 902.50 the GST council have announced 95,610 crore in the month of June via under invoicing. Black income cuts in tax rates on several items? 2018. But refunds are also pending of Rs 97.50 is thus generated. To Reports suggest that the bureaucracy so these figures may not be very produce this textile, the producer was unhappy with this decision different from the earlier monthly may have bought cotton worth Rs since it could lead to an increase in figures for the previous fiscal. 300 but declared it as Rs 350 via the fiscal deficit. This is an election The finance minister had earlier over invoicing and generated a black year, so, there will be pressures for announced that 5% of the businesses income of Rs 50. additional expenditures which would pay 95% of the tax. So, mere filing He may have employed two lead to a widening of the deficit of more returns does not necessarily workers and paid them Rs 20 unless more resources are garnered. translate into more tax payment. each but may declare that he had The finance ministers of Kerala Honesty implies that the black employed three people and paid and Punjab criticised the manner in economy is declining. The BJP, them Rs 25 each. This is muster roll which these decisions were taken during its election campaign in fudging and another black income of in the GST Council and argued that 2014, had promised that it would Rs 35 accrues. He also over invoices federalism is being dented. be able to curb the black economy overheads, like, transportation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, quickly. The government launched entertainment and so on. Thus, addressing the nation in his Mann demonetisation hoping to eliminate 20% of the revenue becomes black ki Baat in June, had hailed GST the black economy. But with all the income while the white income, the as a “celebration of honesty”. He old notes coming back to the RBI, declared profit, becomes negligible. said, “Everything is technologically that proved to be futile. There is a catch. If person A buys processed so there is no scope for from person B (whether raw material irregularities in taxation, as it used Can it promote honesty? cotton or the finished cloth), then A to be prior to the launch of GST.” Demonetisation is a one-shot would want to show a higher cost JANATA, September 16, 2018 7 while B would want to show a lower Officials scrutinising the accounts Without checking, misclassification revenue. This is feasible only if there of a business are unable to catch becomes easy. Under GST, trucks can are two books of accounts and it will manipulation of complex rules in be stopped for checking anywhere escape detection if the tax authorities the short time they have. That is why and not just at the state borders. cannot match the invoices. taxation should be simple, which is The police seem to be doing this Earlier, without computerisation possible if it does not try to achieve and there are reports of extortion of accounts of all businesses, the multiple goals. GST has become of money. tax authorities could not match complex because of its faulty design Changes in laws often lead to the billions of invoices generated and the massive data requirements. problems and GST is no different. monthly by businesses. GST and Black incomes are also Crooked businesses have to develop computerisation changes this by generated by misclassification of new ways of bypassing the new enabling the matching the invoices goods. Perfectly fine chemicals may laws. For example, in 1982, when of sellers and buyers. Both have be shown as scrap sold at throw a law was introduced in Mumbai to file returns on the GST network away prices. Ceramic tiles may to acquire under-valued flats, (GSTN). Each business has to be declared as damaged and sold transactions stopped. But, within 18 register and is allotted a number at a discount. Further, multiplicity months, they revived and exceeded (GSTIN) and all their invoices carry of tax rates enables businesses to the old level because a way was this number so that they can be cross misclassify goods and services and found of circumventing the new law. checked. Since, theoretically, all evade tax. Professional fees can be Reports of evasion of GST are transactions from raw material to the under invoiced since they have few slowly growing, implying that the final product/service are tracked, this inputs. Doctors seeing 25 patients process of discovery is on. is feasible in principle. may claim that they have seen 20 GST cannot check the process So, theoretically, due to patients. of black income generation in spite computerisation, mis-invoicing The e-way bill introduced to of computerisation; its form is is not possible and black incomes track movement of goods and check changing. The need is to transform cannot be generated by businesses black income generation has also the human element, but then GST in legal activities. Of course, illegal added to the complexity. Scrutiny would not be needed to generate activities like producing spurious of the content of the vehicle is `honesty’ and tackle the black drugs, adulterating food and required and this has encouraged economy. smuggling can continue to generate the reappearance of the inspector raj. Email: [email protected] black incomes. However, what if no bill is issued and transactions remain outside the Julian Assange and the Fate GST network from beginning to of Journalism end? Cases of fake billing to claim input credit have been surfacing with regularity. Various exemptions Lawrence Davidson granted under GST make this easy. Julian Assange is the Australian government officials fear the The exemptions were necessitated founder of Wikileaks—a website website, and particularly dislike by the need to serve multiple goals dedicated to the public’s right to Julian Assange. such as keeping essential goods know what governments and other Essentially, Wikileaks cheap by not taxing them, or leaving powerful organisations are doing. functions as a wholesale supplier small businesses out of the GST Wikileaks pursues this goal by of evidence. Having identified network so as not to adversely posting revelatory documents, often alleged official misconduct, impact them. These exemptions and acquired unofficially, that bring to Wikileaks seeks to acquire and multiplicity of tax rates has made light the criminal behaviour that make public overwhelming amounts GST complex. results in wars and other man- of evidence—sometimes hundreds Complexity in rules enables made disasters. Because Wikileaks’ of thousands of documents at a black incomes to be generated. very existence encourages “leaks,” time—which journalists and other 8 JANATA, September 16, 2018 interested parties can draw upon. seizure and deportation to the US, between “the truth” and their own And since the individuals and where he would certainly be put opinions. Recently, this alienation organisations being investigated on trial for revealing secrets. He has opened the entire media industry are ones ultimately responsible to escaped to the Ecuadorian embassy to the charge that it is really the the public, such a role as wholesale in London (2012), where he was “enemy of the people” because it supplier of evidence can be seen as given asylum. As of this writing, peddles “fake news”—that is, news a public service. he is still there. However, a recent that belies one’s opinions. Unfortunately, that is not change in government in Quito To bring the idealistic journalist how most government officials has led to discussions between in line with real public expectations, see the situation. They assert that Ecuador and the UK that may well editors put pressure on media workers government cannot be successful lead to Assange’s eviction from the to compromise their professional unless aspects of its behaviour are embassy. ideals. The result is most often conducted in secret. The fact that manipulated reports aimed at those aspects in question thereby The Ideals of Journalism fitting the particular outlook of the lose any accountable connection Some of the anger over particular media operation’s target to the public is discounted. The Assange’s fate has been directed audience. Thus, it is simply wrong assumption here is that most citizens at the journalistic profession which to think that, on the average, those simply trust their governments to act he has sought to serve. After all, who investigate, do research, write in their interests, including when Assange has ardently supported the about things, and report through the they act clandestinely. Historically, notions of free speech, free press various media are any braver or, such trust is dangerously naive. and the public’s right to know. ultimately, any more principled than Often, government officials, even the Nonetheless, as the documentary the rest of the population. As Julien democratic ones, feel no obligation filmmaker John Pilger, a supporter Benda showed us in his 1928 book to their citizens in general, but rather of Assange, has noted, “There has The Betrayal of the Intellectuals, only to special interests. been no pressure [in support of while it is in fact the job of those One reason for this is that large Assange] from media in the United who research and report to remain and bureaucratic institutions that States, Britain, Australia or pretty independent of the ideologies and last for any length of time have the much anywhere except in [media] biases of both their community tendency to become stand-alone programs . . . outside the mainstream. and their government, the truth is institutions—ones with their own . . . The persecution of this man has that most often these people end up self-referencing cultures, and a been something that should horrify serving power. This is particularly sense of loyalty which overrides any all free-thinking people.” He is quite the case when there is an atmosphere responsibility to outside groups other right. Unfortunately, there never of patriotic fervour, or just plain than those with particular shared have been many brave free-thinkers pressure from sources that can hurt interests. In other words, long- about, so no one should be surprised one’s career. At that point you will lasting institutions/bureaucracies at Assange’s poor prospects. find that bravery does exist but it is take on a life of their own. This brings up the difference the exception and not the rule—and Thus, it should come as no between the ideals of the journalistic the brave will, more often than not, surprise that many governments profession and the reality within stand alone. look upon Wikileaks as a threat to which it operates. There is a model That is what is happening in institutional well-being. And so, in of journalism that presents it as a the case of Julian Assange. Many an effort to cripple Wikileaks and pillar of democracy. The journalist American news outlets are willing have their revenge on Assange, is a tough and persistent person who to selectively use the documented the United States and the United digs up facts, asks hard questions evidence made available by Kingdom (UK), with the cooperation and explains the truth to his or her Wikileaks. To do so is to draw on of Sweden, first sought to frame readers/viewers. Few seem to have what the website has placed in Assange (2010) on a sexual assault noticed that, to the extent that this the public domain. But they will charge. This having failed, Assange picture is accurate, the ideal model not stand up and publicly defend was still left liable for jumping has alienated those readers/viewers the “whistleblower” who makes bail in the UK in order to avoid who cannot tell the difference the information public. I imagine JANATA, September 16, 2018 9 publishers, editors, and media true, documentable, stories to an words, the search for “accurate” moguls, and the vast majority of organisation of European journalists. reporting is really driven by a desire those they employ, just don’t have Most Israeli Jewish journalists, like for confirmation bias. the courage to support the individual their American counterparts, remain Under these circumstances it who breaks some unprincipled law silent. So do their respective publics. is easy to understand why a for- or regulation designed to enforce One might ask just how seriously profit media industry need not be silence in relation to official crimes “the public” wants a media that tells beholden to the general citizenry or and hypocrisy. them “the truth.” The most watched any ideal of supplying fact-based cable news channel in the US is news. This situation puts truth A Shared Problem Fox News, a media ally of Donald tellers like Assange, and in the The United States is certainly Trump that has no demonstrable case of Israel, Omar Nazzal, in a not the only country facing this interest in objective facts. It is more bad position. They will have their dilemma. To one extent or another, likely that Americans (and others) defenders but they will be outside the this is a shared problem in all chose their news outlets on the basis mainstream—because truth itself is those lands claiming to have a of which one most often tells them also outside the mainstream. That is free press. For example, a similar what they want to hear—in other their predicament, and ours as well. problem has long existed in Israel, where journalists have long faced Letter to Prime Minister Modi persecution if they dare to speak the truth. Ref.: Threat to our Food Sovereignty Take the case of Omar Nazzal, a member of the board of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate. Vandana Shiva and Mohini Giri In a 10 August 2016 report appearing in the on-line blog +972, and entitled Honourable Prime Minister, dependent for our food supply upon “Israeli journalists silent as their We write to you in anguish outside help. We are a sub-continent, Palestinian colleagues are jailed,” because our food sovereignty and a nation of nearly 400 millions we are told that Nazzal was taken our right to safe, healthy, biodiverse, (now 1.3 billion). We are country of into custody by Israeli forces in nutritionally rich and balanced food mighty rivers and a rich variety of April 2016, without charges. Like is being severely undermined by agricultural land . . . Assange, there has been an attempt, recent acts by the government. We would add that we are a after his arrest, to claim that Nazzal The government seems to be in country of rich biodiversity and rich is a criminal. The Shin Bet, one of a rush to put the profits of MNCs knowledge. We are the source of all those Israeli security forces that above the food sovereignty of India, sustainable agriculture traditions only the naive or venal take at face the livelihoods of Indian farmers and including organic agriculture. value, claims that he is a member of women, and the right to safe and Women of India have both a vision the Popular Front for the Liberation healthy food of the Indian people. and practical knowledge for creating of Palestine (PFLP), which they As we prepare to remember Anna Swaraj, that is, a ‘Food consider to be a terrorist organisation. Gandhi on his 150th Birth Sovereign’ India. No proof of this charge has been Anniversary, let us remember what While our farmers grow a publicly presented (Shin Bet claims he said about food freedom and food diversity of safe, healthy, GMO the “proof” is secret) and Nazzal sovereignty: free food, we are unnecessarily denies any affiliation. As it turns The first lesson we must learn is importing Roundup sprayed pulses out, the real reason he was arrested of self-help and self reliance. If we and processed food with GMOs. somewhat parallels Assange’s assimilate this lesson, we shall at We can feed two times India’s activity. At the time of his seizure, once free ourselves from disastrous population with biodiverse nutrition Nazzal was on his way to Sarajevo dependence upon foreign countries sensitive organic agriculture as for a meeting of the European and ultimate bankruptcy. This is not Navdanya’s study “Health per Acre” Federation of Journalists. No doubt, said in arrogance but as a matter has shown. the Israelis did not want him telling of fact. We are not a small place, The unnecessary and illegal 10 JANATA, September 16, 2018 imports of GMOs and food grains unhealthy, chemically processed and in hand with Roundup. Studies in the with Roundup imports are destroying GMO food. A healthy India is based US show that the use of Roundup and the livelihoods of our farmers and on clean food, or swachh bhojan. other herbicides has increased with women in the indigenous self- Swachh bhojan is based on women’s the spread of Roundup Ready GMO organised, swadeshi food economy skills, knowledge and livelihoods. crops (see, for instance: “Pesticide and the swasthya of our people. Indian women have built a rich, Use Rises as Herbicide-resistant Firstly, according to the WHO, healthy, diverse and nutritious food Weeds Undermine Performance of Roundup is a carcinogen (“IARC culture. Major GE Crops, New WSU Study Monograph on Glyphosate”, Women’s leadership is vital Shows”, CAHNRS News, http:// International Agency for Research to creating a food sovereign and news.cahnrs.wsu.edu; “Pesticide on Cancer, WHO, https://www.iarc. food secure India. Women are the Use Ramping up as GMO Crop fr.). foundation of our health security and Technology Backfires: Study”, In the US, a cancer victim whose food security. On 9 August, 2018, https://www.reuters.com.). job involved spraying Roundup on on Quit India Day, we women in Therefore all GMO imports of school grounds has won a significant the Mahila Anna Swaraj movement corn, soybeans and canola do not case (see these articles for more declared our commitment to building just have GMOs, they also have details: “Monsanto Ordered to Pay on Gandhiji’s legacy of swaraj, Roundup residues. Imported pulses $289m as Jury Rules Weedkiller swadeshi and satyagraha so that we also have Roundup residues (see Caused Man's Cancer”, August 11, are swashakt to fight for swad and the following articles published 2018, https://www.theguardian.com; swasthya in our food and nutrition. in Indian newspapers: “Imported “Cancer-Stricken Man First to Win Thirdly, imports rob markets Lentils Laced with Weed Killer”, Case Against Monsanto’s Weed and incomes from our farmers, Deccan Chronicle, July 19, 2018, Killer”, August 12, 2018, https:// our annadatas. Indian farmers https://www.deccanchronicle. www.downtoearth.org.in.). are in crisis because imports are com; “Health Hazards of Imported It is now established through undermining their opportunities and Pulses”, Statesman, July 12, 2018, cases in the US that Monsanto their produce is not being bought. All https://www.thestatesman.com.). “ghostwrites” attacks on scientists food crops in India are non-GMO. The Government should protect and even the WHO, to create “fake India does not need to import GMO our farmers, not MNCs. It should science” and put citizens lives at risk, foods and destroy its GMO free ensure that our farmers are able to while expanding their markets and status at a time when more and more sustain their livelihoods with dignity profits (see for instance: “Monsanto countries want to import food from and fairness and provide safe and Accused of Ghostwriting Papers countries that do not grow GMOs. nutritious food to the country. For on Roundup Cancer Risk”, https:// Over the last few years, while “India first”, we need to put “food www.schwartzreport.net.). our farmers have not been able to sell first”. For “Make in India” we Secondly, most people of India the diverse pulses they grow, India should grow organic food in India are engaged in growing food, has increasingly become dependent as you committed during your visit processing food and providing on imports of Roundup sprayed to Sikkim which has become 100% food to their community and pulses, just like we were made organic. their families as small farmers, as dependent on imports on edible oils A recent report from CSE has artisanal processors, as small and after 1998 . shown that 32% of all imported tiny retailers, as hawkers and street During the 2016–17 fiscal year, processed food, including infant vendors, as mothers and helpers. 66.08 lakh tonnes of pulses worth Rs food, has GMOs. This is illegal. Our right to livelihoods with dignity 28,523 crore were imported; these On 24 May, 2017 the Food and freedom is connected to our imports stood at 57.97 lakh tonnes Safety and Standards Authority of food heritage. Industrial foods worth Rs 25,619 crore in 2015–16 India (FSSAI), under the Ministry including imported GMO foods are and 45.8 lakh tonnes worth Rs of Health & Family Welfare, filed destroying women’s livelihoods. 17,062 crore in 2014–15. an affidavit in the Supreme Court We cannot be subjected to a new Eighty percent of GMOs in of India admitting that “GM foods ‘food imperialism’ where a handful the US are herbicide tolerant and are not allowed in the country and of MNCs make us dependent on resistant to Roundup. GMOs go hand neither can be regulated till such JANATA, September 16, 2018 11 notification (for regulation under action taken against the violators. knowledge sovereignty. We are Section 22 of the Food Safety and Besides the illegal import of GMOs, on the verge of being recolonised Standards Act) is issued” (Page there is an illegal spread of Roundup through a new ‘Food Imperialism’, 9, Para VI). It further stated that and Roundup Ready Bt Cotton or alternatively, we can have a “it is submitted that the GEAC is in India. We have a regulatory resurgence of Anna Swaraj through responsible for risk assessment agency, GEAC, under the Ministry rejuvenating our biodiversity and and approval of GM organism and of Environment which is supposed our nutritious, healthy food cultures. products into the environment. As to prevent any unapproved GMO We hope your government will and when any GM food is approved release. work with us to take care of our by the GEAC, as per the provision in The Hon. Minister of fertile land and our hardworking Section 22 of the FSSA 2006, FSSAI Environment, Dr Harsh Vardhan, annadatas. We hope you will listen has the responsibility to regulate has already been informed about to the voice of our Mahila Shakti, the it. However, since regulations in this illegality, yet GEAC has failed backbone of our society and our food this regard have yet to be framed, to act according to the Rules for the and nutrition sovereignty. The new it follows that GM food is not Manufacture, Use, Import, Export India we want to create is a poison permitted to be sold in the country.” and Storage of Hazardous Micro- free, cancer free, suicide free, hunger When illegal imports take place, organisms Genetically Engineered free, food sovereign Jaivik Bharat. a responsible government should Organisms or Cells (notified on 5 We call on you to stop the entry of stop these imports, remove all such December, 1989 under the EP Act, GMO foods and Roundup sprayed food items from the shelf and destroy 1986). pulses and edible oils, and build on them, and take punitive action India is committed to meeting indigenous alternatives which can against all persons violating our the Sustainable Development provide fair incomes to our farmers laws, as well as act strictly against Goals (SDG) 2030. SDG target 3.9 and a healthy diet to the last child. the regulatory authorities that are commits to substantially reducing failing to carry out their duties. the number of deaths and illnesses Sd/- : Instead of preventing illegal from hazardous chemicals and Dr. Mohini Giri, Founder, imports, the FSSAI is now in a air, water and soil pollution and Guild For Service rush to legalise the illegal import contamination. Dr Vandana Shiva, Founder, of GMOs. Instead of taking care India is at a fragile moment for Navdanya of the health of Indian citizens, the future of its food, health and the FSSAI is protecting those who are undermining our laws and our The Communal Movement in health. The head of FSSAI is misleading Venezuela: Part II the public in stating that there is no evidence of harm from GMOs. The second part of the interview That is one of our aims in He has also misled India in putting with Angel Prado, spokesperson for building the communal city and 5% GMOs as “GMO free” in his the El Maizal commune in Venezuela. accumulating forces to allow us proposed labelling laws, contrary to This interview was conducted in May to grow and move forward. A first world standards. 