Editorial :- Modi Government’s Anti-People Face Exposed in Three Years Mahi Pal Singh Narendra Modi led National Democratic Yuva Vahini, the outfit erected by the now Chief Alliance (NDA) government completed its three Minister of UP Yogi Adityanath, named Jitendra years in power in May 2017. Out of the total Sharma, Pankaj Pathak and Avinash alias Anshu tenure of five years for which the Lok Sabha barge into the house of a 28 year old woman in was elected and handed over Prime-ministership Bareilly and gang rape her and fearlessly assault to Mr. Modi, three years is a long enough period the sub-inspector Mayank Arora of Subhash to judge in which direction the government is Nagar police station when called for heading and taking the country along with it. investigation later. Pehlu Khan and five others were brutally thrashed in Rajasthan when they It was clear even at the time of his assuming were returning to their homes in Haryana along office as the Prime Minister of the country in with some cows which they wanted to keep for 2014 that, looking back at his background as milk for their families and also for sale which the RSS pracharak and a strong votary of the was their sole source of income. Pehlu Khan Hindutva, he would pursue the agenda of turning later died of fatal injuries. the country into a Hindu Rashtra, dividing the country on communal lines, pushing the Minorities have been targeted politically minorities further onto the margins; making life through communal riots initiated at the instance even more hellish for the Scheduled Castes and of the leaders of the ruling BJP and Scheduled Tribes by snatching means of their economically through moves like ban on sale of livelihoods; depriving the youths of whatever animals in the name of saving them from being employment they possessed; making survival for butchered. Muslims and Dalits have been the farmers so difficult that they would be forced attacked and killed mercilessly in all BJP ruled to commit suicides, and following blatantly pro states by gangs of goons belonging to the capitalist policies making the lives of the toiling Hindutva folds masquerading as (illegal) ‘Gau masses even more miserable than before. Rakshaks’ calling the victims ‘beef eaters’. The experience of the last three years has Recently 16 year old Junaid Khan was killed in proved all our worst apprehensions come true. Ballabhgarh in Haryana. Similar incidents of All the claims of development and ‘sabka saath, lynching have taken place in Alwar in Rajasthan, sabka vikas’ have proved to be mere poll slogans Jharkhand and Dadri in UP which have rattled like the ‘election jumla’ of putting Rs. 15 lakhs the conscience even of Hindus. In most of such of the (to be) recovered black money into every attacks, the police have either remained mute individual’s bank account. Most of the cadres spectators or booked and arrested the victims of the Hindutva fold have become so fearless and let the hooligans go scot-free. This has of the law and order machinery that they commit obviously happened in all cases with the tacit all kinds of illegal acts without the fear of being support of the ruling dispensation. It is more than caught. Someone is found dealing in narcotics, clear, and the message is loud and clear to its another one running a prostitution racket while cadres that they can beat up and lynch people some others hurl abuses and threaten even a from the minority community at will to show to lady IPS officer. Three activists of the Hindu them that they are not equal citizens of this

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 3 otherwise known as a secular country, because hunger because whatever he has produced after the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided not a hard toil and a lot of loan money is not being even to invite a report on such incidents from sold for a gainful price. Out of desperation he is the state governments of Rajasthan and committing suicide and such incidents are being Chhatisgarh, two of the states ruled by the BJP. reported on everyday basis. Some states have And of course there is no question of asking for declared a loan waiver scheme of upto 50,000 such a report from the UP government led by or one and a half lakh Rupees after a lot of an RSS stalwart who himself has been making pressure from the farmers but even that is hardly the most horrible hate-speeches against the providing any relief. A very senior Union minority community. Minister, Venkaiah Naidu, made a condemnable The people bore the extreme hardships of remark that seeking loan waiver has become a cash crunch resulting from the unplanned and fashion now, adding it is not the final solution misconceived demonetisation move, undertaken and should be considered in extreme situations. by Mr. Modi, with fortitude without complaining Even today, the 23rd of June, PTI has reported: against hunger, illness, death and loss of ‘’Govt apathy compels more farmers to end life. employment in the hope that ‘acche din’ (good While three farmers committed suicide in MP, times) as promised by the Prime Minister would taking the toll to 20 in a fortnight, another farmer come, but even after seven months of the took his life in Kerala. 12 Thane cops hurt in demonetisation on 8th November, 2016, their farmers’ protest.’’ Are they not extreme condition and the condition of the country has situations? It is true that loan waiver is not the only deteriorated. No new jobs have been final solution. The final solution is the promised created and the ones they had have, on the MSP as per Swaminathan Committee report. contrary, been snatched. Their purchasing Why does he not advise his own government to power is down and in the absence of increased implement its own promise on the MSP? He demand, production is also down which is and his government do not see anything wrong reflected in the country’s GDP growth for the in it when lakhs and lakhs of crores of tax last quarter of 2016-2017 financial year which waivers are provided to the big industrialists like is officially pegged at 6.1%, a huge fall from the Adanis and the Ambanis and the likes of the 7.8% claimed for the previous year. No black Vijay Mallya, Subrat Roy Sahara and scores of money has been recovered; only the economy them who contrive to take loans from banks for has suffered heavily. The hopes of ‘acche din’, their own luxuries without the intention of which the aam aadmi had been made to peg on returning that loan to the banks but when it the demonetisation exercise by the Prime comes to waiving off the loans of farmers whose Minister, have been belied. crops get destroyed or when their produce does not fetch even their investment, these politicians The farmers had been promised a gainful develop excruciating belly ache. Minimum Support Price (MSP) of at least 1.5 times of their total production cost for their On the front of human rights the record of produce also feel cheated. Farmers of one state the BJP led government is worse than that of after another – beginning with the Tamil Nadu the Congress. Nobody is safe on the roads. You farmers to the Maharashtra and then the remember the human shield controversy, in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been which Farooq Dar, an innocent and helpless forced to resort to agitation because the bread Kashmiri, was tied to the bonnet of a jeep by an producer and his family everywhere is dying of army Major, showing utter disregard and

