SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2019 DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU

daily iwali, also known as Deepawali, is the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated for The third day, Lakshmi Puja, is the main day of Excelsior five days across India and other parts of festivities. It falls on the night of the new Established 1965 D Festival of Lights southern Asia, as well as in many other places moon. Celebrators clean their houses and them- Founder Editor S.D. Rohmetra around the world. It is the biggest Hindu festival Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists also celebrate Diwali mean wealth and prosperity. selves, dress in their best clothes and pray to and most important Hindu holiday of the year. but mark different events and stories. However, Leading up to this day, houses and businesses Lakshmi and Ganesha, the god of wisdom and During Diwali, people perform cleansing rituals, they all symbolize the victory of light over dark- are cleaned and decorated. Floors are decorated remover of obstacles. The prayer rituals can take Save River Tawi from decorate their homes, gather for special feasts, ness. with bright, geometric patterns called , hours to perform. Lakshmi is believed to roam the exchange gifts and light fireworks. The five days of Diwali which serve as symbols of good luck and welcome land at night and visit the cleanest house first. Though the exact dates change depending on The names of the five days of Diwali vary by guests and Lakshmi. Diyas are placed in all the house's windows to wel- unceasing pollution local custom, the festival is typically celebrated in region. Each day has its own set of traditions and The diyas are lighted in every room of the come the goddess. The night ends with huge feasts the Hindu month of , which falls in October rituals. "The uniqueness of this festival is its har- home all night long so that the dark cannot enter. and fireworks. e call it with reverence as 'Surya Putri' or November. mony of five varied philosophies, with each day to Sweet snacks, called prasad, are offered to Padwa also, denoting emotional and cultural The significance of Diwali Lakshmi and Yama Raj, the god The fourth day of Diwali is known as Padwa or of death, with prayers (puja) for attachment with River Tawi and we simul- Diwali celebrates the light overcoming the Puja. Celebrators prepare and offer up a W dark, according to the SCFI's website, protection from an untimely large mountain of vegetarian food to express their taneously watch it being grossly polluted too, even DiwaliFestival.org. The light symbolizes knowl- death. gratitude to the gods, according to the SCFI. The most of the passersby from running vehicles over edge and wisdom, while darkness is a symbol for This is also a major shopping day commemorates when lifted Govardhan the busy Tawi Bridge throwing contents wrapped in all negative forces, such as wickedness, destruc- day, especially for new clothes Hill to protect villagers from torrential rains and polythene bags as a matter of according 'respect' to tion, violence, lust, envy, injustice, greed, oppres- and for gold ornaments and silver flooding. The mountain of food represents the hill. sion and suffering. utensils, in order to bring luck the discarded material but not knowing the cumula- After the festival, the food is shared by all. Households light dozens of little clay oil lamps, and prosperity. A ritual performed on this day involves build- tive damage being heaped on this river. Number of called diyas, to symbolize the triumph of light over Narak Chaturdasi (Choti ing a mound out of mud or cow dung to represent pollutants find their disposal in this river. Illegal and darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over Diwali) . The mini-mountain is then ruthless mining robbing it of its precious contents is ignorance. The word "Diwali," or "Deepawali" in On the second day of Diwali, adorned with food and flowers and prayers are known as Choti Diwali orNarak Sanskrit, means "a row of lamps" in Sanskrit. made to Krishna. another type of defiling of this river. The situation, The festival's roots lie in Hindu scriptures and Chaturdasi, Hindus remember Bhai Duj instead of being addressed on priority by the legends, according to the SCFI, and there are many Krishna's victory over The fifth day of Diwali, known as Bhai Duj stories associated with the celebration. For exam- Narakasura. Others, especially in Government, is allowed to get worsened as nothing (also spelled )or Bhai Tika (also spelled ple, Diwali commemorates the triumph of Rama, northern India, celebrate Rama of the sort is in sight in respect of Action Plan formu- Bhai Teeka), is dedicated to sisters. According to the lord of virtue, over