2017, before the May 20 presidential stage involves controlling more There are many global studies elections in which Nicolás Maduro means of production, because we which show there is no scientific won re-election. need them to go beyond being just consensus on safety of GMOs (see, for primary producers and enter the instance: “No Scientific Consensus El Maizal produces corn but sells cycle of industrialisation. Before that on GMO Safety”, Environmental its harvest to the state company happens, we know we will come up Sciences Europe, December 2015, Agropatria. However, if the against a variety of enemies, but we https://link.springer.com.). commune is to contribute to the will also count on plenty of allies in Illegal imports of GMOs and construction of socialism, should the government and throughout the Roundup laced food should be there not be control over the entire country. immediately stopped, and strict productive chain? We believe that with our 12 JANATA, September 16, 2018 experience and political capital, an urban commune, how can way. In effect, we need to dispel the we cannot continue being mere production be carried out there? myth that the productive commune raw material producers and hand What does an urban commune can only exist in the countryside. everything over to the state or the produce? private sector, and then leave this I believe that organisation is What do you think should be region with no supplies, which is born out of necessity. Where there is the role of National Constituent absurd. The issue of self-government a larger population, there is greater Assembly (ANC), of which you are is about people realising that necessity. What is not produced in a member, in the current political territorial self-government is capable the countryside can be produced in context? of solving problems. And right now the city. Here we can grow corn and I believe the Constituent the priority is food, and our economy raise cattle because we have the right Assembly (ANC) should have is based on food production, so we conditions to do so, but in a city, in assumed the role of legislating and cannot go on producing and have any house one can produce clothing, taking tough decisions in order to the state or the private sector take it or the eyeglasses one needs, or really tackle the economic crisis. We all in the end. watches and shoes. One can also have always seen the government For that reason, this year we process food. depositing a lot of trust in the private are creating a network of micro- We think that there is sometimes sector, allocating dollars and making companies, using very basic a selfish attitude among those who concessions. We have given plenty technology, which will be able live in urban areas and believe that of opportunities to the private sector, to receive, process, conserve and only campesinos (peasant farmers) and yet what we see is the situation distribute within the communities. should produce, that only campesinos getting worse every day with regard For example, for corn we have need to organise in communes. If we to food, prices, inflation, etc. readied a barn where we plan to were to apply the same logic, why The ANC received a lot of install a small machine to process not consider those in the city to support for two main reasons, one corn. The only step remaining is be mere parasites? If a truck with had to do with the protests organised to build silos, even if in a do-it- food goes from here to Caracas (the by the right-wing opposition, and yourself fashion. The milk and capital of Venezuela), then it should the need to secure peace, which to meat production, which has been return from Caracas with clothing! a certain extent it did. The other increasing, is not being sold to the This is an important debate. We have was the economic situation, which state nor to the private sector, but told many communities in Lara state, overwhelmingly affects poor people, is instead distributed directly to the that it is fine to come to El Maizal and is still to be solved. Now, I community. The same thing goes for and buy something at a fair price, believe the ANC also has the role coffee, vegetables and other things but what are you contributing from of restructuring the constitution we are growing here in the commune your end? and implementing a series of laws with small producers. The big industries, the to allow for an accelerated advance The next step is to set up small mechanical workshops, etc., are all towards the communal, socialist scale industrial units and thus in the city. The workers also live state that we believe in and which consolidate an industrial system in the city, and are concentrated Chávez proposed. The people have adapted to our capacities. We will in a few working class barrios! placed a lot of hopes in the ANC, not have a mega-industry like Because of this accumulation of and we hope that after the coming Polar (Venezuela’s largest food people, there is also better access to Presidential elections, that we hope conglomerate), but we should at information and technology. In the to win, the country will advance in least be able to process what we urban barrios of big cities, where this direction, and the ANC will take produce. there is a high concentration of the important decisions in this regard people, there needs to be organising, that it should. With an agricultural commune, be it around the problem of security, it is easy to imagine making the of social coexistence, healthcare or How should the commune figure organisation around production. services, in addition to developing in the new constitution? But if we consider the case of productive activities in a communal We believe the commune should JANATA, September 16, 2018 13 be a theme that runs through the occasions . . . perfect one, but Chávez studied entire constitution and is not just an I believe the proposal that and presented it, and so we should article in it. If the commune marks President Chávez made was quite take it seriously. From where we the way forward, then the whole concrete, and his proposals regarding stand today, we believe it could be a constitution needs to reflect that, so the new geometry of power are viable way to carry out the territorial that the state is reoriented towards very interesting. On the question organisation of the new state as we the communal state and socialism. It of territorial organisation, we find move towards socialism. makes no sense to have 350 articles his proposals very appealing. For As I said, El Maizal is a territory and then add a 351st which states example, Chávez put forth the idea that spans two states, and our that the commune exists! I believe of the communal council, and then communal city will spread across that, from the first article to the last, that of the commune. After the many parishes. The communal the issue of communes needs to cut commune, he launched the idea of federation we envision, from across the constitution, to make clear the communal city and then came here to Buría, which is an area the kind of state we want to build. the communal federation. Finally, where there are four communes, We should also point out that at the highest level, we would would incorporate territory across the commune is not just about have a confederation of communes three states: Yaracuy, Lara and legal and administrative questions. spanning the whole country. Portuguesa. Therefore I think the It is also a cultural issue; it has to Now, I believe this should lead to new constitution needs to address do with building a new culture of an interesting and intense debate in this new territorial organisation in government, a new way of doing the ANC, with a view to recovering, the spirit in which Chávez presented politics and of managing and in case we have forgotten it, the it: with new terminology, new forms, assigning resources. All of that proposal of comandante Chávez. a new logic, and with the new needs to be addressed by the new It is one way of moving forward. It geometry of power in the territory. constitution. might not be the only or the most This is also related to terminology. When we talk about communes, Obituary we are talking about cooperation and socialism. By contrast, when Samir Amin (1931–2018): A Vital we talk about municipalities or parishes, they are not ours! Radical Thinker who Challenged Therefore, the commune also has to do with the territorial organisation Dispossession of the country. El Maizal is in two municipalities, in two states, but it is Nick Dearden the same phenomenon. More than a political and territorial breakdown, Egyptian-French Marxist century’s World Social Forum, which the challenge is to create a new way academic Samir Amin passed away brought together social movements of organising the territory based aged 86 on August 12. The man and struggles from around the world. on the people’s logic, the human who introduced the concept of Amin’s ideas were formed in the geography, and do away with borders “Eurocentrism” was one of the heady ferment of the 1950s and ’60s, that were inherited from colonialism. world’s greatest radical thinkers. when pan-Africanists like Kwamah In a way, it is about going back Amin was a “creative Marxist” Nkrumah ran Ghana and Nyerere to Simón Rodríguez’s concept of who went from Communist activism governed Tanzania. Nasser was toparchy: the government from the in Gamal Abdul Nasser’s Egypt in transforming the Middle East from territory and with the territory. the late 1950s, to advising African Amin’s native Egypt and liberation We also need to take into account socialist leaders like the Tanzanian movements thrived from South Chávez’s proposals regarding the anti-colonial activist Julius Nyerere Africa to Algeria. commune that he made on many to being a leading figure in this Africa looked very different 14 JANATA, September 16, 2018 before the International Monetary developing. the global South should develop Fund (IMF) destroyed what Most obviously, the exploitation their economy through various progress had been made towards of Africa’s minerals on terms of trade forms of state intervention, control emancipation and LiveAid created starkly favourable to the centre will of money flowing in and out of their a popular conception of a continent never allow African liberation, only financial sectors and promoting of famine and fecklessness. continual exploitation. This flies in trading with other global South Yet Amin’s ideas have the face of so much “development countries. Countries must nationalise continued to shine out, denouncing thinking”, which would have you financial sectors, strongly regulate the inhumanity of contemporary believe that Africa’s problems natural resources, “de-link” internal capitalism and empire. But he come from not being properly prices from the world market, and also harshly critiqued movements integrated into the global economy. free themselves from control by from political Islam to Eurocentric Amin believed that, in fact, Africa’s international institutions like the Marxism and its marginalisation of problem stem from it being too World Trade Organisation (WTO). the truly dispossessed. integrated in “the wrong way”. Whatever problems come with Sweatshop labour now takes nationalised industries, it is the Global power place across the periphery, but it has only possible basis for a genuinely Amin believed that world not challenged the power of those in socially-controlled economy. capitalism—a rule of oligopolies the North because of their control Amin did not believe that the based in the rich world—maintains of finance, natural resources, the “rise” of China, India and other its hold through five monopolies: military and the other monopolies. emerging economies has in any way control of technology, access to In fact, it has enhanced their power broken the power of the oligopolies. natural resources, finance, the by reducing wages and destroying That power has only become more global media and the means of mass a manufacturing sector that had concentrated. But there have been destruction. Only by overturning become a power base for unionised important changes. Imperialist these monopolies can real progress workers. powers have realised competition be made. Amin was also concerned at between themselves is not helpful This raises particular challenges environmental activism that becomes and have created a sort of collective for those of us in the global North a debate about how countries of imperialism which is expressed because any change we promote the centre manage their control of through institutions like the WTO must challenge the privileges of the world’s resources, rather than and IMF. the North vis-à-vis the South. Our challenging that control. It is vital Capitalism is experiencing a internationalism cannot be expressed that Northern activists challenge the profound long-term crisis to which through a type of humanitarian means through which the ruling class Amin believes it has no solution, approach to the global South—that in their own society exerts control short of political barbarism. He countries in the South need our “help over the rest of the world. describes this form of capitalism as to develop”. “senile”. This crisis is characterised For Amin, international solidarity De-linking by an increased dependence on must be based on an explicitly anti- The theory for which Amin finance, which means less and imperialist perspective. Anything is most famous is “de-linking”. less money is being made from else will fail to challenge those De-linking means countries of productive activities. It is a far more monopolies that keep the powerful the periphery withdrawing from direct means of stealing wealth from powerful. their exploitative integration in the majority of the world. Amin saw the world divided into the global economy. In a sense it The accompanying form of the “centre” and the “peripheries”. is de-globalisation, but it is not politics means that democracy has The role of peripheries, those a form of economic isolation. been reduced to a farce in which countries we call the global South, Rather, it means not engaging in people are spectators in an elite is to supply the centres in the global economic relationships from a point drama. North with the means of developing of weakness. Capitalism needs an ongoing in ways that stop the South from Amin argues that countries of process of dispossession so it can JANATA, September 16, 2018 15 accumulate and expand. Capitalism commodity markets. This would the idea that the world consists of could not have developed without stop the dispossession of peasants different cultural groups in conflict the European conquest of the world, and their exodus into the towns. with each other. This idea helps the and the resources that provided. Only such a revolution in the centre control the peripheries. It also provided a safety valve for way the land is seen, treated and He did not limit his critique many of those dispossessed in accessed can lay the basis for a new to Islam either, launching similar Europe, with mass emigration to the society. This also means ditching criticism on political Hinduism “new world”. the idea of “growth” as it is spoken practiced by the ruling Bharatiya about today and by which all world Janata Party in India and political Dispossession economies are judged, which really Buddhism, expressed through the As much as the dispossessed in benefits only a minority of the world Dalai Lama. the global South might aspire to the population. The rest of humanity is lives of those in advanced capitalist abandoned. Creative Marxism countries, it is not possible. Nor can Amin described himself as a traditional Marxists be correct when Long road to socialism “creative Marxist”—“to begin from they say capitalism is a necessary Amin rejected the idea of a Marx but not to end with him”. This stage on the path to socialism—a “24-hour revolution”—a single means to incorporate all manner of view Amin called Eurocentric. insurrectionary act that ushers in a critical ways of thinking, even ones Industry cannot incorporate more period of socialism. He accepted “which were wrongly considered than a small fraction of humanity, but there may well be a need to use to be ‘alien’ by the dogmas of the it requires the resources humanity private, even international capital, historical Marxism of the past.” depends upon. So the only way that to diversify economies in the South. These views are surely more capitalism can advance is through The important thing is control. relevant today than when Amin the creation of a “slum planet”—a Amin’s underlying view was that started writing. A creative Marxism sort of “global apartheid”. the formation of democracy must go takes proper account of the Amin believed the dispossession beyond a narrow political project, and perspectives and aspirations of the of the peasantry across the peripheral that peasants—especially women— truly dispossessed in the world, countries would be the central issue through collective organisations, breaks out of historical dogmas and of the 21st century. This is one might be better placed than Western rejects attempts to hold together a reason why Amin saw the role of individualists to define a really broken model. the peasantry in the South—almost progressive vision of democracy. half of humanity after all—as key Perhaps Amin’s central thesis to determining the future. The is somewhat obvious, but it’s often The Unemployment strength of movements around forgotten: a true revolution must be food sovereignty, against land based on those being dispossessed Crisis: grabbing and supporting the rights and impoverished. Reasons and of indigenous peoples, supports this But he also argued against Solutions theory. any assumption that any thinking For Amin, the existence of the emerging from the South will lack peasantry presents capitalism with “enlightenment”, or that a lack of Contribution Rs. 25/- an insurmountable challenge. enlightenment should be excused. Amin believes the road to He believed the Enlightenment Published by socialism depends on reversing was humanity’s first step towards Janata Trust & Lokayat this trend of dispossession. This democracy, liberating us from the D-15, Ganesh Prasad, means, at national and regional idea that God created our activity. Naushir Bharucha Marg, levels, protecting local agricultural He has caused controversy in his Grant Road (W), production, ensuring countries utter rejection of political Islam. This Mumbai 400 007 have food sovereignty and de- ideology obscures the real nature of linking internal prices from world society, including by playing into R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, September 16, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, September 16, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, September 19, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 35 Growth at 8.2%, Yet All Is Not Well September 23, 2018 Arun Kumar Calling Naidu's Bluffs Sankara Narayanan India’s gross domestic product formation at current prices rising (GDP) has grown at a robust 8.2% from 28.7% to 28.8%. This implies If Maoist Violence is in the first quarter of the current that businesses are not investing Illegitimate, How is Hindutva financial year, according to recently more in machinery and buildings. Violence and State Violence released official data. Thus, even if growth rate is higher Justified? This is the highest in the last two now, this spurt may not continue Swami Agnivesh and years which has seen two shocks both because of the base effect and Sandeep Pandey to the economy in the form of the lack of increase in investment demonetisation and GST. The spurt rates. Theatre of Absurd: in growth is due to a sharp increase At 8.2% rate of growth, there Modi and the in the growth of the manufacturing should be feel good all around in Dawoodi Bohra Pontiff sector (13.5%), construction (8.7%) the economy. Are the protesting Irfan Engineer and agriculture and allied sectors farmers and traders barking up the (5.3%) compared to the same period wrong tree? The farmers should be There is Still Time for an last year. earning much more with a higher Ecological Revolution to Critics have argued that the agricultural growth rate and ought Prevent Hothouse Earth numbers are higher precisely not to be protesting. Are the young because they were so low during protesting about jobs doing so for Editor : G.G.Parikh this period last year. Manufacturing nothing? Job creation in the economy had declined by 1.8%. Construction should be robust and there should Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain had grown at 1.8% and agriculture be less of a crisis of employment. Managing Editor : Guddi at 3%. This is called the base effect. Are businessmen complaining of Growth last year during the difficulties for no cause? Editorial Board : first quarter was low due to the The government has assiduously B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali effect of demonetisation. So, if the argued that demonetisation did Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah economy recovers from the shock not have a negative impact on Nandu Dhaneshwar, of demonetisation, there would be a the economy. If there was some Sandeep Pandey spurt in growth because it is catching adverse impact, it was temporary and up with its trend growth. This is what disappeared soon. It has emphasised D-15, Ganesh Prasad, the officials claim. that the long-term impact has been Naushir Bharucha Marg, The rate of growth in the services positive and that is what is visible Mumbai - 400 007. sector is mostly down compared to now. Email : [email protected] last year. Also, investment is hardly Similarly, regarding GST, the Website:www.janataweekly.org recovering, with gross fixed capital government has argued that it was a 2 JANATA, September 23, 2018 much-needed reform. It is contended till the next survey is done. However, among a large percent of the women that it has had a positive impact on in between the surveys, if there is and children is an indication of the economy after some teething a shock, the ratio changes and the lack of purchasing power with the troubles. The claim is that GST old ratio is no more applicable. A unorganised sectors. Surpluses due has led to ‘ease of doing business’ new ratio is required, for which a to low demand have led to low which has led to a spurt in growth. survey needs to be done, but since prices of agricultural produce and So both these shocks to the economy this was not done, a new ratio cannot depressed incomes. are portrayed as structural changes be calculated. The two shocks due In brief, the two-way movement that have resulted in the present to demonetisation and GST have in the economy—the rise in the higher growth, even if there was a changed the ratio. Thus, the old organised sector production and temporary setback. methodology needs to change. a decline in the output of the Both shocks to the economy, The unorganised sectors which unorganised sector—means the pre- note ban and GST, are portrayed as largely use cash were massively hit demonetisation ratios for estimation structural changes that have resulted by demonetisation. Due to persisting of quarterly growth rates do not hold. in the present higher growth, even if cash shortage for eight months, Earlier, it was implicit in the method there was a temporary setback. they could not revive for long and that the unorganised and organised The problem with these were again hit by GST. While they sectors are growing together—this arguments is that the unorganised have been exempted from GST, or a is no longer true. sector does not figure in any of them. simple provision has been made for Two important conclusions This sector is 45% of the GDP and them (called Composition Scheme), follow. One, the organised sector employs 93% of the workforce. they have been adversely hit due to is growing at the expense of the Data from this sector is collected the design of GST. They are hit by unorganised sector leading to a periodically (not quarterly or even input tax credit (ITC), reverse charge crisis in the latter. Two, official data annually) as is the case with some mechanism (RCM), restrictions on needs to be corrected to take this into components of the organised sector. inter-state sales, and so on. account; if this is done, the rate of The data on the basis of which While official surveys were not growth would turn out to be far less the quarterly GDP is calculated is done, private surveys were conducted than 8.2%. primarily from the corporate sector, and they point to a sharp decline in agriculture and so on. the unorganised sector. Demand for Email: [email protected] The press note issued by the work under the MGNREGS shot government says that for industry, up as workers lost work in urban Janata Subscription “The first quarter estimates are based areas and migrated back to the rural on . . . abridged financial results of areas. This demand has remained Annual Rs. : 260/- listed companies from BSE/NSE, high. Further, credit off-take reached Index of Industrial Production (IIP) a record low. Finally, investment Three Years : 750/- . . .” data showed a sharp decline. These Demand Draft / So not even the entire organised factors support the argument that sector data has been used to estimate there was a sharp downturn in the Cheque on the growth rate. The question of economy. Mumbai Bank using the unorganised sector data The decline in the unorganised does not arise, as it is not available. sector had two consequences. in favour of So how is the unorganised Production from the unorganised sector estimated in the absence sector was substituted by the Janata Trust of data? Certain assumptions are organised sectors and mass demand made. Namely, that it is growing in from the unorganised sector declined. D-15, Ganesh Prasad, proportion to the organised sector for The latter further hit the growth of Naushir Bharucha Marg, which some data are available. The the unorganised sectors. Coexistence Grant Road (W), ratio of the two sectors is estimated of agricultural surplus along with Mumbai 400 007. in a reference year and this is used persistence of malnourishment JANATA, September 23, 2018 3 Calling Naidu's Bluffs