4 July 2017 disrespect to the dignity of human person and of their lands, forests and livelihoods, you can the army general and the Home Minister praised be labeled a Maoist or anti-national and either the Major for the act instead of denouncing it jailed or killed in a fake encounter. You can even and taking action against him for going beyond be arrested on the charge of sedition, which his duties and in contravention of the Constitution invites imprisonment for life, if you happen to of India. Such acts only result in further be a fan of a foreign cricket team, or even an alienating the youth of Kashmir where the appreciator of good game irrespective of which situation is worse than what it used to be a few country the player belongs to and celebrate the years ago. Worse cases of human rights violation victory of that team over the Indian team, never get reported because either the media has particularly if that team happens to be the cricket no reach there or does not care. In fact, it has team of Pakistan, and this will be done not by a voluntarily surrendered its freedom on the feet vigilante group but by the police which is directly of Modi and the RSS, and those who have not under the government. You can be fired at and done so have to face the ire of the rulers at the killed if you are a farmer and protesting for hands of the government agencies like the CBI, gainful MSP or the emergent measure of a loan the ED and the Income Tax department etc. as waiver as happened recently in Madhya happened in the case of promoters of the NDTV. Pradesh, the state ruled by the BJP. The message from the government is loud and The BJP forgets that in West Bengal the three clear – either you surrender and start singing decades old rule of the Left Front government songs in our praise or get ready to be butchered was thrown into the dustbin by the people there – something not different from what happened when their own cadres fought against the during the emergency rule imposed by the then farmers, who were merely protesting against Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, in 1975. In forced takeover of their farm lands by the State fact, it is worse because in most cases today government to be handed over to Tatas for the surrender is voluntary whereas in 1975 it setting up of the Nano car factory, killed them was imposed and forced. with bullets and bombs, raped their women and Vigilante groups can attack you if they think tried to force them to bend to the wishes of the that you are wearing clothes which they do not government, which in any case was not their like of if you eat, or are suspected of eating, task. They had virtually taken over as the anything they think you should not eat, or you government and the police and enjoyed the tacit are moving about with or trying to marry support of the Left Front government. In the someone from a different religion (particularly BJP’s case, its cadres are fighting against the if you happen to be a Muslim boy and love and whole population of the country – the working are trying to marry a Hindu girl). These ruling class, the farmers, the students, the teachers, party supported groups can attack you if you the thinkers and writers, the minorities, the are a student and you are voicing your dissent scheduled castes and scheduled tribes – in fact against the government and its polities. You can everybody who does not follow their diktats and be killed if you are a free thinking secular their line of thinking. They too have virtually intellectual or a scientific rationalist and express taken over the government in states ruled by your opinion through speech or writing against the BJP and the support of the party and its the government policies and if you are a human governments in the states and the centre seems rights activist and you speak for the rights of to be even more explicit than that of the CPM the tribal people or against the snatching away to its cadres in Nandigram and Singur West