the demon Ravana, as well and his victory against Ravana, lated by it in deference to the directions issued by as the return of Rama to his kingdom after 14 years a special thought or ideal," according to the SCFI. while those in Bengal worship Kali, the goddess of legend, Yama Raj, the god of death, visited his sis- the National Green Tribunal (NGT) last year to rid of exile. death. Jains also celebrate Mahaveera, the 24th ter on this day. He gave his sister a vardhan (a the river of pollution. Hindus also commemorate the victory of the On the first day of Diwali, called Dhanteras (or tirthankara (spiritual teacher) of Jainism and his blessing), which would be distributed to all those who visited her on that day, freeing them from their What is, after all, the main or the major cause of god Krishna over Narakasura, a king who had Dhanvantari Triodasi, Dhantrayodashi or Dhan reaching nirvana, or perfection. aligned himself with a demon, causing him to turn Theras), Hindus celebrate the day that On this day, fewer diyas are lit, and fewer fire- sins and allowing them to achieve moksha (final this river getting polluted to the levels as of now, is evil. Also, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth - Dhanvantari, the god of good health and medicine, works are set off. Many people take a ritual bath emancipation). Brothers visit their sisters' homes the sewage generated by Jammu city and which the including the wealth of money, pleasure, power, emerged from the ocean with the gift of Ayurveda before sunrise, rubbing massage oil and uptan (a on this last day of Diwali to pray for long life and NGT in its judgment of September 20, 2018 want- strength, knowledge, peace and children - is said to (the knowledge of life) to humanity. They also cel- paste of garam flour and fragrant powders) onto prosperity ed the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to walk the Earth and bless people. Other legends are ebrate the day that Lakshmi also came out of the their bodies to relieve tension. They rest to prepare Courtesy : https://www.livescience.com/62579-diwali-explained.html ocean with a pot of gold. "Dhanteras" translates to for fully celebrating Diwali. [email protected] address. Not only River Tawi, but four more or five celebrated according to different local customs. rivers in all in Jammu and four in Kashmir valley Ayushman October 26 is commemorat- were identified as having vast stretches as polluted- ed as a ‘Black Day’ by the sepa- eventy two years ago, ratists, who call it the day India by the Central Pollution Control Board based on Maharaja Hari Singh of India’s unsung War Hero occupied the Kashmir valley. In the data furnished by the State Pollution Control Jammu and Kashmir S Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamw- signed the Instrument of Acces- after gaining independence, Pak- minister Dr Karan Singh, still the room when Maharaja Hari Dogra soldiers hindered the Board. As much as 75 MLD sewage is getting into al’s sacrifice lies the most potent sion to India as the region was istani forces comprising of tribal Singh gave that historic advance of the Pakistani force. River Tawi all without treatment through a 'network' counter to the separatist narra- under siege from Pakistani fighters and army regulars command. As the Brigadier and his men tive. Post Article 370, in a nation of 13 nullahs and main drains on its right and left forces. The accord mobilised the besieged Jammu and Kashmir. “It was a worrying sit- fought, on 26 October 1947, more firmly bonded with Jammu sides. There should, therefore, have been some Indian Army to repel the They sacked Muzaffarabad, their uation as the state was Maharaja Hari Singh signed the and Kashmir, he is a symbol of invaders weeks after the nation so-called ‘liberation’ being the slipping out of our hands,” Instrument of Accession. The kind of progress on the Action Plan which is unity, a soldier from Jammu who gained Independence. Every rape, murder and pillaging of he says. “Brigadier Rajin- first Sikh regiment flew into Sri- nowhere in sight and initiation in this regard by died defending the Kashmir val- year we celebrate that successful Kashmiris, no matter what their der Singh Jamwal was nagar to back the Dogra force, ley and the integrity of a newborn none of the agencies, as many agencies in unison military campaign as Infantry faith. Like marauders of the past, summoned by my father, however the Brigadier was India. His service sowed the are required to contribute towards implementation Day. the Mehsud tribe of Pakistan he was given the order and ambushed in Buniyar and fatally seeds of Kashmir’s bond with the The story that many won’t came with a large convoy of he just saluted and headed wounded. The Pakistani force process, is