Sankara Narayanan

In the recently concluded World India is not unique here. means Hindus) are in some way Hindu Congress (WHC) in Chicago, Something similar has happened extraordinary or unique because Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu in many nations. England was they have managed to ‘tolerate’, or stated that “the only country that conquered by the French in 1066. live in peace with those who have accepts all religions is India”. He Even today, unlike India, the majority conquered India, is wrong. also said, “Even though we have so of English landed nobility and much strength, we never attacked aristocracy are of foreign ancestry. Second Assumption: That India anyone in history.” Queen Elizabeth herself is from the was only invaded, and Indians Some time ago, hundreds of royal house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha never invaded another country the country’s top writers, artists, of Germany. England's aristocracy No need not go very far to scientists, historians, film makers and still holds its foreign origins with puncture this myth. Indian king other intellectuals had returned their great pride and is not resented by Ranjit Singh's generals captured national awards to lodge their protest the British. Kabul towards the end of his reign. against the growing atmosphere In the thirteenth century, China Of course Ranjit Singh would see of intolerance in the country. was captured by the Mongols under himself as being a Punjabi rather Responding to this awardwapsi, Kublai Khan, who established the than an Indian, because this was a Venkaiah Naidu, who was then Yuan dynasty. This Mongol dynasty time before India became a nation a union minister, had observed, of Yuan is revered in China. North state. “They say tolerance in this country Africa is made up of a mix of races Samrat Ashoka had one of his is coming down. However, India is that have mingled at least since famous pillars in Kandahar. Was it the only country in this world where 450 BC. Turkey was conquered put up out of respect? He probably tolerance is observed, if not 100% at by the Central Asian Turks and raided or threatened to raid if the least 99%.” He further stated, “If you was occupied by a mix of people Afghans did not submit. To this go back to history, India was invaded including Greeks. Cyprus is half example, some would say that by many foreign countries but there Turkish and half Greek. Afghanistan is also a part of India. In was not a single instance where we The name Hungary comes that case, they should not consider the invaded any country. We respect from Huns, a tribe from Central Afghans from Mohammed Ghazni to all religions. That is the greatness Asia, who conquered Europe in the Sultans of Lodi dynasty to Sher of India. Tolerance is genetically the 4th century AD and assimilated Shah Suri who conquered northern ingrained in Indians' blood.” with the Europeans. Hungarian India as foreign conquerors. There are two strong assumptions is not a language of Europe. The The idea that Hindus are peace in the above utterances of Naidu. Greeks ruled and assimilated with loving and reticent is a modern one. First, that Indians, meaning in Egyptians for centuries. Cleopatra, We actually have never had any this instance Hindus, are unique the last queen of Egypt, was actually problem spilling our own blood. The because we have tolerance; we are Greek speaking. Many countries in Marathas conquered Gujarat. This ‘the only’ people to tolerate the the American continent are ruled was not a peaceful or democratic conqueror living among us. Second, by invaders, the most prominent takeover. Ashoka flattened Kalinga that while India was invaded many example being the USA. Are the and massacred thousands of Odias. times, Indians never invaded another conquerors not ruling Australia and It was not tolerance or lack of visa country. New Zealand? that stopped him from attempting These are just a few examples. the same in China or Burma or First Assumption: We are 'the only' There are many others. So Naidu’s Australia. It was the natural borders. people to tolerate the conqueror belief—which is also held by many North Indian dynasties had little living among us. others—that Indians (he actually geographic space in which to 4 JANATA, September 23, 2018 conquer 'foreign', meaning non- must not only give up their attitude History challenges the depiction of subcontinental territory. of intolerance and ungratefulness the “ancient period of Indian history In the same period that north towards this land and its age-old as a golden age marked by social India was invaded by Muslims traditions but must also cultivate the harmony devoid of any religious and England by France, the Tamils positive attitude of love and devotion violence”. He says that it is very under the Chola dynasty invaded instead—in a word, they must cease much true that Brahminical sects Southeast Asia because they were to be foreigners, or may stay in the “bore huge animosity towards the among the few Indian dynasties country wholly subordinated to the two heterodox religions, Buddhism with a competent navy. But the Hindu nation, claiming nothing, and Jainism”. Citing the famous saffron brigade and many others deserving no privileges, far less any grammarian Patanjali, Jha says who claim that India never invaded preferential treatment—not even that he “famously stated in his any nation don't find any incongruity citizen’s rights." Mahabhashya that Brahmins and in eulogising this achievement of In the same book, Golwalkar Shramanas are eternal enemies, like Chola dynasty as a triumph of India. also said, "To keep up the purity of the snake and the mongoose. This How can there be so much Hindu the race and its culture, Germany rancour resulted in attacks and the influence in Bali island in Indonesia shocked the world by her purging appropriation of Buddhist and Jain or a Hindu temple constructed at the country of the Semitic races— sacred places.” Angkor Wat in Cambodia without the Jews. Race pride at its highest Jha marshals a wide array of Indians attacking those nations? has been manifested here. Germany examples to show the enormous has also shown how well-nigh scale of religious violence in ancient BJP-RSS and Religious Tolerance impossible it is for races and cultures India. For example, in the 7th century, Coming back to Naidu's assertion having differences going to the King Shashanka cut the down Bodhi that “the only country that accepts all root, to be assimilated into one tree, under which Buddha gained religions is India”, the vituperative united whole, a good lesson for us enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, and and vicious attacks on Muslims and in Hindustan to learn and profit by." replaced the Buddha’s statue with Christians in the last four years are that of Shiva in a local temple. calling Naidu's bluff adequately. Religious Violence in India Goes Seven centuries earlier, in 185 Over the last four years, there have Back to Ancient Times CE, Pushyamitra Shunga overthrew been innumerable love jihad and Actually, demolition and the Buddhist Mauryan dynasty, ghar wapsi episodes, apart from desecration of rival religious destroyed the Ashokan pillared hall the several incidents of lynching of establishments, and the appropriation and the Kukutarama monastery Muslims. of their idols, goes back to ancient in Pataliputra. He is also said to This is actually in tune with times in India, that is, much have vandalised the famous Sanchi the ideology of ‘Hindu supremacy’ before the advent of Islam. There Stupa, burnt down the Ghositaram and ‘intolerance towards non- existed many Brahminical and monastery in Kaushambi, and killed Hindu religions’ propagated by non-Brahminical religions and Buddhist monks wantonly. As a Naidu’s guru M.S. Golwalker, who their sects in ancient India. Their consequence, the Buddhist Sanskrit is considered to be the foremost adherents were not always friendly work, Divyavadana, describes idealogue of the RSS, the parent and mutually accommodative, but him as the “great persecutor” of organisation of the BJP, the party were, in fact, very often hostile to Buddhists. ruling India today. M.S. Golwalkar one another. The two Brahminical Jha cites several examples in his book We or Our Nationhood sects, Vaishnavism and Shaivism, of Brahminical destruction and Defined says, "The non-Hindu fought among themselves, and they appropriation of Buddhist/Jain people in Hindustan must adopt the both were constantly at loggerheads monuments such as Sarnath, Sravasti, Hindu culture and language, must with the followers of the Shramanic Mathura’s Katra Mound, Nalanda, learn to respect and hold in reverence religions—Buddhism and Jainism. Sialkot, Satdhara (in Katni district), Hindu religion, must entertain no Historian Dwijendra Narayan Deurkothar (in Rewa district), ideas but those of the glorification of Jha in his book Against the Grain: Vidisha, Khajuraho, Kaushambi near the Hindu race and culture i.e. they Notes on Identity, Intolerance and Allahabad, Vaishali, Jayendravihara JANATA, September 23, 2018 5 at Srinagar, Bodh Gaya, Somapura it is remarkable that despite all References: Mahavihara (Bangladesh), Bankura, these shames, many caste Hindus, 1. Aakar Patel, “Demystifying Bochaganj in Dinajpur, Shripur in even legislators, ministers and the Beliefs”, Orissa Post, October Raipur district, Puri, Bhubaneswar, educated sections, believe the myth 27, 2015. Tagara in Osmanabad district, Karle about peaceful acceptance of all 2. D.N. Jha, “Monumental near Lonavala in Pune district, Ellora religions in India and continue to Absence: The Destruction in Aurangabad district, Chezerla utter outrageous lies on tolerance of Ancient Buddhist Sites”, in Guntur district, Amaravati, of Indians. Caravan, June 1, 2018. Nagapattinam, Kanchipuram and In the WHC, Swami Vivekananda 3. Ajaz Ashraf, “Why it’s essential many many more. These are just was quoted by one and all. Let for school students to learn about some of the examples taken from me also quote the Swami while religious violence in ancient Jha’s list of religious sites that were concluding this article: “India's India”, Scroll.in, May 1, 2018. appropriated or destroyed, making it doom was sealed the day it coined 4. “Buddhist Shrines Massively clear that ancient India witnessed a the word Mlechha. No religion on Destroyed by Brahmanical level of religious violence that was earth preaches dignity of humanity Rulers in ‘pre-Islamic’ Era”, certainly not insignificant. in such a lofty frame and no religion Counterview, June 22, 2018. sits on the neck of the poor and the Tolerance and Indians Today low in such a fashion as Hinduism.” Email: [email protected] So much so for Naidu’s assertion that “We (Indians) respect all religions.” With regard to Naidu's If Maoist Violence is Illegitimate, claim that “tolerance is genetically How is Hindutva Violence and State ingrained in Indian blood” and “tolerance is observed, if not 100% Violence Justified? at least 99%”, the continuing caste discrimination, untouchability, atrocities against the oppressed Swami Agnivesh and Sandeep Pandey castes, honour killings, the rant There was major police action dedicated activists fighting for the against reservation and the violent against Sudha Bhardwaj, Gautam rights of marginalised sections of attacks on the people of the North- Navlakha, Varvara Rao, Vernon our society and don’t really have the East, Kashmir and people of African Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira on 28 time to indulge in frivolous activity origin tell an entirely different August 2018. Before this, the police like planning an assassination. The story. Violence let loose on the bi- had arrested Professor Shoma Sen, cooked up charge is to justify the centenary celebrations at Bhima Adocate Sudhir Gadling, Sudhir police action. Koregaon in January this year is Dhawle, Mahesh Raut and Rona Maoists are considered another example of such intolerance. Wilson on 6 June. Even before this, illegitimate because they support With such ‘magnanimous Dr. Binayak Sen, Soni Sori, Ajay violence. Any violence cannot be behaviour’ on display by caste T.G., Professor G.N. Saibaba and justified in a democracy. However, Hindus in this ‘Dharmic’ land, Prashant Rahi have been arrested the question is, if violence is bad, Naidu's certificates on “tolerance” and all these activists have been how is other kinds of violence more are nothing but cruel jokes. Media accused of having links with legitimate than Maoist violence? headlines and briefs on the plight of Maoists. Maoists are considered The history of the right wing is the subjugated castes clearly tell ‘the dangerous because they are thought replete with incidents of violence. percentage of observed tolerance’. It to be plotting to destabilise the How can we forget that the person also reveals how much “genetically government. The five who have with whom India’s identity is ingrained” is tolerance in Indians' been most recently targeted are associated in the entire world and blood. also accused of having planned to who lived the value of non-violence This is all well known to Naidu. assassinate the Prime Minister. This was murdered by people believing in Nothing new is revealed. But charge is ridiculous because they are Hindutva ideology? The Rashtriya 6 JANATA, September 23, 2018