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 5 Bengal which was a black chapter in the consolidation of the people’s movement against history of human rights in India at that time. the anti-people policies of the BJP led NDA The day is not far when the BJP government government at the centre and the BJP will meet the same fate which the Left Front governments in the States. Mere slogans cannot government met in West Bengal; maybe even save non-performing governments. The ‘Shining worse. Remember that the Modi government India’ slogan could not save the Atal Behari led came to power in 2014 with a total vote NDA government at the centre in 2004 as only percentage of 31 and even during its the faces of the BJP leaders were shining then overwhelming performance in the UP elections and not the faces of the ‘aam aadmi’, and its vote percentage was only 40% of the total ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ with which the votes. The beginning seems to have been made present government began its tenure, and the by the farmers’ uprising against the present trend of a slogan a day will not be able government’s attitude of using force and bullets to save this government in 2019 because what against their peaceful agitation for their genuine the people really need is performance, safety demands. The next two years can see the and equality, and not mere slogans. Gandhiji’s statement at the time of the martyrdom of Shri Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. On this occasion, Gandhiji wrote: “I do not know if the sacrifice of Shri Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi has gone in vain. His spirit always inspired me. I envy his sacrifice. Is it not shocking that this country has not produced another Ganesh Shankar? None after him came to fill up the gap. Ganesh Shankar’s Ahimsa was perfect Ahimsa. My Ahimsa will also be perfect if I could die similarly peacefully with one blow on my head. I have always been dreaming of such a death and I wish to treasure this dream. How noble that death will be, a dagger attack on me from one side, an axe blow from another, a lathi blow yet from another direction and kicks and abuses from all sides and if in the midst of these I could rise to the occasion and remain non-violent and peaceful and could ask others to act and behave likewise, and finally I would die with cheer on my face and smile on my lips. I am hankering after such an opportunity and also wish Congressmen to remain in search of such an opportunity.”

6 July 2017 Emergency should never be forgotten Strange, in the process of selecting who should Mumbai and V.M. be the next President of India, the nation has Tharkunde from Delhi forgotten the emergency which was imposed argued the habeas some forty two years ago. More than one lakh corpus petitions filed people were detained without trial. The media by my wife. Still I which could have reported the conditions spent three months in prevailing was muzzled. Civil servants obediently jail. issued the orders, which came from Sanjay The two judges, Gandhi, the extra constitutional authority that Justice S. Rangarajan Kuldip Nayar ruled the country in the name of his mother, then and Justice R.N. the Prime Minster. Aggarwal, who gave the judgment, were The judiciary caved in and upheld that punished. The first one was transferred to Parliament could suspend the fundamental rights Guwahati where people still remember him for enshrined in the constitution. Even the imposition his impartiality. The second was demoted and of the emergency was justified. Only one judge, sent back to the Sessions Court. This did not, Justice H.R. Khanna, gave the dissenting however, deter them and they carried on their judgment. He was superseded. It is another work boldly and independently. matter that the country punished the then Prime Probably, the pressure on the judges has Minister, Indira Gandhi, when she was ousted lessened in recent years because of vigilant from power, lock, stock and barrel in the media. But the worse is happening in elections when they were held. Similar was the appointments to the benches. They are being fate of her son, Sanjay Gandhi. made according to the whims and wishes of What disappoints me is that the Supreme rulers. This began with the Congress Court never passed a resolution or has done government and has continued when the anything to register its criticism against the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power. judgment which had given the judiciary a bad I recall that the process started when Indira name. Even now it is not too late. The Supreme Gandhi had superseded three judges—Justices Court has liberal judges on the bench. They can J.M. Shelat, K.S. Hegde and A.N. Grover—to make up by passing a resolution that their appoint Justice A.N. Ray as the Chief Justice. predecessor bench was wrong in having She had been unseated from parliament and endorsed the emergency. disqualified for poll malpractices for six years. At least the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Instead of accepting the verdict with grace, she cabinet should say sorry on behalf of the Centre imposed the emergency and amended the for the excesses committed by the earlier election law itself. government during the emergency. The then The excesses which Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Attorney General, Niren De, had even argued Gandhi committed during the emergency may in the court that the right to live was forfeited be part of history to me they are recalled by not during the emergency. only those who suffered but also those who There was so much fear among Delhi supported democracy. It was the Janata Party, lawyers that lawyers like Soli Sorabjee from which came to power after defeating Mrs

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 7 Gandhi that changed the constitution to make “independence as a lawyer is causing the imposition of the emergency impossible. And apprehensions that I will not toe the line of the Justice Khanna’s dissenting judgment that the government. This factor has been decisive in basic structure of the constitution could not be refusing to appoint me.” He withdrew from the changed was accepted as the norm. This has race. ensured the parliamentary system of In fact, it was at his instance that the Gujarat governance and has deterred every ruler since police was forced to book a murder case in the then not to tinker with the judiciary. Sohrabuddin fake encounter matter. When the Ultimately, the independence of the judiciary prime witness, Tulsiram Prajapati, was liquidated depends upon the quality of judges. In the US, under suspicious circumstances, Subramanium the biggest democracy, the Supreme Court is had recommended the transfer of the case to divided between the Republican judges and the CBI. Significantly, Subramanium also admitted that it was on his suggestion that the Democrats’. Since the tenure of the judges is Supreme Court, while granting bail to accused for lifetime, the appointees of one party have Amit Shah, now the BJP president, had barred risen above their old loyalties and become him from entering Gujarat. independent and impartial. Most pathetic was the role of the media. I In India, we had the best of judges when the recall that when the emergency was imposed government appointed them. But now the party there was anger and more than a hundred politics has crept in. At least it has been seen in journalists assembled at the Press Club at my High Courts that the party in power has not bidding to criticise the emergency. But when I appointed the best of lawyers but those who tried to pick up the thread after my detention, owed allegiance to particular political party. Even there was hardly anyone to support. Mrs Gandhi in the Supreme Court, some appointments come had created so much fear in the minds of under the shadow of doubt. journalists that they were more worried about Some examples of the past are worth praise. their jobs than the freedom of the press, which Take the case of former Solicitor General Gopal they otherwise cherished. Subramanium whose appointment to the (Kuldip Nayar is a veteran syndicated Supreme Court was stalled by the Narendra columnist catering to around 80 newspapers Modi government. Blaming the government for and journals in 14 languages in India & blocking his appointment, Subramanium said his abroad. [email protected])