indicative of treating the entire matter Union and is a powerful message know, however, is that of trucks to carry loot and women for the front.” was delayed long enough for the unimportant. In other words, should it be deduced to our brave jawans who battle Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamw- back with them while the Pak- Even though he was Indian army to push them back, al and his band of warriors who terrorists and stone-pelters. He that the inevitable for this River - to remain in the istani army commanders eyed the the chief of the state saving thousands from a brutal died defending the Kashmir val- was truly deserving of India’s State of perpetual pollution for unspecified period, is Srinagar airfield to cut off all forces, the Brigadier did onslaught. ley, days before the Indian army first Param Vir Chakra. reinforcements and consolidate not pass on the order to Brigadier Rajinder Singh imminent? joined the fight. It was a 4-day On Infantry Day we must their control of the region. It was any his commanders and Jamwal carried out his orders in The other angle of the problem needs a serious operation from October 22 to 26 remember that our history is a a 2-day march from Muzaf- led the operation himself. letter and spirit, setting an unpar- where the Dogra General and his testimony to how the idea of attention which is about those few sewage plants farabad to Srinagar and there was He gathered around 100 alleled example of courage and brave men took on the might of India is a more enduring force supposed to be in working mode but being defunct nothing standing in their way. soldiers from the Badami patriotism. In his homeland of a 6000 strong Pakistani force. It than the blind fury of terror and except the one at Bhagwati Nagar and the entire On 22 October 1947, Bagh cantonment in Sri- Jammu, he is known as the played the pivotal role in uniting separatism. The soil of Jammu Maharaja Hari Singh ordered nagar and moved to Uri to ‘Immortal Dogra’ and ‘Saviour load of treatment is on its two plants which means J&K with the Union of India - a and Kashmir is laden with the Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamw- counter the invaders. He of Kashmir’, and serves as an only a fraction of sewage is treated. The Action Plan, sacrifice honouring one simple blood and spirit of heroes like al, who served as the chief of used guerrilla tactics to inspiration in a region where order from the Maharaja - ‘fight Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamw- however, has it, that up gradation and repairs of till the last man and the last bul- army staff of Jammu and Kash- delay their advance, blow- almost every household has one al sustaining the eternal truth that Sewage Treatment Plants of 10 MLD capacity was let’. The Dogra general was hon- mir to repel the invasion force ing up the Uri bridge and or two members serving in the INFANTRY DAY SPECIAL ‘Kashmir is India, and India is oured with India’s first Mahavir while he held negotiations with stalling them in Mahura armed forces, many defending Central to the exercise of making the River pollution Kashmir’. Chakra. the Indian Government. Mahara- remembers the day the order was and Buniyar, inflicting heavy the border and the Kashmir val- free. 75 MLD sewage was generated from the city [email protected] On 21 October 1947, weeks ja Hari Singh’s son, former union given. In fact, he was present in casualties. For four days, the ley. alone which calls for giving preferred attention to setting up of a few STPs while the ones existing Sagarneel Sinha Poll Results of its own favourites ignoring those issues what needed necessary improvement and repairs. SBR lthough the BJP is going to form the they were expected to keep in mind that these were Government again both in Haryana and state elections. technology was sought to be the basis of functioning AMaharashtra, the voters have given a For now, BJP has to give a stop to rake up the of the STPs and the Urban Environmental strong message to the saffron party. The message A wakeup call for BJP issues of Article 370, Pakistan and to implement is - to give more time to other important issues like NRC all over the country. Instead party should Engineering Department (UEED) is reported to have to the BJP leadership. Despite all but one exit polls BJP's overconfidence riding on strong nation- the dwindling of country's economy, rising unem- now take the issue of dwindling of economy seri- floated tenders even under Languishing Projects predicting BJP's huge victory in Haryana - even alism somehow didn't go well with the voters of ously by not taking it lightly - that it's just a glob- ployment issue and the agricultural crisis. It must with claims of touching the mark of 70 - the party Maharashtra too. Although