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Growth at 8.2%, Yet All Is Not Well

Growth at 8.2%, Yet All Is Not Well

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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 ’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 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 ) 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 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 '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, 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 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 , was actually problem spilling our own blood. The because we have tolerance; we are Greek speaking. Many countries in Marathas conquered . 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 —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, with a competent navy. But nation, claiming nothing, and ”. 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 shocked the world by her purging appropriation of Buddhist and Jain or a Hindu constructed at the country of the Semitic races— sacred places.” in without the . 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 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 , 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 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 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 . 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 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, and , 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 , Sravasti, Hindu culture and language, must with the followers of the Shramanic ’s Katra Mound, Nalanda, learn to respect and hold in reverence religions—Buddhism and Jainism. Sialkot, Satdhara (in Katni district), Hindu , 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 , , Jayendravihara JANATA, September 23, 2018 5 at , 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, , 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, 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 .” 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 and don’t really have the East, 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 . 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 Masjid 28 September 2015, Mohammed Masjid on 6 December 1992 the of , 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 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 , 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, 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 , 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, 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 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 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 , 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 , 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 ) 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 . 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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