“The people of this country have a right to know every public act, everything, that is done in a public way, by their public functionaries. They are entitled to know the particulars of every public transaction in all its bearing.” Justice K K Mathew, former Judge, Supreme Court of India, (1975)

8 July 2017 The Challenges Facing Ram Nath Kovind as President Are Both Particular and National Vivek Kumar Will Kovind as president be a champion for Dalits were humiliated by V.K. Singh, a Dalit justice? Will he uphold the values of the cabinet minister in the NDA government, who constitution? compared them to dogs and went scot-free. Who can forget Una where Dalits It is still not very clear why the BJP made were mercilessly beaten by gau rakshaks in Ram Nath Kovind, a non-Jatav Dalit from Uttar broad daylight? The Gujarat government took Pradesh, its nominee for the president’s post. cognisance of the incident only because it went Is it to arrest the disenchantment and alienation viral on social media. After that, whenever Dalits of Dalits with the BJP over the last three years? protested, they were attacked. The Dalits Is it to counter the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), continue to be agitated without justice. which still has 22% vote share in UP? Is it to neutralise the opposition and Dalits so they The BJP’s anti-Dalit face came to fore once cannot brand the BJP as anti-Dalit? Is it to again in UP, where its vice president silence the educated and mobile Dalits who are used obnoxious and vulgar language to describe fed up with the politics of symbolism and patron- Mayawati, one of the tallest Dalit leaders. After client politics, and are demanding effective BSP cadres, as well as Mayawati herself, representation in the decision-making process? protested against him in the Rajya Sabha, he Or does it have some other hidden ideological was symbolically shown the door. Later, the agenda? Whatever the long term agenda, the BJP’s leadership further humiliated Dalits by immediate agenda is very clear. It is to cajole not only giving an assembly ticket to the ousted the anger of the agitating Dalit youths from leader’s wife, but also making her a cabinet Hyderabad to UP via Gujarat. minister when the BJP came to power in UP. To rub salt on the wound of Dalits, soon after the Humiliation, exclusion and suppression formation of the government, the same leader We have seen how Dalits have suffered was reinstated in the party with great fanfare. exclusion and suppression over the last three Then came the cases of Delta Meghwal in years, how have they faced the worst type of Rajasthan and the rape of Dalit women in humiliation under BJP regimes. First, Rohith Bhadana, Haryana. Dalit women were raped Vemula, a research scholar from Hyderabad and the guilty were not brought to book. One Central University, was driven to suicide by the can add Saharanpur in UP to this list, where draconian university administration. However, Dalits were beaten and their huts were burnt the victim’s mother and friends have alleged that by so-called upper castes. The newly elected it all happened because of the pressure mounted BJP government portrayed the Dalit youth- by local and national BJP leadership in the led Bhim Army to be the villain. Dalits were university’s administration. When his mother further humiliated in UP when the civil demanded justice, a member of the commission administration gave Dalits soap and set up by central government humiliated her by shampoo before chief minster Adityanath’s visit. going beyond its mandate to ascertain her When people protested, no satisfactory answer pedigree. was given by the government.