the NDA has won Scheme but no response thereto calls for concert- be noted that the saffron party in its campaign for al phenomenon. The party should also instruct its ed review by concerned authorities to bring about couldn't even manage to bag the required 46 seats enough numbers needed to attain the majority both the states heavily banked on strong national- in the State Assembly. Although the party, which mark, the unignorable reality is that seats of BJP leaders including various ministers of states, MPs the desired results. The entire structure proposed ism - by raising the topic of Article 370 and even got 40 seats, is set to return to power with the help and its ally Shiv Sena has reduced with Sharad and MLAs not to make unnecessary comments on for the task needs to be made more active and per- attacking Pakistan from the election rallies. of Independents. The undeniable fact is - this kind Pawar led NCP-Congress alliance performing well critical issues. Such ill statements only give a neg- It is not that voters of Haryana and ative image to the voters - that the party is only forming as several months have just been seen of result was something beyond the expectations of in the regions of cotton growing Vidarbha and the Maharashtra are against the move of diluting of the party - with heavyweight cabinet ministers of sugarcane belt of Western Maharashtra. The interested in those issues that heavily polarise the going down the drain. Article 370 or are not aware of the evil intentions Manohar Lal Khattar Government biting the dust. results clearly indicate that the rural voters of voters. The Action Plan was destined to be fully imple- of Pakistan. But these are national issues and Seems that the major mistake that BJP did in these regions affected by agrarian distress have Apart from that, seems that party's hunger of mented by the end of December 2019 which, with already voters had voted for the Lok Sabha elec- the election campaign was to ignore the issue of voted against the BJP. power is something that didn't go well with the tions giving BJP a huge mandate. And this time voters. So, it's time for BJP to ponder over the the dismal levels of the progress on the project, unemployment that particularly cost the party in Without bothering to listen to critics, the saf- these were state elections - where obviously Haryana. The latest figures of Centre for fron party didn't leave any stone unturned to make massive induction of whoever knocking the doors seems unlikely to be met. That unwanted position everyone expects local issues to dominate. Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) has ranked the nationalist issues dominant at the cost of the without any checks. Such hunger of power ignor- enjoins upon the concerned authorities to look into However, BJP thought otherwise. It thought Haryana as having the highest rate of unemploy- local ones. But the result is clean and clear. ing the critical bread and butter issues of common with all seriousness as except installation of sewer that issues of nationalism would strongly work on ment in the country. BJP, which is known across Obviously, it is no way a rejection of popularity of man will certainly enrage the voters. However, its favour. Starting from Prime Minister Narendra despite BJP not giving much importance to such lines at four places in Jammu which again has run the country for developing a well oiled machinery Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose popularity Modi to home minister Amit Shah, also the BJP to register victories, this time seems to have failed still remains high. But the fact is it is a voter indi- issues, voters in Haryana at least made BJP the into rough weathers because of objections raised by president, all they had to talk about were Article to notice the sentiments prevailing in the ground. cation that the BJP should shed its arrogance of largest party in the assembly while in Jammu Development Authority, no solid work has 370, NRC and Pakistan. They didn't even bother to It banked on social alliances by combining various being juggernaut after the massive victory in the Maharashtra, although with reduced number of been done. The matter demands immediate atten- rake up the issue of rising unemployment, which non-Jat groups. But voters of Haryana have clear- Lok Sabha elections held this year. It is a warning seats, gave NDA a clear mandate. This is a warn- according to reports is the highest in recent years, ing from the voters to the BJP to correct its tion in the interests of the River relieving it of the ly sent the message that the social engineering from the electorates not to take them for granted and the agrarian distress across the country. weaved with shades of strong nationalism doesn't for being all time