Swayamsewak Sangh can never wash September 2008, 10 people died in views which were critical of the off this sin, irrespective of however blasts at Malegaon and Modasa in Hindutva ideology. much Narendra Modi may have Gujarat. Workers of Abhinav Bharat A new trend of violence was tried to co-opt Mahatma Gandhi, organisation were made the accused initiated after Narendra Modi Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose in both incidents. Bomb explosion ascended to power in Delhi. and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, instead of on 18 February 2007 killed 68 Muslims began to be lynched to using the icons of Hindutva ideology persons in Samjhauta Express. death on suspicion of cow slaughter Hedgewar, Golwalkar and Savarkar. The same year on 18 May in bomb or for simply transporting cows. On By demolishing the Babri explosions outside Mecca Masjid 28 September 2015, Mohammed Masjid on 6 December 1992 the of Hyderabad, 9 people were killed Akhlaq was lynched to death on RSS, Bhartiya Janata Party, Vishwa and 5 more became casualties in the suspicion of having stolen and Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal police firing. Abhinav Bharat again slaughtered a cow in Bisada village reignited the fire of communalism is believed to have a hand in these near Dadri. An announcement was in this country after its partition in blasts. On 11 October 2017, there first made from the loudspeaker 1947. By this, they devilishly pushed were bomb explosions at Khawaja of a temple for people to assemble the society towards Hindu–Muslim Moinuddin Chisti’s dargah in Ajmer before the assault. On 18 March polarisation for their political gain. in which 19 people were killed. 2016 in Latehar, a Jharkhand cattle The incident has caused irreparable Bhavesh Patel and Devendra Gupta, trader, 32–year–old Mazlum Ansari, damage to the politics and social both having connections with RSS, accompanied by 15–year–old Imtiaz fabric of this country. After the were convicted for this incident with Khan, were on their way to a cattle demolition of the Babri Masjid life imprisonment. fair with with 8 oxen when they demolition, kar sevaks attacked In 2002, in reaction to a fire in a were lynched to death by members the Muslim residents of Ayodhya, coach of Sabarmati Express outside of a cow vigilante committee and murdering 18 Muslims. Several Godhra railway station, communal their dead bodies hung from a tree. people died in communal riots across violence took the lives of 1000–2000 On 1 April 2017, 55–year–old Pehlu the country following the incident. people, most of whom were Muslims. Khan, a resident of Mewat, Haryana Demolition of Babri Masjid is Leaders–workers of BJP, VHP and was returning after having purchased responsible for inviting the problem Bajrang Dal openly participated as cows and calves from Rajasthan of terrorism to India. The first perpetrators. It is believed that the with five others; he was dragged out terrorist incident in India, which then Narendra Modi government in of his vehicle and lynched to death were then called serial bomb blasts, Gujarat was directly or indirectly in front of his son’s eyes in Alwar occurred in 1993 in Mumbai as a involved in fanning the violence. by some people inspired by the reaction to Babri Masjid demolition. At least the police didn’t actively Hindutva ideology. Pehlu Khan had Many such incidents have taken put an end to the violence. At that the receipt for purchase of cattle and place since then. Bomb blasts have time PM Atal Behari Vajpayee had documents to show that they were also taken place which were plotted to admonish Narendara Modi to being taken for the purpose of dairy. by the people subscribing to the follow the righteous principles of On 20 July 2018, Rakbar Khan, also Hindutva ideology. What can be governance. Because of his dubious from Haryana, while transporting more cowardly than retired Major role in the violence, the United two cows was lynched in Alwar Ramesh Upadhyay and serving States denied Narendra Modi a visa and declared dead when brought to Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Srikant until he became PM. hospital. The police thought it fit Purohit—both associated with Between 2013 and 2017, to first take the cows to a gaushala Abhinav Bharat, an organisation assailants associated with Sanatan before taking Rakbar to hospital. inspired by the Hindutva ideology Sanstha are suspected of having Another type of incidents have of RSS—being part of a conspiracy murdered in cold blood Dr. Narendra been launched since Narendra to explode bombs in their own Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, Modi came to power in Delhi. country? On 8 September 2006, Professor M.M. Kalburgi and Youth associated with Hindtuva 38 people died in explosions in journalist Gauri Lankesh, essentially ideology insist on forcibly taking Malegaon, Maharashtra and on 29 because they held and propagated out motorcycle rallies with national JANATA, September 23, 2018 7 flags as well as saffron flags through Manorama was raped and killed by in Tamil Nadu, 13 people died in Dalit and Muslim localities and try members of the paramilitary force, police firing. to provoke violence. On 5 May Assam Rifles. On 15 July 2017, the If the civil society thinks that 2017, some Rajput youth took out Supreme Court ordered the CBI violence is illegitimate, then all kinds a motorcycle rally through a Dalit to conduct an enquiry into illegal of violence must be condemned, and locality in Shabbirpur village of encounters in Manipur by security the government should make an Saharanpur in UP, ostensibly to forces. On 22 May 2018, when about attempt to stop all such violence. garland a Maharana Pratap statue, 20,000 people marched toward the and in the ensuing violence a Rajput District Colletor’s office to protest E-mails: [email protected]; and a Dalit youth lost their lives. It is against pollution caused by Vedanta [email protected] in connection with this incident that company Sterlite in Thoothukudi Dalit youth leader Chandrashakhar Azad Ravan was kept in jail for Theatre of Absurd: Modi and the more than a year under the draconian National Security Act. On 26 January Dawoodi Bohra Pontiff 2018, some youth associated with Hindutva ideology tried to take out Irfan Engineer a motorcycle rally through Abdul Hameed Chowk in Kasganj where The invitation by the High Priest Government in the year 2002 when Muslim youth were celebrating of Dawoodi Bohras, a Shia Muslim Muslims including members of the Republic Day as they do every sub-sect, to Prime Minister Narendra Dawoodi Bohra community were year. In the resulting violence, a Modi to address their religious massacred is against the spirit of youth Chandan Gutpa was killed. congregation on 14 September 2018 Muharram and martyrdom of Imam The Bareilly District Magistrate on the occasion of Muharram, and Hussain. Imam Hussain defended Raghvendra Pratap Singh had to say the PM accepting the invite, can only the principles of Islam—humanity on twitter, “It is becoming a strange be described as the theatre of absurd. even at the cost of his life and tradition. Take out a rally forcibly Prime Minister Modi is the leader speaking the truth even in the face through Muslim locality and raise of a right wing Hindu supremacist of a tyrant. On the other hand, Pakistan murdabad slogans. Are they party which thrives on the ideology when Narendra Modi was the Chief Pakistanis?” that Muslims are foreigners in “their Minister of Gujarat, he justified the So that there is no doubt that land” and whose right place is either anti-Muslim pogrom, saying that these incidents are not premeditated, Pakistan or kabristan (cemetery). it was a reaction to the burning of on 7 July 2018 in Hazaribagh, central Muharram is period of grief a train in Godhra on 27 February minister Jayant Sinha garlanded for Muslims to remember the 2002 which caused the deaths of eight members of a cow vigilante martyrdom of Imam Hussain. Imam 58 kar sevaks. The Modi-led state group who are accused of lynching Hussain preferred to uphold the government allowed post-mortem of and were out on bail. On 19 April principles of Islam and refused to the 58 charred bodies to be carried 2017, Sadhvi Kamal didi honoured give oath of allegiance to a tyrant, the out in public view in the railway Vipin Yadav, one of the accused in Caliph of Umayyad Dynasty, Yazid yard. Then, instead of handing over Pehlu Khan’s lynching case, and I. Yazid commanded a powerful the bodies to their relatives for compared him to Bhagat Singh, and well equipped army of over a last rites, they were handed over Chandrashakhar Azad and Sukhdev. thousand whereas Imam Hussein’s to belligerent members of Hindu This shows that the Sangh Parivar 72 followers included women and supremacist organisations seeking does not only justify the violence children, youngest of them being the revenge for the deaths. The bodies committed by its cadre but also six month old Ali Asghar. To refuse were then taken in procession from glorifies it. oath of allegiance was tantamount to Godhra to Ahmedabad. Humanity In addition there are incidents embracing death. For the Dawoodi was buried during those days of of state violence. On 11 July 2004 Bohra Pontiff to invite the Prime riots, and Modi was certainly on the in Manipur, 34–year–old Thangjam Minister who headed the Gujarat wrong side of the history. 8 JANATA, September 23, 2018

Why did the Bohra Pontiff invite to the religious edicts issued by and various laws of the country. PM Modi? the kothar are socially boycotted. In order to sustain this empire, The Bohra Pontiff’s financial The edicts can include whom to the Pontiff and his establishment empire runs into hundreds of billions vote for and which newspapers and require protection and patronage of of dollars. His extended large family magazines should not be read and the state. To obtain the patronage of lives a luxurious life. The luxuries even not taking up certain jobs— the state, the Pontiff’s establishment that the entire family enjoys would for example, jobs in the Bombay contributes generously to the shame any medieval king and give Mercantile Cooperative Bank. Since ruling party and even promises the richest families in the world Bohras are a tightly knit inward votes. The contributions are so a run for their money. The only looking community with little or generous that even those who are source of income is ‘taxes’ levied no socialisation with non-Bohras, ideologically inclined towards the by the kothar, that is, the Pontiff’s social boycott practically means reform movement and sympathise establishment, and zealously civil death. In certain cases, the with their cause find it difficult to collected through coercive means. goons of kothar have even resorted resist offers. Reformists approached The ‘taxes’ include zakat, sila, fitra, to violence and rioting. There were Morarji Desai, when he was the nazar muqam, haqqun nafs, shabil, 6 attempts on life of Dr. Asghar Ali prime minister, with the Nathwani etc. collectively called as wajebat. Engineer, because he fought against Commission Report, seeking action. Middle class individual families the absolute hold of the Bohra In spite of expressing sympathy, can be coerced to contributing a Pontiff over the community. His the Janata Party Government did couple of lakhs of rupees annually house and office were completely nothing. Similarly, Indira Gandhi (though some do escape paying a destroyed on 13 February 2000. and Rajiv Gandhi governments also few thousand after a great deal of This writer was also beaten up did nothing. When the Hindutvawadi argument and persuasion). for attending a reformist Bohra NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Three consequences visit if the conference in Mumbai in the year Vajpayee came to power in 1998, ‘taxes’ levied by the kothar are not 1981. Women in Udaipur associated the reformists approached Vajpayee, paid—obstruction to entry inside with the Bohra reform movement but he too expressed his inability mosques and various religious shrines there were molested inside the to do anything. Bal Thackeray maintained by kothar; obstruction Galiakot Shrine in presence of the rarely stepped out of his home, but or holding back or even refusal to Pontiff and Pontiff’s goons beat up he went to the Pontiff’s palatial solemnise a marriage within the people inside a mosque in Udaipur. residence in Malabar Hill in Mumbai family and finally, refusing access to The Nathwani Commission to be felicitated and that too after burial when there is death within the appointed by Jayaprakash Narayan’s the communal riots in Mumbai in family. Besides, a Bohra has to seek Citizens for Democracy to look into 1992–93. The Pontiff was appeasing razaa (permission) of the kothar for atrocities committed by the kothar the tiger to keep him off his empire; many other activities—organisation and violations of the human rights of so much for the tiger’s ideology. of religious ceremonies and life Bohras by them described the kothar The Pontiff spends these huge cycle rituals from birth to death. as a “state within a state”. All these amounts from the hard earned For all such ceremonies, the priest violations have been challenged money of Bohras not protect their would ask for the green card which by the reform movement within interests, but to protect the interests is issued to all those who have paid the Bohra Community. They have of the kothar. Bohras are basically a up their wajebat. This writer was drawn attention of the Governments business community, and they were also asked for the green card on the of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya badly affected by demonetisation death of his mother. When I told the Pradesh and Rajasthan as well as and GST. For a common Bohra, priest that I hadn’t paid any taxes at the Central Government towards BJP would be her last electoral all, I was refused access to the burial the violations of various laws by choice given its anti-minority grounds of the Bohra community. the kothar. rhetoric and communal violence, Those who question any practice This massive empire can its discriminatory exclusion of the of the kothar or ask for accounts function like a state within a state minorities in governance and its or those who do not act according only in violation of human rights economic policies that favour big JANATA, September 23, 2018 9 business over small and medium eliminating them, or forcing them to RSS should encourage Muslims to enterprises. emigrate to other Muslim countries, indigenise, and that the RSS would The Pontiff must have expended particularly Pakistan. have no problems with indigenised huge political capital to get the Has Modi changed? He Muslims praying to Allah and prime minister to address the event showered showering praises on the observing other religious rituals. organised by his establishment. Bohra community and called them By indigenisation Malhotra means The Pontiff sends members of the honest traders, and praised Imam ‘de-Arabisation’ of Muslims and community for all public events of Husssain’s teachings as ones that their virtually accepting Hindu Modi. He even sent Bohras to the upheld peace and justice. The PM supremacy. Malhotra’s solution is Madison Square event of Narendra praised the Pontiff for inculcating the only an extension of Golwalkar’s Modi. values of peace, sadbhav (goodwill), solution of relegating adherents When a prime minister of satyagrah and patriotism within of ‘foreign religions’ to second the country associates with the the community. He tried to endear class citizenship; he propounds Pontiff, message goes down to the himself to the Bohras assembled that ‘nationalised’ Muslims should bureaucracy not to investigate any at the congregation by saying that severe all relations with the religio- violation. The Pontiff reaffirms his he felt “part of the Dawoodi Bohra cultural centres of Islam, that their authority over the community, he family” and that his doors were open sources of knowledge should be from appears invincible to members of for their family members as well. We within the pitrubhoomi (fatherland). the community. They have no other do not think that Modi has changed Bohra community and the Pontiff option other than submitting to the his views, he has only caliberated fits this description, and is therefore Pontiff’s whims and edicts, because them a bit to suit his purpose in an called patriotic. the price to be paid for disobeying election year—both the Madhya Dawoodi Bohra community’s is very heavy—social boycott by all Pradesh state elections as well as the headquarters have been in Mumbai relatives and friends. Most people general elections are scheduled to for centuries, and overwhelming do not have nerves of steel as Dr. take place in less than a year. majority of them are Gujarati Asghar Ali Engineer—he stood up Those within the Hindu speaking. The Pontiff’s sermons to the Pontiff because of his social supremacist fold who are practical are also in Gujarati, albeit with commitment, and belief in truth and know that it is impossible to eliminate some sprinkling of Arabic words. Allah. The practical businessman a 172 million strong community (the The “family” Modi is referring prefers to ‘buy peace’. Some other Muslim population in India as per to in his address refers to their successful Bohra business families the 2011 census). They propose two Gujaratiness. Locating patriotism buy status and social recognition alternatives. One is to divide the in a small Gujarati speaking Shia by contributing huge amounts as community along sectarian lines, Muslim community rather than in all wajebat. and deal with the different factions citizens of the country is inherently separately. Hindu supremacists have problematic. It implies that non- Why Modi praised the Bohra been trying to leverage the Shia sect Bohra and non-Gujarati Muslim community? against Sunni Muslims as a part of communities are problematic, Hindutva has always branded their divisive politics. Falling prey foreign, Arabised and therefore less Muslim identity and culture as to this divisive agenda, the Shias patriotic. Modi sailed through three foreign to Indian culture and having have been claiming that Babri elections in Gujarat by invoking a separatist mindset, and stigmatised Masjid land is a Shia Waqf property Gujarati asmita (dignity or pride). the community as terrorists. The and that they are ready to settle the The frame of reference still moderates among them called for Babri Masjid–Ramjanmabhoomi privileges communities over forceful integration of Muslims dispute by allowing construction individuals and locates values into Hindu culture and obliteration of a Ram temple on the land. The like honesty, goodwill towards of all vestiges of Muslim culture. other alternative being proposed fellow human beings, satyagrah The extremists among them called by other important RSS leaders and patriotism within communities. for their physical elimination from like Rajiv Malhotra (the US based Accident of birth in a community Indian soil—either by physically Hindutva idealogue) is that the shapes and determines every 10 JANATA, September 23, 2018 individuals. The Indian Constitution, has banned black coloured veils. on the other hand, recognises only He discourages Bohra women to its citizens and privileges citizens undertake employment or earn their with fundamental rights of equality, livelihood. In one video, he is heard liberty and dignity, and guarantees advising the men to throw out their protection of these rights. The only women if they do not listen to them! groups the Constitution recognises In another video, the Pontiff has are those that are educationally and also personally defended female socially backward and who have genital mutilation practiced in the been oppressed and discriminated community without naming it. against, for affirmative action, and How can a prime minister attend minority groups, to protect their the religious function of such a cultural rights. leader when his own slogan is beti The Urdu speaking, or Tamil, bachao beti padhao? Is the PM’s Bengali, Malayalam, Assamese or claim of championing the cause of any other Indian language speaking Muslim women mere rhetoric? It Muslims may be different from is evident that Hindutva does not Gujarati speaking Muslims, but respect any principles except one— are not any less patriotic, less supremacy of the Hindu upper castes indigenised Muslims than Bohras and creation of an authoritarian and Shias. This artificial attempt to cultural state that would defend the divide the Muslim community along privileges of the Hindu upper castes. sectarian lines will have other serious Rest can be compromised. complications. Urdu is not a Muslim language, it is an Indian language Email: [email protected] and draws from local culture. No Muslim in India is Arabised. On the other hand, all kinds of foreign cultures, including Western, Arabic and Persian, have influenced not only Muslims, but also Hindus and Spectre all other communities. Ghazals are written in many Indian languages, of Fascism including Gujarati. Many English, Contribution Rs. 20/- Arabic and Persian words have been part of Indian language vocabularies Published by and these languages would be poorer Janata Trust & Lokayat without them. D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, Bohra women, Pontiff and Modi Grant Road (W), Mumbai 400 007 On the Triple Talaq issue, the Modi government claimed to be championing the cause of Muslim women. Modi castigated the Congress for appeasing only Muslim Janata men. The Bohra Pontiff discourages is available at education of Bohra women, compels women to wear purdah and in order www.lohiatoday.com to promote a separate identity, JANATA, September 23, 2018 11 There is Still Time for an Ecological Revolution to Prevent Hothouse Earth

John Bellamy Foster, editor of the Socialist Journal Monthly Review published from New York, interviewed by Fiona Ferguson, a Belfast-based activist. The interview below is posted on the Irish socialist website REBEL.