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 9 A leadership problem will he restore the lost pride of the Dalits? Moreover, will he be able to succeed in making On each of these occasions, angry Dalits reforms for their effective representation in protested with full might, on the roads and on different institutions of government if he virtual media, but they did not get justice. They becomes president of India? If he doesn’t were humiliated by government enquiries as the succeed in doing so, he will not be able to halt guilty were protected by BJP’s leadership. the Dalits’ disenchantment with the BJP. The Humiliation reached its zenith when BJP precedent suggests that chances of his success leaders had food with Dalits in their houses on are very bleak. camera. The same symbolism was depicted I say this because it is not the first time that a when BJP president Amit Shah took samrasta Dalit has been fielded for the post of president snan with Dalits in Madhya Pradesh. These of India. In 1997, exactly two decades earlier, gestures are blatantly humiliating. The so-called K.R. Narayanan was elected as the first Dalit upper castes are simply reminding Dalits, ‘look president. The Congress had nominated you are so lowly even when we are eating with Narayanan to the post to counter the ever- you or bathing with you’. The question is why increasing influence of BSP, not only in UP, but do you have to remind Dalits again and again of all over the country. However, the Congress their structural location and prove your could not stop the rise of the BSP in UP and it hegemonic benevolence? would gradually go on to wipe out Congress from At another level, Dalits feel humiliated and UP. Whether the BJP will meet the same fate, demoralised when so-called Dalit leaders only time will tell. belonging to the BJP and NDA, like Ram Vilas Constitutional values and Dalit justice Paswan, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Ramdas Athavle and Udit Raj, don’t speak a world on Another challenge for Kovind is to match the these gross atrocities on Dalits. In the same vein, political acumen, assertion and independent the BJP-led NDA government took months to nature of Narayanan. We have to accept the appoint a scheduled caste commissioner under fact that Narayanan was one of the most Article 338 of the Indian constitution. Even after assertive presidents of the country who upheld the appointment he remains silent. There is never constitutional values to the core. At the outset, a BJP Dalit spokesperson on TV to air the he was the first president who exercised his anguish of Dalits. franchise by standing in a queue like an ordinary citizen of the country. This can be considered The prime minister’s statement, ‘shoot me if as a revolutionary step in democratic politics, you want, but don’t target Dalits’, does not ask because presidents before him feared to be for stern action against the perpetrators of dubbed as partisan. atrocities on Dalits. The statement depicts the prime minister’s helplessness and lack of political He was also one of the few presidents who will, further demoralising Dalits, especially Dalit faced politically turbulent times under two youth. different regimes, National Front (1997) and then BJP-led NDA government (1998). Amidst the Presidential opportunity chaos, he did not lose constitutional ethos. With The first particular challenge for Kovind is to strong political acumen, he upheld constitutional cushion the pain and agony of Dalits, who have value, twice asking the government of the day to been suffering for the past three years. How reconsider its advice on the use of Article 356.

10 July 2017 First, in October 1997, he asked National the president’s ascent could not withhold Front’s cabinet to reconsider its decision to the scrutiny of Supreme Court of India. dismiss the then Kalyan Singh-led BJP Can Kovind uphold constitutional values in the government in UP, and forced them to hail his way Narayanan did? Can he raise the voice of effort as a ‘victory of democracy’. Again in the Dalits, as Narayanan did when he raised October 1998, Narayanan returned a Union the issue of under-representation of marginalised cabinet resolution seeking the imposition of sections in the Supreme Court? It is on these president’s rule in Bihar and the suspension of particular and national issues that Kovind’s the assembly. candidature will be tested by the nation as a It is a coincidence that the outgoing president, whole and by Dalits in particular. Pranab Mukherjee, accepted both Courtesy The Wire, 22.6.2017. recommendations of presidential rule (first in Arunachal Pradesh and then in Uttarakhand) Vivek Kumar is a Professor of Sociology by the present BJP government. However, even at the School of Social Sciences, JNU. POOSSIBILITIES GALORE!! WONDER OF PERU & BRAZIL Duration:- 14 Nights / 15 Days (Group Tour) Highlights:- Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Iguazu Falls & Rio The New Journey begins with Excellent Overview of Lima and its most astonishing facets – Ancient, colonial and Contemporary. In Cusco and the sacred valley, all the iconic INCA sites are included with a spectacular rail trip to Machu Picchu followed by a journey across the Puno, Lake Titicaca. Explore the island on the lake with great joi-de-vivre. Next zoom around at Iguaçu Falls -One of the planet’s most awe-inspiring sights, the Iguaçu Falls are simply astounding. A visit is a jaw-dropping, visceral experience, and the power and noise of the cascades – a chain of hundreds of waterfalls– live forever in the memory. Rio- View sprawling Rio from the base of Christ the redeemer statue on Corcovado, Immerse yourself in the art of precinct of Santa Teresa and dance with the beat of samba. Sip Capirinhas and sunbathe like a local Copacabana. Price starting from: 3,95,600 RS Per adult with all inclusive. Inclusions K International and Domestic Airfare, K Brazil and Peru Tourist Visa K Overseas Insurance , K All renowned sightseeing at the respective places K Sumptuous breakfast and Dinner with local touch Ask More, Contact: INDO ASIA HOLIDAYS Indo Asia House, 56 Institutional Area, Sector 44, Gurgaon-122 002 Mbl: +91 9718682901, Tel: +91-124-4534500. E-Mail: [email protected] / Web: www.indoasiaholidays.com An ISO 9001: 2008 Company (A Division of Indo Asia Leisure Services Ltd.)