voters of the saffron party. Also, wrongs, particularly related to rising unemploy- scar of pollution. Nevertheless, the voters have shown the mirror work at the cost of local issues. the voters have plainly rejected BJP's imposition ment and bad economy. (IPA) Fight against corruption lthough there is no decline in the level of Dream fulfilled, Jammu & Kashmir integrated corruption in Government departments and most of the corrupt officials being under the Ramesh Sabharwal pleasant memories linger in our Manmohan Singh on August 15, Minister and the Home Minister which Jammu and Ladakh were view that whatever it did on A minds even today. We also can- 2004 said about the state from did on August 5 was an eventful considered as Kashmir’s two August 5 was its sovereign deci- eagle eyed surveillance of the concerned agencies ugust 5, 2019 for me, like not forget the senseless reign of the ramparts of the Red Fort. He day in many respects. But more colonies where the life of the sion and internal matter and no of the Government, yet it is a matter of satisfaction many others in Jammu brutalities unleashed by the had clarified and said: “Kashmir than that, that day, they told the people was not one of political, one would be allowed to interfere province, was a day of that Anti Corruption Bureau has been doubling its A Sheikh Abdullah Government on doesn’t mean the whole state. international community that social, cultural and economic in the country’s sovereign affairs. thanks-giving, joy and celebra- the innocent school and college The State consisted of three India was a sovereign country in aspirations but one of slavery, It’s interesting to note that per- efforts in registering FIRs against the corrupt which tions. It was on this epoch-mak- students, including girl students. regions – Jammu, Kashmir and the true sense of the term and it servitude and penury. sons like Omar Abdullah who on has seen sharp rise for quite some time. This is ing day that Prime Minister Similarly, we remember even Ladakh”. It would not be an had the required will, the Vested interests in Kashmir the floor of the assembly raised Narendra Modi and his trusted being done under Prevention of Corruption Act. It is today the rustication from the overstatement if someone may required capacity and the and the so-called intellectuals the issue of merger of J&K State colleague Home Minister Amit College of two Students of the say that the clarification of required ability to tackle securi- used to term Article 370 a bridge with India and Dr Karan Singh in widely believed that only after the condemnable Shah undo the grave wrongs Student National Association Manmohan Singh was a recogni- ty-related problems, menace of between Jammu & Kashmir and the Upper House of Parliament in scourge of terrorism, corruption was the second committed by the Congress and (SNA) and what it culminated tion of what we as members of terror, politics of separatism the rest of the country suggesting his own style endorsed the said Prime Minister Jawaharlal into. It culminated into not just in the Jammu Kashmir Nationalist based on religious fanaticism that the state would secede from statement would have now monster troubling the administrative setup in Nehru. They integrated the state Jammu and Kashmir in various ways. 29-long hunger-strike in Jammu Front and Jammu State Morcha and take the enemy nations, India the day Article 370 was received the appropriate answer. fully into India by removing — against the anti-democratic and did over the years to put things including Pakistan, head on. The removed. Article 370 was not a All in all, it can be said that We appreciate the efforts taken by the with the full concurrence of the oppressive Sheikh Abdullah in perspective and counter the steps the Narendra Modi bridge; it was a wall of hatred the Narendra Modi Government Governor's Administration in this respect as also Parliament — from the Indian Government supported to the hilt false narrative that Kashmir Government took between June created by the Congress, which changed the course of history of statue book Article 370, which the interest shown by the ACB in proceeding by the Congress Government at meant the whole state. 