Q: Recent record high break the carbon budget in eighteen referring to whether the change is temperatures might suggest the years. To avoid doing so (i.e., in order humanly possible at this point— development towards climate to not emit the trillionth metric ton it definitely is. Rather, they are catastrophe is already far advanced, of carbon, to stay clear of 450 ppm acceding to the prevailing logic of faster than scientists and the IPCC of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, capital and the attendant political (Intergovernmental Panel on and to prevent an increase in global structure, as defining the limits Climate Change) predicted. Many average temperature by 2ºC) while of what is feasible. This a kind of are predicting that it may already be reaching zero net carbon dioxide defeatism enforced by the system, too late to save the situation. What emissions by 2050—required if relying on what C. Wright Mills is your assessment? we are to stabilise carbon dioxide called crackpot realism, in that it I think the projections of the levels in the atmosphere—it is allows the very forces that have IPCC and climate scientists generally necessary to reduce carbon dioxide generated the planetary crisis to have been reasonably accurate so far, emissions beginning in 2020 by determine how to react to that crisis based on an October 2017 report around 6 percent a year globally with the inevitable disastrous results on this from Carbon Brief. Where while sucking another 150 gigatons for humanity as a whole. a sense of the models not being of carbon from the atmosphere by Arguably, the stance on climate accurate no doubt enters in is not so means of improved forestry and change introduced by the Trump much in terms of their predictions agroecology practices. administration is not so much a failure with respect to warming itself, but Carbon dioxide emissions in to acknowledge global warming, but rather in the inability of models to the rich countries, where emission rather a concerted attempt to destroy predict the severity of the resulting reductions are more feasible, would any path to mitigation by closing off extreme weather events and the have to decrease by double-digit any remaining hope of meeting the inability to gauge the development levels annually. Needless to say, we global carbon budget. It is a sort of of positive feedbacks. would also have to contain other burn the ships behind you strategy Not only are we constantly greenhouse gas emissions such as from the standpoint of the system. being shocked by the increasing methane and nitrous oxide. All of this is in line with capitalist extremity of the weather, but we None of this, however, is beyond imperatives. Wall Street stocks have are facing new information all the our reach. We have ample means of reached new heights. time about the perils of the main making such cuts in emissions, while I have been arguing for about a climate feedbacks, which threaten to improving the lives of most people quarter-century, since I wrote The accelerate the whole problem beyond and protecting the environment. Vulnerable Planet (1994), that the our control—positive feedbacks But this cannot be achieved without system of capital accumulation is such as the melting of the arctic a sharp departure from business as incapable of addressing the climate sea ice, the collapse of the West usual, which means going against problem, and nothing in all this Antarctic ice sheet, the disruption the logic of capital, and particularly time has presented any convincing of the thermohaline circulation, the fossil-fuel complex. It would counter evidence, while time is the drying out of the Amazon rain require an ecological and social rapidly running out. What this means forest, etc. revolution. is that we have to create another The situation is very grave. At Those who pronounce that it path, one necessarily arising within the present rate of emissions, we will is already “too late” are thus not but leading away from the present 12 JANATA, September 23, 2018 regime of accumulation. System. Widespread, rapid, and the capitalist class. But, in practice, An article published this month fundamental transformations will the state, particularly at the center of in Proceedings of the National likely be required to reduce the risk the system, is largely dominated and Academy of Sciences entitled of crossing the threshold and locking delimited by capital. “Trajectories of the Earth System in the Hothouse Earth pathway.” The state under monopoly in the Anthropocene,” by Will capitalism, as Paul Baran and Paul Steffan et. al, representing some of Q: The fossil fuel industries— Sweezy argued more than half a the leading Earth-system scientists oil, gas and coal—play a central century ago, is “democratic in form (including some of those associated role in the global capitalist economy. and plutocratic in content.” Faced with both the planetary boundaries Do you think there is any realistic with climate change, capitalist concept and the Anthropocene possibility of persuading or states have adopted one or two Working Group) argues that the pressuring the world’s governments stances: (1) denying it altogether 2ºC boundary is crucially important to move away from fossil fuels? (as in Trump’s Washington), or because there is now ample reason Let’s look at the history for a (2) instituting very limited and to believe that if we reach (or cross) moment. We first became aware ineffective mechanisms—aimed at that guardrail, we will have arrived at of accelerated global warming in not upsetting markets—purportedly a point of irreversibility—meaning the early 1960s (the first warning directed at carbon dioxide emissions that we can no longer get back to emanated from climatologists in reductions and the development of anything approximating Holocene the Soviet Union). A presidential energy alternatives. These measures, conditions (e.g. 350 ppm of carbon commission on the subject was which include carbon market, dioxide in the atmosphere). initiated in Washington in the mid- alternative energy subsidies, and Instead, we will be faced with 1960s under Lyndon Johnson. It the like, are invariably insufficient to cascading tipping points resulting became a world issue with James address the problem, at most gaining from climate feedbacks that Hansen’s testimony before Congress a bit of extra time. will likely push the climate onto and the formation of the UN Although it is true that the the “Hothouse Earth” pathway, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate state in a capitalist society can at irrevocably leading to a rise in global Change in the late 1980s. This was times institute quite significant average temperature of 3–4ºC this followed by the Kyoto Protocol in reforms, anything that threatens the century and even higher after that. the early 1990s. capital accumulation process itself The challenge facing us, then, is But nothing really has happened is quickly aborted. to stabilise the climate, relatively materially since to alleviate the All of this is a rather long- speaking. Even under the best danger, despite various agreements, winded way of saying that there conditions, however, we are likely to all the way up to the 2015 Paris is no possibility that the world’s see a planet warmer this century than Agreement. We have seen no real governments as presently constituted any time in the last 800,000 years. reductions in carbon emissions, will move away from fossil fuels— The authors of the National which, to the contrary, have unless of course the logic of capital Academy of Science article on continued to rise. No country in is challenged throughout the Hothouse Earth believe that is still the world that is a major emitter of society, threatening the state and possible to stabilise the climate fossil fuels has cut carbon emissions the dominance of the powers that be but only through a massive global at anywhere near the level required. in quite fundamental ways. effort. Geoengineering options are This has mainly to do with It is possible that China might considered but for the most part the nature and logic of capitalism. do something in the way of a disregarded as far too dangerous, The ruling power in a capitalist fairly radical version of ecological ultimately compounding the society is the capitalist class, and modernisation outside the capitalist climate change problem without its modes of accumulation via the norm. However, their priority too is solving it. Instead, they insist that giant monopolistic corporations, and high economic growth at all costs. “incremental linear changes to the financial markets, all of which exist China’s fossil fuel use thus continues present socioeconomic system are in the private sector. Theoretically, to expand despite strenuous efforts not enough to stabilise the Earth the state is relatively autonomous of to reduce the amount of carbon JANATA, September 23, 2018 13 emissions per unit of output and to change movement represents, such It has very little to do with decrease dependence on coal. protests are simply downplayed by the rejection of climate change as Larry Elliott, the Guardian’s the corporate media. a reality. I’m not sure how much talented economic editor, just wrote Hence, rather than focusing even people in the primarily lower- an article on August 16, entitled on getting media attention, or middle class, white demographic that “Capitalism Can Crack Climate concentrating on direct appeals constitutes Trump’s chief supporters Change,” in which he claimed, to the government, the strategic actually buy into the climate denial with no understanding of the real orientation of the movement has to line, though of course some do, problem, that it was merely a matter be one of non-cooperation with the particularly in fundamentalist of a carbon tax and finding the right political–economic hegemony. religious circles. However, it is technological innovations—exactly What is needed is an independent, more like a badge than a belief. A “what,” he declared, “capitalism revolutionary groundswell aimed at lot of what stands for straight out is all about.” This, though, is little the reconstitution of production and denialism is really a kind of political more than an ideological claim, consumption in the society, at least trope. lacking any real substance, based to the degree necessary to prevent The Trump administration’s on Joseph Schumpeter’s notion of society from reaching the point of approach to truth is like professional creative destruction, introduced no return with respect to climate wrestling or reality television. It is in his Capitalism, Socialism, and change—though the ultimate aims presented as the truth and adopted as Democracy to defend monopoly would need to go beyond that. It will such, in the face of all the evidence pricing and profits. have to be internationalist, which to the contrary, almost in an act The only surprising element in means anti-imperialist in character, of defiance. It represents a kind of Elliott’s defense of capitalism with since global unity of the oppressed— destruction of reason, and in that respect to climate change is his encompassing the many forms of lies its propagandistic power. Like supposition that “a Chinese model oppression—is the sine qua non of Dostoevsky’s Underground Man, of managed and directed capitalism the movement. people are so enraged that they might be more appropriate than are willing to “vomit up reason.” the Anglo-Saxon model.” But to Q: A few years ago, the general Of course, all of this is heavily claim that the economic model of consensus was that anthropogenic promoted by capital with massive present-day China will save the climate change was now widely amounts of money going into world from climate change (and accepted, except for isolated deniers keeping this irrational propaganda provide a justification for capitalism on the fringe of politics. What is campaign afloat. as well) at the very time that China’s your assessment of the reassertion of The real issue, from my growth in emissions is increasing climate change denial, particularly standpoint, is not so much the at the fastest pace in seven years is around the Trump presidency. Why straight-out climate deniers as the obviously filled with contradictions now, given how evident climate open acquiescence of political and ironies. chaos has become? liberals (or the so-called liberal-left), The only thing that could alter In my view, straight out climate the well-meaning Larry Elliotts, who this dire situation, all over the world, denial is not really the issue. As adopt the position that the whole is the rise of another power in society. Naomi Klein argued in her 2014 thing can be solved by the market We need not millions but hundreds book This Changes Everything: and technology with a little bit of of millions of people, necessarily “The Right Is Right.” The political help from the state. This is a different predominantly working class, in right, Klein points out, is very clear form of denial. the street day in and day out. There that to fight climate change you The willful delusions here are has to be a shift in tactics towards have to fight capitalism, and that is in some ways more dangerous active non-cooperation. Mere mass the source of their objections to all than that of the straight-out climate demonstrations, as important as they efforts to mitigate climate change. deniers, since they are subtler and are, will no longer do the job in this Given a choice between capitalism infect those who ostensibly are on situation. Given the threat to capital and the planet they choose the the side of change. The impression accumulation that a serious climate former. arises that something is being done, 14 JANATA, September 23, 2018 say, under Obama, while the actions itself the game will be over for the aligned movements in Eastern taken are in fact grossly insufficient. planet as a safe place for humanity. Europe. This, then, emerged as a It is the liberal head-in-the-sand There is no doubt, then, that powerful grassroots struggle rallying approach, which claims that we can capitalism is inherently ecologically millions across Europe. The END solve climate change incrementally destructive. We have the proof all strategy, marked by Thompson’s as if we had all the time in the world around us. It is built into the inner Protest and Survive (which Monthly and without changing society, that logic of the system. Our best hope is Review Press published in the Klein was really most concerned to push against this logic, producing United States) also had enormous with targeting in her book. It is for in the short run a transitional society influence in the United States where this reason that we have to refer in which people and the planet come a massive Nuclear Freeze Movement constantly to the need for ‘System before profit. But that means that emerged, a groundswell that had Change Not Climate Change’, the we will already be on the way to a the support of 72 percent of the US name of the important ecosocialist new society of sustainable human population and that was outside the movement in the United States. development. This is at the core of normal political structure. the movement toward socialism in The strength of the grassroots Q: Some argue that because the Anthropocene. anti-nuclear thrust of the 1980s was Climate Change will eventually that it did not seek just to set up impact upon the economy and profit Q: What do you see as the best vertical lines with governments in rates, capitalism may be forced way to build mass anti-capitalist the manner of organised pressure to take ecologically corrective ecological consciousness and a mass groups and lobbyists, but rather measures. Do you think this is anti-capitalist movement against sought to grow horizontally across possible or is capitalism inherently climate change? the societies. It was internationalist in ecologically destructive? In 1979, the great English orientation and in Thompson’s view The ecosocialist and Marxian Marxian historian E.P. Thompson a development on the Popular Front economist James O’Connor, founder read an article in the Guardian that against fascism of the 1930s. It thus of the journal Capitalism Nature Britain was going to install cruise represented the formation, though Socialism, famously argued in this missiles as part of the nuclear short-lived, of a kind of popular way with respect to environmental weapons-deterrence buildup at that power which was universalist in its costs in his second contradiction of time, which quickly metamorphosed aims—thus a threat to the system. capitalism theory. Others such as into the Strategic Defense Initiative No doubt the effect of END and Marxian ecological economist Paul (better known as Star Wars) under the Nuclear Freeze Movement in Burkett and myself have insisted that Reagan. Thompson had been a the denuclearisation of the period this is entirely wrong. There is no leading figure in the Campaign for can be exaggerated. Much had to automatic feedback mechanism in Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in the do with the rise of Gorbachev. Still, the system that translates ecological late 1950s and early 1960s, during I think this constitutes the general costs into economic costs to which the protests against above ground model of the kind of movement capitalism will automatically hydrogen bomb tests. CND emerged we need at the moment, what respond. as product of the New Left but ended might be called a ‘Climate Change Capitalism, as K. William up aligning itself with the Labour Freeze Movement’—though in Kapp used to argue is a system of Party and with NATO. other ways ‘System Change Not “unpaid costs”. It externalises most Faced with a new deadly nuclear Climate Change’ is a much better ecological costs onto society and expansion in the late 1970s and early designation. Nevertheless, climate onto the earth where they have no 1980s, Thompson decided not to change cannot be approached in direct effect on its bottom line. The stick with the CND but to create a single-issue terms, as was the 1980s system can thus grow economically new movement, European Nuclear movement to back away from the while it destroys its surroundings Disarmament (END), that would nuclear brink, but demands action and the ecological conditions of be non-aligned and autonomous, on a far more comprehensive scale, human existence. By the time this linking the movements in Europe through the self-mobilisation of the becomes a problem for the system and forging ties with similar non- mass of the population. JANATA, September 23, 2018 15