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 11 The march to spectacle Army faces a tough mob in front of it. But it has more to fear from the mob behind it, egging it on The threat emanates from an unlikely Pratap Bhanu Mehta source. Whether we like it or not, we live in an age of spectacle, where the many institutions, including the judiciary and dominant political idiom is a seemingly bureaucracy, have also convinced themselves unmediated conversation with the public. that merely doing their professional jobs will not The relationship between the Indian Army get them social legitimacy or visibility. Something and Indian democracy might be entering else, some splash, was required. In boring new and unchartered waters. The ethical terminology, this is called communication. But and constitutional issues in the incident underlying it is a shift in the norms of social involving Major Nitin Leetul Gogoi using a legitimacy. You are nobody if you have not human shield have been discussed well by trended. This is disfiguring many institutions. two columns (‘Why Major Gogoi is wrong’, The army is becoming a double victim of this. by Omar Abdullah, IE, May 24, here and ‘A There is no doubt about the army’s social blemished medal’, by Praveen Swami, IE, legitimacy. It has also had to do our dirty work May 25 here). But there is a larger for us. But there is a growing sense in the army institutional transformation underway that that it was being socially marginalised. In does not bode well, either for democracy quotidian terms, everything from the OROP, to or the army. A professional army needs shifting norms of social acclaim, convinced many three things: Broad social legitimacy where in the army that it was being given short shrift. the worth and excellence of the institution Second, there always have been, and should be, is recognised; a clear set of political goals people who ask questions of the army. And a and a legal framework within which it can professional army will answer them operate; and the right degree of professionally. If it is institutionally strong, it can professional autonomy, where it can remind people that it even court-martials officers exercise judgment based on the highest for wrongful killing, as it did after the Machhil professional standards. The “human shield” incident. crisis has revealed that all three are under more threat than we recognised. But those who really question the army are always politically insignificant. Yet, the media has The threat emanates from an unlikely source. managed to create the impression that the biggest Whether we like it or not, we live in an age of challenge the Indian Army faces is assorted spectacle, where the dominant political idiom is human rights activists out of control. This is patent a seemingly unmediated conversation with the nonsense. But the society of spectacle has public. It used to be that you were nobody if you exaggerated the suspicion under which the army did not have money or power; now, that is operates; it has created imaginary internal sometimes not necessary, and often, it is not enemies for the Indian Army. sufficient. Politics has become a frenzied contest over unmediated representation, with an The widespread support for Major Gogoi, both impatience for all institutions and processes. But inside and outside the army, has little to do with that has also inflected other institutions. Parts of operational considerations or the wisdom of the

12 July 2017 action. Instead, the issue has become a symbol was like a video game. It created a set of false of standing up for the army. In this sense, the expectations of what the means at the disposal army is being drawn into a vortex where a quiet, of the army could achieve. Does the army really dignified and assumed acknowledgment of its want the public to be asking in a frenzied way, professionalism will no longer be enough. It will “Under X government, you fired at bunkers, why constantly have to be granted its place in a society are you not firing now?” “If Major Gogoi’s tactic of spectacle. Chasing media phantoms was really so well-judged, and within the law, why does not the army use it more?” It is shocking disfigured other institutions. There is a danger how much the latter question is being asked. The this rot can afflict the army as well. It may begin army’s professional autonomy cannot be to measure its social legitimacy in a different way. maintained if there is an expectation that it will Two other things are drawing the army into this constantly produce war videos. vortex. The first is the giving in to the need for cutting short processes. Just as a practical matter, the controversy was dying down; there was a process on to assess the incident. The tearing hurry in which the commendation to Major Gogoi was issued undermines the credibility of its processes. It created the impression that the army was not thinking professionally. It was thinking more about teaching its supposed media critics a lesson. The spectacle of those operations will distort But most importantly, war is becoming a the political goals we set for the army. It may spectacle as well. From Uri to the recent cross- create operational pressures of the kind it will find border firings to destroy Pakistani bunker posts, it hard to withstand. Finally, the army will always the circulation of videos prompts the question: run up against the problem of incompatible Who are you trying to convince? How effective constituencies. The entire effort behind the Major you are will be judged by whether you achieve Gogoi operation seems to have been premised your goals of a lasting, secure peace. But this upon the idea that it is India that needs to be shown TV war will be a disaster for the army for three that the army can stand up for its own. But surely, reasons. It will make achieving objectives more it is in the army’s interest to win over Kashmiris, difficult. It is not that operations or cross-border a constituency this one act has alienated even firing were not done before. But we had the good more. Civil-military relations are not just about sense to understand that giving the adversary the the government and the army. They are option of a quiet way out is also part of sensible fundamentally mediated through the public. The strategy. After a routine operation, the adversary form of that mediation has a huge impact on the may or may not escalate; after a publicised army. The current form of mediation is placing operation, he will have only one option: To escalate. spectacle at front and centre. The army is facing a tough mob in front of it; but it has even more to TV wars give a much distorted picture of war. fear in the long run from the mob behind it, The Americans landed in the quagmires they did egging it on. in Iraq because generations of political elites, post- Vietnam, began to internalise the fantasy that war Courtesy Indian Express, May 29, 2017