2018 and August 5 and after never considered Jammu & India on August 5. had given a separate status to the the Centre, but also into the Praja By creating two UTs out of August 5 established for the first Kashmir an integral part of India If the abrogation of Article against such employees although much more was state on the score of religion, and Parishad agitation in 1952-53 the state and abolishing Articles time in 72 years that India final- and which handed over to 370 bridged the wide gulf required to be done especially at the prosecution illegal Article 35A, which was under the effective and skillful 370 and 35A, the Narendra Modi ly got a government that it need- Pakistan 33% of territories of the between Jammu, Kashmir and discriminatory and humiliating. level to ensure speedy trial and deterrent punish- leadership of Pt Prem Nath Government dispended the long- ed so badly. state on a platter on December Ladakh and the rest of the coun- It was a long wait. It took 70 Dogra, popularly known as awaited justice to the people of Now that the Narendra Modi 31, 1949 much to the chagrin of try and brought the state under ment which could take place only with a strong years and it happened in our life- “Sher-e-Duggar”. the state, nay the nation as a Government has fulfilled the the nation and the advancing the ambit of the Indian and solid prosecution case in the courts. There time. The Narendra Modi whole, and fulfilled the 66-year- nation’s most cherished desire, Indian army. Article 370 was Constitution, the abrogation of It was, as I said, a day of should be symptomatic administrative measures Government not just abrogated old dream of the founder presi- it’s time to reflect on the baneful nothing but an instrument of sub- Article 35A established gender thanks-giving for people like us Article 370, Article 35A and dent of Bharatiya Jana Sangh influence of Article 370, Article version which separatists in equality in the state, established too to strike a blow to both corrupt and irregular who had been associated with Jammu & Kashmir Constitution and the Lion of Bengal, Dr 35A and separate Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and mercenar- parity between the people of the practices as well as summary suspensions and “Ek Nissan, Ek Pradhan and Ek but also reorganized the state by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who Kashmir Constitution on the state ies or the so-called trouble-shoot- state and the rest of the Indians Vidhan” movement from child- creating out of it two Union had made supreme sacrifice in polity in general and Jammu and ers or track-two operatives or and granted citizenship rights to terminations to send messages loud and clear hood/since 1952. The memories that Government job was not to be misused and Territories – UT of Jammu & Kashmir on June 23, 1953 by Ladakh in particular as well as on human rights activists and certain West Pakistan refugees and of what the then Sheikh Abdullah Kashmir and UT of Ladakh. We laying down his precious life. It the national security and the media persons used to exploit Valmiki and Gorkha Samaj. It abused to indulge in corruption. 103 FIRs in Government did to us in the as the founders of the Jammu and was not just that the nation lost country’s territorial integrity. and fleece India and misguide the would be only prudent to say that Jammu and Kashmir, though appreciable, howev- GGM Science College, Jammu, Kashmir Nationalist Front Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. 15 Both these Articles plus the sepa- international community and India entered a new era that day are still too fresh to be forgotten. er, is tantamount to proverbial a drop in the buck- (2000) and Jammu other integrationists from across rate Constitution had only pro- public opinion. and a new chapter opened in the We had opposed and defeated the State Morcha had worked for Jammu province, including moted communalism, separatism It’s a matter of great satisfac- history of relations between et looking to the enormity of the affliction. All pend- ill-conceived move of the Sheikh the state’s reorganization as per Chamb, Hiranagar, Ramban and and the menace of corruption in tion that the Narendra Modi Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and ing cases should be taken to logical and decisive administration to hoist National the RSS’ 2002 Kurukshtra Sunderbani, had also laid down the Kashmir Valley, granted Government dismantled this New Delhi – an era of full of Conference flag within the col- ends which again could frustrate attempts to let Resolution. In 2002, the Jammu their lives for the cause of the unbridled legislative, executive bridge of hatred, as also disman- hope, integration, development lege premises and we had to State Morcha won one seat on nation in the sensitive border and financial powers to the tled the Republic of Jammu & and just and fair administration. spend sometime in the unlivable cases get prolonged to get breathers of many the statehood-to-Jammu plank. State of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir-based ruling elite and Kashmir with the whole of the (The author is a noted social activist) Central Jail, Jammu. All these hues. I vividly remember what PM Indeed, what the Prime led to the rise of a situation under world endorsing the New Delhi’s [email protected]