Whatever form it takes, I don’t spark similar attempts elsewhere. actions on behalf of us all. But what doubt that massive struggles will Even if this battle is lost, the struggle would happen if we collectively develop (indeed, are developing), itself is immeasurably important. stood up in similar ways, throwing first and foremost in the global The closest analogue to this in the wrenches in the system, demanding South, where the worst effects United States is the Our Children’s fundamental change for the sake are being felt—but also through Trust lawsuit that has now been of humanity as a whole, creating the development of an eventual cleared for trial. It started in Eugene, alternatives that begin at the local landslide in the global North as well. Oregon where I live. Some of the level and become progressively more Still, we need to be mindful principal people involved in the global, and not in small numbers, but of the fact that climate change is suit are friends and acquaintances. in our millions? characterised by tipping points and James Hansen is the main scientific It is more than merely a question the consequences do not develop in authority named in the case. It has of marching of course, though that linear fashion. The worry is that by now been cleared for trial in the is necessary. We need to create the time the catastrophic conditions United States. It could well emerge movements that take action, forcing are felt on a wide enough scale, as the trial of the century. a social, ecological and cultural and by the time people mobilise, The Our Children’s Trust case revolution. the situation may be immeasurably employs the doctrine of public Countless people around the worse, with much of it out of our trust, based on an interpretation world are already involved in various control. That is of course our greatest of the US Constitution, arguing ways in this struggle. There is still fear. It should impress upon us, that the government has a legal time for the necessary ecological though, the need to act, and as part of obligation to protect the population, revolution, our only real alternative acting, we have to extend our critical particularly children and youth, to prevent Hothouse Earth. understanding to others. representing future generations, from the damaging effects of climate Q: Here in Ireland, People change through climate change Before Profit TD Brid Smith has a mitigation. It is a test to see if the Parliamentary Bill to ban all new courts will act. The government fossil fuel extraction in Ireland and and the fossil fuel companies are Irish Waters and it is attracting the defendants in the suit. I see the significant support. Do you think Our Children’s Trust suit like the this kind of small-scale local/ parliamentary bill on fossil fuel national initiative is helpful in extraction in Ireland, as offering raising awareness and building hope, because they challenge the movement? Are there other the system in fundamental ways, initiatives you could suggest? and represent radical, grassroots I have been watching these initiatives. developments in Ireland and I think Another legal struggle in the people all around the world have United States is shaping up centered been too. It is immensely important. on the valve turners, a number We recently put up a story about it of individuals who turned off the on MR Online, Monthly Review’s valves on oil pipelines, and who website. The Irish initiative are being defended on the basis represents a clear attempt break with of the necessity defense: that they the logic of capital accumulation and had no choice but to act given the the fossil fuel economy and an urgent dire emergency and the prospect of call to the entire world. If the Irish human harm. people have the courage to follow All of this comes from a small this through, it will galvanise the number of courageous people, some struggles throughout the world, and of them children, taking strategic R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, September 23, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, Septmber 23, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, September 26, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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Vol. 73 No. 36 Instead of Defending India, September 30, 2018 the Raksha Mantri is Instigating Babasaheb Ambedkar and Violence Within Neoliberal Economic Reforms: Part I Anand Teltumbde Apoorvanand Government Must Ensure Clean Delivery of Benefits I have been thinking about holds an equally important ministry, Anupam Saraph the statement defence minister had done two years ago. After a New Jobs Not for Workers Nirmala Sitharaman made this controversy was manufactured by Mrinal K. Biswas week lamenting the presence of the media about an “anti national” “anti-national elements” within meeting in JNU, he went so far as Where Is the Indian the student community of her alma to warn the nation about how the Economy Headed? mater, Jawaharlal Nehru University. students of JNU had the backing Sunanda Sen The more I think about it, the of terrorists from across the border. Venezuelan Commune Activists more I am convinced her statement “The incident at JNU has received Vow to 'Take the Offensive' is not just factually incorrect and support from Hafiz Saeed. This Paul Robson, Green Left Review irresponsible, as many have pointed is a truth that the nation needs to US Bombs are Killing Children in out, but also criminal. It is a criminal understand,” the home minister had Yemen. Does Anybody Care? act to instigate violence and there said, linking the founder of terror Moustafa Bayoumi can be no doubt over what she is group Lashkar-e-Taiba to the student trying to do. By levelling a charge demonstrations on campus. Editor : G. G. Parikh which can and will provoke violence Rajnath Singh should be held Associate Editor : Neeraj Jain against the students of JNU, she is squarely responsible for the physical also misusing her office. It is the post attacks on JNU students which took Managing Editor : Guddi of raksha mantri which lends weight place after his statement. It was Editorial Board : to what would otherwise have after all the home minister himself B. Vivekanandan, Qurban Ali remained an unedifying example who was identifying the students Anil Nauriya, Sonal Shah of propaganda by a party person as collaborators of the terrorists. Nandu Dhaneshwar, that would have been dismissed by Taking a cue from him, his police in Sandeep Pandey the people. But a defence minister Delhi unleashed an unprecedented making such a claim gives it a smear campaign against a number D-15, Ganesh Prasad, degree of credibility and will end of students. Naushir Bharucha Marg, up instigating violence. That is why Kanhaiya Kumar, the then Mumbai - 400 007. I believe what she did was criminal. president of the JNU students union, Email : [email protected] Sitharaman is doing nothing was assaulted brutally on court Website:www.janataweekly.org new. She is only repeating what premises by lawyers. But this act her colleague Rajnath Singh, who of violence was treated as a trivial 2 JANATA, September 30, 2018 thing. Barely two years after the what he was doing as a student of unprecedented attack, the Supreme the university. Was he trapped in Court decided the issue need not some anti-national conspiracy, they be discussed further. When Kamini wondered. Jaiswal and Prashant Bhushan For the past four years, we have pressed for a SIT probe into the seen JNU being used as a metaphor violence, the court said, “We don’t across the country. Whenever the think we will flog a dead horse to ruling party tries to shut down life.” dissenting voices, it says that it What BJP’s leaders are doing “will not allow another JNU”. We through their campaign is to conjure have heard this line in Jodhpur, up “enemies” within the country Mahendragarh in Haryana, Pune with the aim of whipping up violence and Delhi University. Most recently, against them. Those who, for various while boasting about their attack on reasons, don’t get the opportunity to Sanjay Kumar, an assistant professor safeguard the borders from external at the Central University of Bihar at enemies are, through this campaign, Motihari, his attackers claimed they given a list of enemies they can were performing a nationalist duty easily destroy. And quench their and would not allow this university nationalist thirst. to be turned into another JNU. It is a well thought out strategy. We should also not forget how Janata I realised how cynically it has been the lung power of the Central HRD employed when a spokesperson of ministry and of BJP spokespersons is available at the BJP told me, “Ye anti national was used to sully the image of wala hamne chalaya, isne pakad liya, Rohith Vemula and his mother. He www.lohiatoday.com chal gaya ye.” (“The slogan of ‘anti was also accused of indulging in national’ is our creation and it has anti-national activities. It has been taken hold.”). claimed that he was a fake Dalit and This bloodlust was behind the actually a Maoist who collaborated Janata Subscription attack on Umar Khalid just before with anti-nationals. Independence Day in Delhi. The The seriousness of the whole Annual Rs. : 260/- pistol his would-be killer brought campaign needs to be understood. We jammed, otherwise the attack could need to see that here is a government, Three Years : 750/- have turned fatal. with all kinds of instruments of Demand Draft / Umar, in the popular imagination violence at its disposal, waging a of those swayed by the BJP’s war against students and teachers. Cheque propaganda, is an ‘anti-national’ The academic community has been on whose very existence is a threat to the turned into the “ accused”. nation. The image of Kanhaiya that We need to turn the tables on Mumbai Bank is pushed is similar. A friend of mine them. We need to tell ministers like in favour of who teaches at Patna University was Sitharaman that it is they who stand shocked when he found people in his accused—of indulging in inciting Janata Trust own village in Nawada gunning for and instigating violence. We need to Kanhaiya. They regard him as an demand their resignation. Instigating D-15, Ganesh Prasad, anti-national, he said. violence against a section of the Naushir Bharucha Marg, A young man from Odisha told people while occupying a ministerial Grant Road (W), me that after February 2016, anyone position must not be tolerated. from JNU is seen with suspicion. Mumbai 400 007. Even his parents were not sure Email: [email protected] JANATA, September 30, 2018 3 Babasaheb Ambedkar and Neoliberal Economic Reforms: Part I

Anand Teltumbde When the International or Dalit Chamber of Commerce in order to satisfy their needs, Monetary Fund and World Bank- (DICCI), or mutating Ambedkar as because of the fact that all that is dictated neoliberal policy package the free market economist, with due needed for living cannot be produced was adopted by the Narasimha Rao institutional support from abroad by any man or family. The villager government in July 1991, with a like that from Mises Institute, the produced vegetables but would not false projection to people that they source institution of the neoliberal have oil or salt necessary for cooking were homegrown economic reforms, virus. them, and therefore went to a haat albeit with a Thatcherite apologia Some time ago, one person (village market) to exchange his that ‘there was no alternative', feigning to have discovered a excess vegetables for oil and salt. many intellectuals, whether they profound aspect of Dr Ambedkar Initially he simply bartered but later understood economics or not, vied presented a paper titled Ambedkar money played the role of facilitator. with each other in supporting it – The Forgotten Free Market The advent of money not only to get into the good books of the Economist at the Ludwig von Mises facilitated the transaction, but also government. Economics has by Institute. Unfortunately, Dalits accumulation. One could not amass and large been an anathema in who exhibit their bhakti towards grains or salt because they needed Dalit intellectual universe because Ambedkar such as by insisting that storage and suffered depreciation, it was identified with communists he should be referred to only as ‘Dr but money could be stored without (economism) with two weird Babasaheb Ambedkar’ each and limits and instead of suffering syllogisms propagated by the vested every time, would not understand depreciation, it appreciated. More interests. One, communists were that calling him a free market perniciously, it facilitated what is materialist; economics related with economist is the worst abuse that can known as free market, the free play things material, so it was communist. be hurled at him. Rather it is beyond of purchasing power of people. Second, Ambedkar was against abuse, and is an attempt at character Free market basically assumes communists. Dalits are followers assassination. Indeed, it is a pity that seller and buyer in the market of Ambedkar. So, Dalits should that despite a plethora of writings are all equal, endowed with equal keep away from economics. (None on Ambedkar, the Dalits have not amount of information, and therefore of these statements are correct but even understood what he stood the exchange between them takes they are bandied as self sustaining for. Framed in this contemporary place purely on the basis of perceived truth.) They proudly claimed that context, this article will strive to value of the thing exchanged. Now, our struggle is not for bread (alone), explicate the salient aspects of in a real world, arguably created by it is for dignity. As a result, there Ambedkar's thoughts in relation to the elements of free market itself, was no particular popular appeal the current neoliberal paradigm. this assumption becomes quite among Dalits as regards discussion problematic. Because of inequality on economic policy. Still some Understanding Free Market of people in the marketplace, the free ambitious elements from among Market is where things are market becomes a mechanism of them had thrust their neck out and exchanged with the help of money, exploitation. A single or a few sellers spoken in support of these anti- the medium of exchange. Obviously, coming together and dictating price people policies. All of them have market valorises customer of goods or services is commonly been expectedly duly awarded by in proportion to his purchasing known as monopoly and oligopoly, the government. I had taken it as an power, i.e., the amount of money respectively. The markets are act of opportunism and dealt with it he has in his pocket. Markets have flaunted by free marketeers as the as such. But later, these things began been around from antiquity as a most efficient means to allocate coming in a more virulent form, like mechanism for facilitating exchange resources through price mechanism the campaign for Dalit Capitalism, of goods and services among people that balances out demand and supply. 4 JANATA, September 30, 2018

But both demand and supply can agent or such statements as market (LSE) in which Ambedkar studied be manipulated by the powerful mechanism for value determination. and wrote The Problem of Rupee, and the entire mechanism can be The central thesis being rooted in the his thesis for his D. Sc. Degree, was used as a means not of allocating then situational context, it is really founded by the Fabian Society and resources but of accumulation. Then, no place to seek his ideological was acknowledged as the fortress of there are many situations known proclivities towards or against Fabianism. The key figures of the to economics as market failures, socialism. To do so is utterly foolish. Fabian society, like Bernard Shaw which can be viewed as scenarios If one looks beyond to the kind and Sydney and Beatrice Webb, were where individuals' pursuit of pure of influences the young Ambedkar among the founders of the LSE and self-interest leads to results that are carried, we get rather a better picture. they were also the faculty in the LSE. not efficient—that can be improved In Columbia, some of his teachers Therefore, the intellectual context upon from the societal point-of- were American Fabian Socialists. in which Ambedkar carried out his view. The people who extend the John Dewey, who had a particularly research also was socialist. The concept of market as a simple deep impression on young slogan “Educate, Agitate, Organise”, mechanism to exchange things to the Ambedkar, was a famous American that he chose as the motto of the free market, which can be said to be Fabian. Prof. Dewey particularly Bahishkrit Bharat and later gave their ideological obsession, are thus endeared Ambedkar because of his to his disciples as his mantra, was either committing a conceptual error anxiety to help the downtrodden, to actually a famous Fabian slogan. or are making a deliberate mischief. do away with oppression in America It bespeaks poor of the quality of and elsewhere, and to propose research on Ambedkar that this Misreading “The Problem of the instrumentality of education important aspect of his ideology still Rupee” in their emancipation. Ambedkar remains largely submerged. If one The sole source of Ambedkar's acknowledged his intellectual debt objectively looks at his entire life, characterisation as monetarist or to Dewey many times. The influence one would see the Fabian influence free market or neoliberal economist of Dewey on Ambedkar was so deep informing much of his ideological is the misreading of, or, shall we that he acknowledged it as late as in position. say, mischievous reading of his June 1952, in a letter written to his To read in his thesis monetarism D.Sc. Thesis, The Problem of wife Mrs. Savita Ambedkar from that was formally born in 1960, Rupee. Here Ambedkar presents America, where he was conferred nearly four decades later and after his analysis of the contemporary the honorary degree of LL.D. by he had left the world, is simply problem of currency standards, viz., Columbia University for drafting preposterous. It is true that before gold standard versus gold exchange the Constitution of India, “I owe my the advent of Keynesianism, the standard. He forcefully makes a case whole intellectual life to Prof. John economists belonged to the classical for the former (gold standard), going Dewey.” school that believed in self-adjusting against the opinion of the mainstream Fabianism, born in 1884 along market mechanism and saw no economists of those days, including with the foundation of the Fabian role for the government, either in John Maynard Keynes. Ambedkar Society, was a British socialist terms of monetary or fiscal policy. basically makes the case for the movement, whose purpose was to There should be little doubt that all stability of currency in the gold advance the principles of democratic economists, including Ambedkar, standard and marshals arguments socialism via gradualist and operated in this larger context of that unstable currency could lead to reformist, rather than revolutionary classical economics prior to the unbridled inflation because of fiscal means. It had attracted many liberal 1930s. Responding to the Great profligacy of the government, which thinkers beyond England. Fabians Depression of the 1930s, Keynes disproportionately burdens the as such were the quintessentially came out with theories that proposed lower strata of the society through socialists but did not subscribe an important role for the government consequential price rise. This is the to the revolutionary theories of through fiscal policy to create central point of the thesis. There Marxism. Instead they believed aggregate demand in the economy. are stray observations in the thesis that socialism could be brought Keynesianism saved capitalism from against the wastefulness of the about in an evolutionary manner. its imminent collapse and became public servant vis-à-vis the private The London School of Economics the default economic creed for the JANATA, September 30, 2018 5 post-Second World War world. It of his claim lies in the fact that in was fashioned on the lines of the not only saved capitalism but also the French revolution they remained Labour Party in England, which was gave it its ‘golden era'. But when a mere slogan for the bourgeoisie, a Fabian political outfit. Even before capitalism began to face another bout but in Buddhism they are found that he had famously identified of crises in the 1960s, the monetarist with their spirit and full content. He two enemies of the Untouchables: counterrevolution took place against envisioned human society to reflect Brahmanism and Capitalism. In the ruling Keynesianism. It was led them in full measure as Buddha fact, at the symbolic level, the class by Milton Friedman, an economist did. It could be imagined only as an characterisation of our society by from the Chicago School, and argued ideal, a utopia. Marx imagined the the radical left as “semi-feudal, against government use of fiscal ultimate destiny of humans in the semi-colonial” could echo this policy and instead proposed that form of communism, where most declaration. The ILP, as a matter monetary policy be the instrument familiar contradictions would have of fact, was admittedly a workers' for altering output and employment been overcome and humans will party, which inspired by socialism levels in the economy. It modified contribute as per their capacity and had adopted a red flag. It was the ILP some aspects of the classical get what they need. Do these visions which demonstrated on roads how theory to provide the rationale not coincide? Socialism, as Marxian caste and class could be coalesced for this non-interventionist policy historical materialism guides us, is into a struggle. recommendation in favour of the the penultimate stage to communism. Despite its success, he had to free market. It should be noted that Ambedkar's ideological position abandon the overtly left politics of ILP the belief in self-adjusting market may therefore have to be reckoned as mainly because the politics of those of the classical economics is not beyond socialism, quite like Marx's. times was taking a purely communal the same as the monetarist position Those who capitalise on his turn. The Cripps Mission report of the free market. It is absolutely contention with communists and published in February 1942, which mischievous to see Ambedkar as a communism paint him as an anti- while conceding most demands of proponent of free market economy Marxist and anti everything that other minorities had totally ignored and particularly against socialism. Marx stood for. In doing so, they do the demands of the Untouchables not hesitate in pushing him into the for representation, became the A Socialist to the Core enemy camp. To say that he was pro- direct trigger. It compelled him to I think anybody who claims to capitalist, pro-globalisation, and pro- rethink his strategy, dissolve the know Babasaheb Ambedkar even free market system is the equivalent ILP, and found the seemingly caste superfluously is familiar with his of doing so. As explained above, based party, the Scheduled Caste statement: Ambedkar was influenced at an Federation (SCF) in June 1942. “My social philosophy may be impressionable age by his professors It coincided with his inclusion in said to be enshrined in three words: in Columbia and the London School the Viceroy's executive council. liberty, equality and fraternity. My of Economics, who while wanting Although striving to emancipate the philosophy has roots in religion socialism, had reservations about the Untouchables in the contemporary and not in political science. I have Marxian prescription of revolution. communally charged politics, it derived them from the teachings of While Ambedkar reflected a similar should be remembered that he my master, the Buddha.” attitude towards Marxism, he penned a remarkable document, Indeed, these three words regarded it as the benchmark, a meant to be the memorandum to constituted his vision for human veritable measure to assess the the Constituent Assembly on behalf destiny and the biggest rationale superiority of his methods. Whether of the SCF. This document, later for his conversion to Buddhism. one agrees with this observation or published as “States and Minorities”, What could they mean? The world not, there is absolutely no space for by his own definition proposed state knows that these words constituted doubt that he was a socialist. Not in socialism in post-colonial India. an inspiration, they were the slogan ideological orientation alone but also One of the arguments in support of the French revolution, and also in practice he had openly pursued of how Ambedkar was against that they are nowhere to be found in socialist objectives all through his socialism, given by the pseudo- Buddhism, where Ambedkar claimed life. His first political party, the scholar who abused Ambedkar to have taken them from. The import Independent Labour Party (ILP), as a free market economist, was 6 JANATA, September 30, 2018 that he was against the inclusion that in other ways the Constitution Marxism. It reveals that he regarded of the word ‘socialism' in the has already embodied the socialist Marxism as just the second best to Constitution. This gentleman ought principles: his choice. In this comparison, he to have first understood that the Apart from the Fundamental clearly states that while the goal of Constitution is not a book authored Rights, which we have embodied both was the same, the Buddha's by Ambedkar; it was a document in the Constitution, we have also prescriptions were superior to those representing the consensus of the introduced other sections, which of Marx, in terms of non-violence Constituent Assembly. It was his deal with directive principles of and democracy. The goal was to job to bring about that consensus. State policy. If my Honourable bring about equitable society sans All his arguments in the Constituent friend were to read the Articles oppression and exploitation which Assembly should be read within contained in Part IV, he will find that was only possible in a socialist this role boundary. With regard to both the Legislature as well as the society. Rather, both Marx as well the inclusion of socialism in the Executive have been placed by this as Ambedkar went beyond and Constitution, there is fortunately a Constitution under certain definite sought a utopia beyond socialism. direct statement from him, which obligations as to the form of their In any case, such a state of society directly dispels such doubts: policy. Now, to read only Article 31, was inherently impossible in What should be the policy of which deals with this matter : capitalism which is premised on the the State, how the society should be It says : “The State shall, in accumulation drive, the unbridled organised in its social and economic particular , direct its policy towards greed of a man. Capitalism or its side, are matters which must be securing— contemporary extremist version decided by the people themselves (i) That the citizens, men and in neoliberalism, advocating free according to time and circumstances. women equally, have the right to an market economy, does not have any It cannot be laid down in the adequate means of livelihood; pretension to social justice. Rather it Constitution itself, because that is (ii) That the ownership and justifies injustice saying that people destroying democracy altogether. If control of the material resources of occupy various positions in societal you state in the Constitution that the the community are so distributed as hierarchy purely in accordance with social organisation of the State shall best to subserve the common good; their capabilities or that inequality is take a particular form, you are, in my (iii) That the operation of the desirable because it acts as the prime judgement, taking away the liberty of economic system does not result mover of progress. Nothing can be the people to decide what should be in the concentration of wealth and more preposterous than saying that the social organisation in which they means of production to the common Ambedkar supported such inequality wish to live. It is perfectly possible detriment; justifying systems such as capitalism today for the majority people to hold (iv) That there is equal pay or neoliberal globalisation. Even the that the socialist organisation of for equal work for both men and argument that capitalism being more society is better than the capitalist women; . . .” progressive than caste-feudalism, organisation of society. But it would There are some other items more that it basically freed the labour be perfectly possible for thinking or less in the same strain. What I from the feudal bondage, which people to devise some other form of would like to ask Professor Shah is had impelled Marx to predict that social organisation which might be this: If these directive principles to advent of capitalism in India will better than the socialist organisation which I have drawn attention are destroy the caste system, would of today or of tomorrow. I do not not socialistic in their direction and not hold because Ambedkar saw see therefore why the Constitution in their content, I fail to understand capitalism and Brahmanism not only should tie down the people to live what more socialism can be. as coexisting but also cohabiting, in a particular form and not leave it Therefore my submission is that mutually complementing each other. to the people themselves to decide the socialist principles are already Ambedkar explicitly said more it for themselves. [Dr Babasaheb embodied in our Constitution and than once that he was a socialist. If Ambedkar Writings and Speeches, it is unnecessary to accept this someone feigns ignorance of this Vol. 13, p. 326] amendment. [Ibid, pp. 326–327] he should not be speaking about After explaining why he was not In his one of the very last Ambedkar. in favour of inclusion of the word public addresses at Kathmandu, socialism, he himself explained he had compared Buddhism with Email: [email protected] JANATA, September 30, 2018 7 Government Must Ensure Clean Delivery of Benefits