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 13 (BJP’s pick) Army chief Bipin Rawat on Kashmir unrest: Wish protesters fired at us instead of pelting stones (and people have to be afraid of us)

Army chief Bipin Rawat on Kashmir unrest: flag and I will send your bodies home with Wish protesters fired at us instead of pelting honour. Is it what I am supposed to tell them as stones Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat chief? I have to maintain the morale of my troops today said that he cannot tell his troops to ‘just who are operating there,” Gen Rawat said. wait and die’ when they are fighting a ‘dirty Rawat went on to indicate that stone pelters war’ in Kashmir. had complicated the security situation in Kashmir, HIGHLIGHTS saying his force would find it easier to quell 1 Can’t tell my men to ‘wait and die’: Gen protests if instead of stones, weapons were used. Rawat. “In fact, I wish these people, instead of 2 Troops need innovative ways to fight throwing stones at us, were firing weapons at Kashmir’s ‘dirty war’: Army chief Rawat. us. Then I would have been happy. Then I could do what I (want to do),” Rawat told PTI. 3 Kashmir needs a composite solution, he said. Saying that the Army cannot run away from its role to provide security, Rawat said, Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat today “Tomorrow elections have to be held in defended his troops over the human shield Anantnag and similar things may happen. If the controversy saying that his men needed army does not respond to call for assistance, innovative ways to fight the “dirty war” in then the trust between the people whom we Kashmir. are protecting, police and army will break.” Rawat told PTI that when people were “That is something I cannot allow to happen. throwing stones and petrol bombs at Army This is what the militants want. It can create a personnel, he cannot tell his men to ‘just wait divide between the army and other security and die’. forces,” he said. “This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty ‘NEED TO FEAR THE ARMY’ war. It is played in a dirty way. The rules of engagements are there when the adversary He added that the Indian Army is a friendly comes face-to-face and fights with you. It is a force and is practicing maximum restraint to deal dirty war.... That is where innovation comes in. with the Kashmir situation. Rawat noted that the You fight a dirty war with innovations,” Rawat force can only do its job if the country fears it. told PTI. “Adversaries must be afraid of you and at “People are throwing stones at us, people are the same time your people must be afraid of throwing petrol bombs at us. If my men ask me you. We are a friendly army, but when we are what do we do, should I say, just wait and die? called to restore law and order, people have to I will come with a nice coffin with a national be afraid of us,” he said.

14 July 2017 Rawat also spoke about the core issue of from the booth, with the people he had just Kashmir, saying that it is something that needs rescued, he grabbed a person he believed to be a composite solution and is a process in which the ring leader of the protesters and got him everybody will have to get involved. tied to a jeep. “It will have to be a composite solution. The man - Farooq Ahmad Dar - has denied Everybody will have to get involved. Army’s that he was a stone pelter. Gogoi and his team role is to ensure that violence does not take then drove the jeep with Dar tied to it out of the place and the common man who is not indulging area. in this (violence) is protected,” he said, when A video of the incident, shared by former asked about the solution to the Kashmir issue. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar HUMAN SHIELD CONTROVERSY Abdullah, went viral on social media and caused The Army chief’s statements come days after a huge controversy, forcing the Army to set up Major Leetul Gogoi of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles a Court of Inquiry into the incident. was awarded a Commendation Card by General Sources previously told India Today that the Rawat for the former’s role in countering CoI has not found Major Gogoi to be at fault. insurgency in Kashmir. Gogoi continues to serve the Rashtriya Rifles In his PTI interview, Rawat said that Gogoi’s unit. commendation was awarded with the aim of However, Rawat told PTI he has a general boosting the morale of his troops. “As Army idea about what is going on in the Court of Chief my concern is morale of the Army. That Inquiry and that is why he went ahead with is my job. I am far away from the battle field. I awarding the Major. “I know what is happening cannot influence the situation there. I can only in the COI. It is being finalised. What do we tell the boys that I am with you. I always tell punish him for.” my people, things will go wrong, but if things have gone wrong and you did not have malafide UNREST IN KASHMIR intent, I am there,” he said. Rawat’s comments come amid concerns of Major Gogoi is the same officer who sparked widespread unrest in the Kashmir Valley nationwide controversy after tying a Kashmiri following Saturday’s killing of Hizbul Mujahideen local to an Army jeep. Gogoi, in a statement commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat. Bhat, the delivered recently, said his actions were aimed successor of Burhan Wani, was killed on at saving the lives of the men under his Saturday in an Indian Army operation. Wani’s command as well as those of stone pelters in death had sparked months of violent unrest in Kashmir. Kashmir leading to the deaths of more than 100 civilians. On April 9, the day of polling for the Srinagar Parliamentary bypoll, Major Gogoi and his team Officials have however expressed confidence were called to the Utligam polling both to rescue that a repeat of the post-Wani violence won’t civilian and security personnel trapped at the happen as the establishment is prepared to deal location. with stone pelters. Major Gogoi said that around 1,200 protesters Courtesy IndiaToday.in, New Delhi, May 28, had surrounded the booth and in order to escape 2017 | Edited by Dev Goswami