Anupam Saraph

In his Budget Speech for 2016– beneficiaries are or where leakage and the details of beneficiaries of 17, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is happening? such programmes” is absent from announced that the government government websites. would target the disbursement Does Beneficiary Information Two years on from the promise of government subsidies and Exist? to deliver this transparency, perhaps financial assistance to the “actual In its Fiscal Policy Statement, the Ministry of Finance, or the beneficiaries”. Public money, he the Budget of 2018–19 states that government would be able to share declared, should reach the poor it extended scope of Direct Benefit this information? and the deserving without any Transfer (DBT) to include “in-kind” Asked under the RTI to provide leakage. He announced that he transfer to individual beneficiaries, information, neither the Ministry would introduce a bill for “Targeted transfers to enablers of government of Finance nor any government Delivery of Financial and Other schemes and services. According ministry or department has been able Subsidies, Benefits and Services by to the statement, up to November to provide any information about using the Aadhar framework”, the 2017, 462 DBT applicable schemes the laws, rules and procedures that expenditure for which is incurred identified across 57 Ministries/ create any beneficiary databases, from the Consolidated Fund of India. Departments and 34 Aadhar Enabled the existence of such databases, In order to make a statement about Services from 16 Ministries/ or about procedures or algorithms the disbursement to beneficiaries, the Departments. The ambit of DBT that provide them with an ability to government would need to have covers major schemes that involve distinguish genuine from duplicate some information about how its cash transfers, such as Pratyaksh and ghost beneficiaries. Neither have beneficiary databases are created and Hanstantrit Labh (PAHAL), they been able to provide a single maintained and by whom. It would Mahatma Gandhi National Rural audit report or study that shows how need to have some information Employment Guarantee Scheme fake beneficiaries have been added about how to identify ghosts and (MGNREGS), pensions and to beneficiary databases. duplicates in these databases, and scholarships, as well as in-kind Neither the Ministry of Finance the steps that result in these ghost transfers such as foodgrains and nor any government ministry or duplicates while creating and mid-day meals to school children. or department has provided any maintaining the database. It would Good governance, as expected indication of the steps in the flow of need to have some information about from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, funds from the Consolidated Fund of the steps of transferring money from would require that this information India to the hands of the beneficiaries the Consolidated Fund of India to the is not only audited by the CAG, but or how they have changed after the beneficiaries. is available on the websites of the Finance Minister’s Budget Speech Is it unlikely that any government, government under Section 4(b)(xii) for 2016–17 from what existed which has been distributing lakhs of the Right to Information Act, before. of crores to various beneficiaries, 2005 (RTI). Furthermore, neither has been will not hold this information? Even into the thirteenth year of able to indicate the basis for the Is it conceivable, therefore, that the Right to Information Act, most decision to transfer benefits and the Finance Minister could have public authorities do not satisfy the subsidies through an Aadhaar promised targeted disbursement of spirit or even the letter of public based payment system run by a government subsidies and financial disclosure under Section 4 of the non government private company, assistance to the actual beneficiaries, Act. For the most part, therefore, the National Payments Corporation or that money reach the poor and information about “the manner of of India (NPCI), in place of the the deserving without any leakage execution of subsidy programmes, traditional National Electronic without full information about who including the amounts allocated Funds Transfer (NEFT) run by the 8 JANATA, September 30, 2018

RBI. Serious concerns about money takes no responsibility for the use of finances benefits, so gaps in transfers through Aadhaar payments Aadhaar. It cannot recognise the use, transparency are a cause for concern. being unauditable and similar to or the absence of use, of Aadhaar in The trust placed with the Ministry of hawala remain un-investigated any business process. Neither can Finance by the PM must be shown to by the CBI and the Enforcement it certify the beginning, progress or be justified. Not only will the CAG Directorate. completion of the business process. have to rise to the occasion, but so There should be complete clarity The UIDAI has also admitted will India’s premier investigation about the amounts of large money that it does not certify the biometric agencies and plug the DBT being transfers in the form of DBT to or demographic data associated with siphoned through Aadhaar payments. millions of beneficiaries. According any Aadhaar number. It seems to Perhaps the Supreme Court will take to the Fiscal Strategy Document of have no view about the number of cognisance of possible leakages the Budget, since the inception and unique records based on biometric during the tenure of two successive upto 2018–19, 52 crore beneficiaries or demographic fields. It doesn’t governments and ensure complete (including cash and in-kind schemes) even know if there was an enrolment accuracy and transparency in the list have received Rs 246,133 crore operator, belonging to a private of beneficiaries given lakhs of crores through DBT, of which Rs 63,190 agency appointed by one of the 20 of rupees from the Consolidated crore have been transferred in registrars whose enrolments make up Fund of India. FY 2017–18 (as on 30.11.2017). most of the Aadhaar numbers, in the Email: [email protected] 95.4% payments have been made 600,000 villages, 5,000 towns and through electronic transfers. On cities, or even the 707 districts where the other hand, according to the enrolment allegedly happened. It has BJP, beneficiaries have received no information about the original Rs 382,184 crore through direct documents of proof of identity, benefit transfers (DBT) since FY address or birth used to capture 2014–15. According to Nandan the demographic data for Aadhaar. Nilekani, former chairman of Furthermore, the Aadhaar database Unique Identification Authority of has never been verified or audited. India (UIDAI), which designed the It is the world’s largest database of Aadhaar number as an identifier for ghosts and duplicates. Using the demographic and biometric data Aadhaar to create or modify any submitted to it, and current advisor database can, therefore, entail the to NPCI, over Rs 95,000 crore were risk of populating those databases transferred using the Aadhaar Pay of with duplicates and ghosts. NPCI in the last financial year alone. It i a surprise that the UIDAI cannot, and does not, certify the Ghosts and Duplicates Receiving individuals in any business process as Benefits? real persons or genuine beneficiaries. UIDAI and Ministry of Finance It does not certify the delivery must certify that this money has of subsidy, benefit or service. It been transferred to real and genuine does not certify any beneficiary as beneficiaries. Neither the recipients’ being genuine or even real. Money database nor the money transfers have transferred using Aadhaar must not been audited or seem to have been be siphoned to duplicate or ghost verified by the CAG. Furthermore, beneficiaries or become untraceable. no beneficiary database, or even the Prime Minister Modi needs to ensure basis for inclusion or exclusion of that his objective of a leak-proof beneficiaries from this database, is system gets operationalised. available with the public. The UIDAI Tax money makes up the has stated unambiguously that it Consolidated Fund of India that JANATA, September 30, 2018 9 New Jobs Not for Workers

Mrinal K. Biswas

The never-ending growth the traditional industries would fit continue to grow and the GDP may stories still hang on the impact into the new form of industry, and continue to rise, giving rise to a demonetisation and GST have even assuming that labour will situation of jobless growth. had on the economy. Not only the be retrained, which will be time The BJP’s drive for creating political opposition, the economists consuming, jobs will elude most a “New India” cannot escape in general are also questioning the of them because most modern the tortuous course foreseen by rising figures of gross domestic industries are characteristically economists. Abrupt demonetisation product (GDP), while the central capital intensive and labour saving. and untimely GST have indeed government continues to maintain Christensen’s theory of brought about the “destruction” that there was no adverse effect of “disruptive technologies” separates part of Schumpeter’s “creative the dual policy on the economy. new technology into two categories: destruction”. In one stroke, trade In the meantime, the Bharatiya Sustaining and Disruptive. Sustaining and business, particularly the Janata Party (BJP), which is at the technology relies on incremental informal sector, suffered enormous helm of affairs at the Centre, has improvements to an already destruction. The capital available introduced a new element in the established technology. Disruptive with the medium and small trade discourse of economic growth. technology lacks refinements, and and businesses dried up because Its national executive recently often has performance problems. of the losses suffered due to adopted a resolution for “New An entrepreneur therefore faces demonetisation, and they have yet India” with adequate reference to a dilemma on whether to employ to recover from that crisis. These the idea and concept of “creative capital in “disruptive technologies”, sectors have little access to banking destruction.” This resolution as while the risks are greater, the finance, making their recovery obviously came under the shadow profits are higher. In case he invests difficult. On top of it, the faulty of demonetisation and GST. The capital in this new area, this new introduction of GST has further BJP thesis quoted from no less an technology that involves higher deepened their crisis. Therefore, it authority than Joseph Schumpeter, levels of automation does not create is doubtful whether the “creative” the internationally famous Austrian– a large number of jobs. The few part of Schumpeter’s “creative American economist . jobs it creates are also for those destruction” is going to be realised Schumpeter’s creative more skilled. This has a big impact in the near future. destruction and Harvard on employment as the job market Email: [email protected] Business School’s Prof. Clayton shrinks. M. Christensen’s “disruptive Much later than Schumpeter technology” are very much in vogue , another eminent economist, The Unemployment in modern day capitalism. Both Joseph Stiglitz, also pointed to the Crisis: argue that old industries and services modern-day industry’s inability that have become archaic cease to to create new jobs for those who Reasons and Solutions be sustainable because basically work with hands and feet, because Contribution Rs. 25/- they no longer earn profits, and so of increasing automation. This was they are eventually abandoned. But also threatening white-collar jobs for Published by capital and labour cannot remain non-specialists. Janata Trust & Lokayat idle. Schumpeter says that capital Jobless workforce swells D-15, Ganesh Prasad, moves to new forms of industry in tandem with expulsion of Naushir Bharucha Marg, and labour follows the same path in entrepreneurs who fail to survive Grant Road (W), course of time. But it is not clearly the onset of “creative destruction.” Mumbai 400 007 stated how the labour displaced from Nevertheless, the economy may 10 JANATA, September 30, 2018 Where Is the Indian Economy Headed?

Sunanda Sen

Growing concerns on the current on August 7, 2018. 2.96% during 2017-18. However, state of the Indian economy, which The defensive position advanced movements in the index have of have been met with responses filled from the official quarters as well late been more, touching 5.09% with assurances and proposals from the effectiveness of the remedial during July 2018. In addition it can official circles for remedial actions measures as suggested, do not, no longer be expected that prices on part make it urgent to delve into however, stand scrutiny if one will remain stable, especially with the issues which spell out the reality. recognises the fact that none of those crude prices per barrel soaring up Apprehensions relating to the indicators of a robust economy, as to $70 or above and the plunging economy are at the moment centred we point out, will be sustainable in rupee touching Rs 72 and more on further escalations in the high the face of slippages running through to a dollar. In the meantime, the prices, of fuel and other goods in the economy. rise in the consumer price index, the domestic market, affecting the Consider, first, the Central reflecting the retail margins, has daily lives of people. As is generally Statistics Office (CSO) data on the been consistent. This is evident with held, the major reasons behind this high GDP growth of the economy at prices in July 2017 rising by 2.36% include the rising dollar price of 7.4% for 2017-18 and growth rate in contrast to the 4.17% hike in July crude oil in international market for the Gross Value Added (GVA), 2018. In general, prices all over the and the steady declines in the value at 7.1%. Leaving aside the rather economy are bound to move up, not of the rupee in terms of dollar, serious misgivings concerning the just for fuel but also for commodities causing escalating transport costs method as well as the estimates of and services in general, with higher as well as the rupee prices of all the calculation of GDP, we draw transport costs and the depreciating imports. Specific issues as above attention to the structure of the GVA rupee which pushes up the local are compounded by a general fear with services contributing one half prices for imported inputs, much in psychosis of an impending collapse or more over the last six years. With use in both agriculture and industry. of the current state of the economy the brick and mortar division of the Would India be able to avoid and polity, threatening to impact the industrial sector providing for less a balance of payments crisis by levels of whatever well-being, if any, than a third of the GVA and with making use of the large foreign currently accessible for people in agriculture, the mainstay of the rural currency reserves, currently at different income categories. economy, providing less than a fifth, $375 billion? We encounter here, Responding to the above, the it does not come as a surprise that several issues. First, we doubt the official position (of the government) gainful employment has been far sustainability of the currently held has denied that the economy is facing less than adequate for the reduction stock of foreign currency with the any impending threat, especially of poverty in the economy. A major RBI in the face of adverse market with what are seen as the four green explanation lies in the fact that the expectations. The latter explains shoots parameters. The latter include high-tech service sector of India is the net FII outflows from RBI the current GDP growth at 7.4% , incapable of generating the much sources, to the tune of $3.5 billlion the highest in the world, moderate needed employment, well-being on average between April and May inflation with wholesale prices rising and sustenance for the public in 2018, and more recently $3.7 billion, by 3.4% last year, official foreign general, and in particular for the on average over July and August. currency reserves at a comfortable unorganised 93% of population in Outflows also have been with the level of nearly $400bn and finally, the countryside. RBI’s Liberalised Remittance the moderate fiscal deficit at 3.3%. The government also considers Scheme with net outward transfers The highlights, incidentally, accord it reassuring that the wholesale price of $1.1 billion on average between well with the IMF’s recent country index, based on 2011-12, as per June and July 2018. report on India which was released CSO data, has moved up only by Given the continuing downslides JANATA, September 30, 2018 11 in the value of the rupee in terms been one where maintaining official year’s budget indicates a picture of US dollar, those interested in reserves has no longer been at the of the interest bill at Rs 575 billion remitting funds to India (exporters, discretion of the national monetary crore which considerably reduced overseas working NRIs and even authority at the RBI. Instead it is the expenditure on public capital the potential investors for the NRI subject to possibilities of flocking expenditure and social security. As bonds) may wait to see the rupee in or deserting as and when portfolio recorded in the budget estimates depreciate further, thus delaying managers decide on the matter. of aggregate state and central foreign currency receipts from The official position on what expenditure for 2018-19, the interest abroad. Finally, the official reserves they currently perceive as stable bill as above has been 18% of above may deplete with direct interventions macroeconomic parameters in the , far exceeding the 9% share on of the RBI as it sells foreign currency economy also include their resolve subsidies. against rupees in the market. Data to continue with the currently The government, however, released by the RBI indicates an controlled fiscal deficit at 3.3% of seems to have taken the recent actual sale of $16.30 billion by the the GDP. The decision indicates a developments, especially relating to bank between March and July 2018, continued policy stance towards the external economic environment much to arrest further declines in the what is viewed as financial stability rather seriously. This has come rupee rate! It thus does not come for the economy. It may however be about with the recently announced as a surprise that foreign exchange noticed that the goal as above, while measures with liberalised norms for reserve held at the RBI is already considered a major tool to avoid external commercial borrowings declining, by more than $4oo billion, inflation in mainstream economics, upto $50 billion with one year from $380 billion in July 10 to $376 has a very different implication in validity by manufacturing entities, billion on August 17, according to terms of alternate approaches which the floating of NRI (or masala) official sources. rest on the Keynesian New Deal bonds and the liberalised norms for Not much discussion has been type of expansionary policies. Fiscal portfolio investments. In addition, there on the steady build up of the restraint, as can be held in terms of the government expects to initiate forex reserve at the RBI, which shot the latter, neither fulfils the goal controls on what will be identified as up from a paltry sum of $4.38 billion of price stability nor can achieve non essential imports. The measures in April 1991 to respective stocks growth via expansion of demand. undoubtedly reflect a sense of of $107.4 billion and $281.5 billion Let us, in the following, pay urgency and admission on part of respectively by April 2004 and April attention to the possible implications the government, that there is a threat 2014. Unlike the situation in China of the targeted fiscal deficit ratio of to India’s external payments front! where reserves were contributed GDP in the current context of the It may be too early to expect much largely by the large trade surpluses Indian economy. There remains a from the official announcements. the country has been earning, major problem in maintaining the However, given the turbulent foreign exchange reserves in India so-called “Fiscal Responsibility global scene in terms of trade and have grown mostly with inflows and Budget Management”, an Act financial flows as well as in the of capital and that too of a short- which is being followed by the domestic economy as discussed term variety. Facing the continuing Indian government since 2003. The above, sentiments abroad on future trade deficits which exceeded the statutory fiscal stringency amounts prospects of investments in India are sum received as net invisibles to a trade-off within the budget, naturally at a low ebb at the moment. along with remittances, India has between state expenditure on capital Grant of liberal norms to potential continued with a yawning current formation and social security on Indian borrowers in the international account deficit which has been one hand and meeting interest market is unlikely to change those financed by more than proportionate liabilities on the other. Most often, sentiments of lenders overseas. inflows of short-term capital from the balance is tilted in favour of the In addition there remain multiple abroad. This has been especially latter, as the capitalist state follows factors like the steady depletion true since about two decades now its priorities to provide the rentiers of the official exchange reserves, when short-term FII inflows were their dues on financial assets sold the steady withdrawals of short- further liberalised. The outcome has by the government. Data from last term FII investments, the declining 12 JANATA, September 30, 2018 external value of the rupee, the Trump-China trade war threatening Venezuelan Commune Activists Vow the current global structure of trade to 'Take the Offensive' and finally the US Fed’s resolve to raise interest rates. Those are aspects which speak of the difficulties of Paul Robson, Green Left Review an easy resolution of the problems Representatives of 74 communes Nicolas Maduro. in the external economic front –institutions of popular power Five members of the National of the country. The short-term elected from grassroots communal Constituent Assembly (ANC) were measures may even add to the councils—from across Venezuela present, including prominent El interest liabilities on new external gathered in Lara state towards the Maizal spokesperson Angel Prado. borrowings in near future which end of August to participate in the There was also representation would neither be easy to meet nor inaugural National Assembly of from the campesinos who recently qualify in terms of related budgetary Communes. marched 435 kilometres to meet cuts on social sector spending and The meeting of more than 300 with Maduro in Caracas, as well investments. commune activists was held to as from Brazil’s Landless Workers’ What, then, emerge as policy try to strengthen the connections Movement (MST) and Argentina’s options for India in the current between different communes in a Patria Grande movement. situation? While problems as have range of areas. This includes linking Communes are conglomerates arisen by following the norms of up productive micro-projects, of communal councils, which trade and capital account opening communicational initiatives and were launched in response to an under globalisation can not be educational networks. initiative by Chavez to empower It also discussed current local communities and devolve reversed instantly, the state needs challenges to the communal power to the people. to recognise its futility in terms movement, territorial defence plans Communes are being built of the grave social and economic and the push to build a “communal across the country. The Ministry of consequences as at present. It is state” — as called for by the late Communes said there are at least time now to look inward to the vast socialist president Hugo Chavez. 2500 communes registered, with potentials of the domestic market Given recent widespread problems differing levels of organisational in India which can be invigorated in state-run public services, the capacity. Some of the better and sustained with a new set of discussions included how to organised communes, such as El policies. There is a need to reject incorporate public services such Maizal in Lara state, are working the priorities as at present on the as water, electricity and rubbish with neighbouring communes on finance-led external sector and collection under the communes’ creating a “communal city”. follow a strategy which can succeed purview. ANC deputy Orlando Zambrano over time with adequate expenditure The assembly was convened told the gathering: “We have to pass to revive demand for domestic and organised by the El Maizal onto the offensive.” goods, employment and human Commune and the Bolivar and While communards have development. Zamora Revolutionary Current received wavering support at times Email: [email protected] (CRBZ), and was held in the from the Maduro government, communally-controlled university including a pre-electoral visit to a Spectre of Fascism installations of Sarare in the Simon communal gathering in Lara state, Contribution Rs. 20/- Planas municipality of Lara state. tensions have often arisen between Representatives were present often local government officials Published by from communes from several and representatives of popular Janata Trust & Lokayat regions, including Lara, Apure, movements. D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Barinas, Tachira, Merida, However, those present at the Naushir Bharucha Marg, Yaracuy, Falcon, Carabobo states gathering were quick to express Grant Road (W), and Caracas. The initiative was their support for Maduro, with Prado Mumbai 400 007 organised independently of the proclaiming: “Behind all of this national government of President [initiative] is Chavismo!” JANATA, September 30, 2018 13

The final declaration of the power movement, including the has created spaces for debate with gathering, which also reiterated supply of productive materials, the businessmen/women, bankers, its support for the government, granting of communal land rights, importers, but not communal likewise endorsed Maduro’s recent the fight against state bureaucracy in leaders nor with other sectors of the economic measures, which include the communal arena, and the transfer organised people,” the manifesto tying wages to the price of a barrel of powers to the communities, reads. of oil, raising VAT and income tax, especially over public services. In closing, the communards reordering gas subsidies, launching The activists also identified the stressed the need for pro-government a revalued currency and eliminating need to create space for dialogue grassroots movements to come exchange controls. between communal spokespeople together in a new alliance to push The declaration also identifies a and the national government. towards socialism. series of challenges for the popular “We see how [the government] US Bombs are Killing Children in Yemen. Does Anybody Care?

Moustafa Bayoumi On 9 August, the US-backed Could it be that we don’t care all largest US defense contractors. Saudi-led coalition waging war in that much about this war because Having facilitated the sale to the Yemen against a Houthi-led rebellion Yemenis are Muslim, brown and Saudi-led coalition of the weapon dropped a bomb on a school bus poor? used to kill these children, does the packed with children. According to The reality is that the war United States bear any responsibility reports, the excited kids had been on has created the world’s worst for their deaths? a school trip marking the end of their humanitarian catastrophe today. Undoubtedly. For one thing, summer classes, and as they passed a Three-quarters of the population, these latest bombings are hardly the busy marketplace, the bomb directly some 22 million Yemenis, require only times the Saudi-led coalition hit their vehicle. humanitarian assistance and has killed civilians from the air. The results were horrific. Of the protection. About 8.4 million people An independent monitoring group, 54 people killed, 44 were children, hang on the brink of starvation and the Yemen Data Project, found that with most between the ages of six another 7 million lie malnourished. there have been 55 airstrikes against and eleven. The pictures of the Since 2015, more than 28,000 civilian vehicles and buses in the first dead and injured children, some of thousand people have been killed or seven months of this year alone, and whom can be seen wearing their injured, and many thousands more that of the 18,000 airstrikes between blue Unicef backpacks, are beyond have died from causes exacerbated March 2015 to April 2018, almost a heartbreaking. by war, such as a cholera epidemic third (31%) of the targets were non- The tragedy in Yemen is that has afflicted more than a million military (either civilians or civilian unrelenting. On 23 August, a mere people and claimed over 2,300 infrastructure) and another 33% of two weeks after the school bus lives. At least one child dies every the strikes were classified as having attack, Saudi-led coalition airstrikes 10 minutes from causes linked to unknown targets. That’s 64% of the killed yet another 26 children and the war, according to the United strikes that could not be determined four women fleeing the fighting in Nations. as having clear military targets. the western province of Hudaydah. But this is also a story about the Existing law in the USA bars If this sounds to you like I’m responsibility of the United States. weapon sales for such a war. In relating a story about how terrible A report by CNN indicates that a 2017 report, the American Bar the civil war in Yemen is, then the bomb used in the school bus Association concluded that “in the you’d be correct, although—and airstrike was a 500-pound laser- context of multiple credible reports let’s be honest here—the war in guided MK 82 bomb, manufactured of recurring and highly questionable Yemen occupies almost none of our by Lockheed Martin, one of the strikes . . . further sales [of arms] collective political attention today. 14 JANATA, September 30, 2018 under both the Arms Export Control vote of 55–44. suffering in Yemen is to be expected, Act and the Foreign Assistance Act On 22 August, Murphy also but what about ours? Do the are prohibited until the Kingdom introduced an amendment to the American people not realise that our of Saudi Arabia takes effective defense appropriations bill that bombs are killing innocent children measures to ensure compliance with would have cut off funds for the in Yemen or do we just not care? The international law and the President coalition until the Secretary of lack of public outrage—or even just submits relevant certifications to the Defense could certify that rules attention—to what the US-backed Congress.” for the protection of civilians were Saudi-led coalition is doing with The United States is certainly being properly followed. His efforts American support and American- aware of how poorly the coalition were blocked by the Republican made munitions indicates something is prosecuting the war. How can Senator Richard Shelby, whose disturbing. Despite the evidence that it not be? The US provides aerial donors, perhaps not coincidentally, we have become more politically targeting assistance to the coalition, are Boeing (also a major defense engaged since the 2016 election, we along with intelligence sharing contractor) and Lockheed Martin. still have little to no interest in what and mid-flight aerial refueling for With Trump, the situation is done in our name overseas. coalition aircraft. And of course, is as you would expect. It is his There could be another, related the US supplies (with the UK) the administration after all that bans explanation, as well. The circus show bulk of the coalition’s weapons. Yemenis from coming to the United that is the Trump administration Lots of them. Hundreds of billions States. The massive $717bn National has, like a fireball in an air shaft, of dollars’ worth. Defense Authorisation Act, recently swallowed all the oxygen in the This failed strategy was begun signed into law by the president, room. The administration’s endless under the Obama administration, does contain specific limited scandals give us just the justification not under Trump. But when coalition language designed to minimise we need to focus almost exclusively fighter jets bombed a funeral hall and civilian deaths in Yemen. The on our domestic life and not on killed over 140 people in October president, however, has issued a America’s meddling in the rest of 2016, the Obama administration signing statement. He won’t abide the world. began mulling its options. In his by these provisions of the law. But if that’s the case, this is last weeks in office, Obama finally Unsurprisingly, his justification is a dangerous state of affairs. A lot restricted sales of precision-guided that he has “exclusive constitutional of bad things can happen when munitions to Saudi Arabia amid authorities as commander in chief people aren’t looking. And our lack concerns over civilian casualties, but and as the sole representative of the of attention to anything but our by May 2017, sales resumed when nation in foreign affairs.” president or ourselves says a lot, the Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, Trump’s indifference to the not only about Donald Trump, but overturned the ban. Obama was no about us, too. peace-monger president, however. His administration oversaw the sales Letter to Editor of more weapons than any other president since 1945, and most of the Why the Technology of Genetically Modified arms sold during his time in office Mosquitoes Should Be Stopped went to Saudi Arabia. Opposition to the US’s blank- check policy regarding this war Bharat Dogra has been growing not only among lawyers but also among lawmakers. It is heartening to note from A recent front-page report in Earlier this year, Senators Bernie recent media reports that the Indian the Business Line (August 20, Sanders, Mike Lee and Chris government is unlikely to give 2018) titled “Govt. may swat GM Murphy introduced a joint resolution approval to the highly hazardous Mosquitoes” written by Rahul Wadke in the Senate to end US support technology of genetically modified said, “The government is set to deny for the coalition, though it was mosquitoes or genetic control of permission for open field trials effectively defeated in March by a mosquitoes. to introduce genetically modified JANATA, September 30, 2018 15

(GM) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. could move in and be harder to Brazil.” The new GM technology claims to eradicate. Disease transmission by In India, such efforts were first control the spread of the dengue, this species might increase in the seen in the form of the Genetic chikungunya and zika virus in future. . . . The use of tetracycline Control of Mosquitoes Unit Project India by using GM mosquitoes to to feed genetically engineered during the 1970s. This project was disturb the life-cycle of the virus- mosquitoes in Oxitec’s (Oxitec is strongly criticised in the media for its carrying mosquitoes. Mumbai-based a British firm involved in spreading various hazards and even biological company GBIT, associated with this technology) mosquito factory warfare implications. The Public seed giant Mahyco and the UK- risks spreading antibiotic resistant Accounts Committee of the the based Oxitec, is seeking regulatory bacteria into the environment, posing Indian Parliament also supported approvals from the Department of a risk to human health.” this criticism in its 167th Report. The Biotechnology and other Ministries Earlier a press release by Friends hazardous implications of the project to introduce the technology in the of the Earth USA informed, “A were exposed by C. Raghavan in country. Top Central sources said confidential internal document Mainstream (May 17, 1975) and government scientists are skeptical obtained by civil society groups by the brilliant PTI reporter Dr. about the efficacy of the technology. shows genetically modified K.S. Jayaraman. While a lot of They are worried about the unknown mosquitoes described by their damage was done by this project , consequences and the likely impact manufacturer, UK company Oxitec, the large-scale release of dangerous on environment owing to the release as ‘sterile’ are in fact not sterile and mosquitoes in the crowded city of of GM mosquitoes.” their offspring have a 15 percent Sonipat (Haryana) could be stopped In fact scientists and environment survival rate in the presence of the at the last minute. activists in many parts of the world common antibiotic tetracycline.” In a recent comprehensive have warned against this technology Commenting on this, Eric review of this technology, titled and the secrecy associated with its Hoffman of Friends of the Earth said “Mosquito in the Ointment” (see dubious promotion. This technology that the credibility of the company Frontline, February 16, 2018) a has also been indicted for its possible involved has been undermined as senior Indian scientist Dr. P.K. biological warfare implications in it has been hiding data from the Rajagopalan, former director of the the past. public. He said that trials of its Vector Control Research Centre, has Many such trials have been mosquitoes should not move further exposed the many-sided problems organised with secrecy in several in the absence of comprehensive and and hazards of this technology. After parts of the world so far. Serious impartial review of environmental examining a lot of evidence from hazards associated with such trials hazards and human health risks. various parts of world, including have been exposed time and again. Critics have pointed out that India, he concludes, “It is obvious Dr. Helen Wallace, Director of although this technology is pushed that the release of genetically GeneWatch UK, has written, “The in the name of disease control by manipulated vector mosquitoes not benefits of releasing billions of powerful interests it may actually only is ineffective but also poses a genetically engineered mosquitoes lead to a worsening of diseases, great danger to society.” into the environment have been as pointed out in recent years by Hence permission for any further exaggerated and the risks have been public interest campaigns in several trial of this dangerous technology downgraded. . . . One concern is that countries. A Reuters report dated should be stopped immediately, and releasing genetically engineered 30 January 2016 and titled “GMO this hazardous and highly suspect mosquitoes could even make the Mosquitoes could be cause of technology should be given up for dengue situation worse, perhaps Zika outbreak, critics say” said, all time, instead of being introduced by reducing immunity to the more “The latest contagious (Zika) viral time and again in new garbs by serious form of the disease. . . outbreak freaking out the globe, powerful vested interests, some of . Panamanian researchers have particularly women worried about whom have already done a lot of warned that a competitor species, birth defects, may have been caused very costly damage in the seed and the Asian tiger mosquito, which also by the presence of genetically- farming areas. transmits dengue and chikungunya, modified mosquitoes (GMMs) in Email: [email protected] R.N.I. NO. 1855/1957 16 JANATA, September 30, 2018 Postal Registration No. MCW/275/2018-2020. License to Post without prepayment WPP License No. MR/Tech/WPP-210/West/2018 Published on Sunday, Septmber 30, 2018 & Posted on Wedenesday, October 3, 2018 at Mumbai Patrika Channel, Mumbai GPO-1

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