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 15 KASHMIR REPORT I was a human shield: In Kashmir, India is surrendering its humanity Major Gogoi’s recent act is not an exception. We should stop being in denial about it. Mehraj D Lone The first time I remember being slapped was watched, frozen with fright. not at home or in school. It was on the road outside my grandmother’s home. I was slapped Herded like cattle by a soldier for failing to shout “Jai Hind, sir” The previous spring, my village, about 8 km as a column of soldiers sauntered down the northwest of Sopore town, had endured three street. I was eight. Army crackdowns in a single month. As per At 14, I – along with my cousin John practice, the entire male population was driven, Mohammad Lone and neighbours Naseer like cattle, to the school ground. Several groups Ahmad Ganie and Mohammad Ashraf Bhat – of boys my age were picked out, each forced was stripped down to the waist, forced to lie to walk in front of the soldiers as they searched prone in a stream that flows by my village in houses, granaries, cowsheds and mosques. Rafiabad, North Kashmir, and beaten with a My group of five boys was assigned to the willow stick as thick as a man’s arm. We were search party led by the commanding officer being punished for failing to report on the himself. We started with the big house just across militants who soldiers insisted we had seen the road from the school and since the senior sneak past the willow grove we were grazing official himself was overseeing the search, cattle in. I came off with only a swollen, tissue- whispers that militants were hiding inside gained torn elbow. I was last into the stream and so credence. We hesitated to go in, but one soldier farthest from the bank. Only the soldiers’ sticks grabbed me by the shoulder, set his rifle barrel reached me, not their boots and rifle butts. The down on the other and pushed me up the stairs others had it worse. to the first floor. Room by room I went, The January before I turned 17, as a friend cupboard by cupboard, wondering if we would and I walked to our tuitions in downtown Sopore be greeted by a burst of fire from behind a door. one freezing morning, two Central Reserve I do not recall if I was silently reciting the kalmia Police Force patrolmen from across the road as I did whenever I felt scared. Perhaps I was signalled us to take our arms out of our pherans. too overcome with fear to remember. But I My friend followed their instructions, but I was won’t ever forget the damp handprint that too cold to care. They called us over to them. soldier left on the shoulder of my blue kameez. My friend crossed the road. I do not know what It was years before I learnt that what we had came over me and I kept walking. About 15 experienced was a war crime, that we had been minutes later, a posse of CRPF men surrounded the tutor’s, ordered the class out to the alley used as human shields. and forced the boys and girls into separate Yet, this was the life of an average Kashmiri queues. I was dragged out of the line, and four boy in the early noughties. The 1990s, by all or five of the men slapped and kicked me accounts of family and friends, had been much around, shouting expletives. The entire class worse. It isn’t any better now.

16 July 2017 In April, I watched the video of Farooq Ahmad Institutional structures of impunity are not Dar tied to an Army jeep as a human shield, the erected overnight or firmed up without the expression on his face a lament no words can acquiescence of the citizenry, the section with describe, and I remembered the handprint on a voice anyway. Yet, Major Nitin Leetul Gogoi’s my shirt. decision to use Dar as a human shield is being played down as a singular incident, an Where’s humanity? individual’s lapse of judgment (but a lapse A man’s body is his last refuge, the French deserving of reward, apparently). The truth is philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once said, and more violent: Major Gogoi is the culture of destroying its sanctity is the ultimate violence. impunity gone berserk. The military’s history in Jammu and Kashmir is As is its nature, violence brutalises the victim a perpetual effort in the degradation of the soul but also the perpetrator. It is no coincidence that – three unceasing decades of massacres, mass the ideological persuasion that condones the rapes, custodial killings, fake encounters, torture military’s conduct in Kashmir, or for that matter and enforced disappearances. For a long time, in India’s Adivasi heartland or in the North East, this degradation was invisibilised by the impunity is the one justifying lynchings on the streets of enforced by the state and, whenever it was Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand or Rajasthan. revealed, whitewashed by so-called civil society and the media. Now, when smartphone-armed By awarding Major Gogoi a commendation, Kashmiri youth, steeped in the politics of the Indian state has lost the moral argument. violence and conscious of their destiny, are By justifying the award, India’s citizens are baring the truth to the world, many respectable surrendering their humanity. Indians pretend to bruised conscience. Courtesy scroll.in, 23 June 2017. THE RADICAL HUMANIST SUBSCRIPTION RATES In SAARC Countries: For one year - Rs. 200.00 For two years - Rs. 350.00 For three years - 500.00 Life subscription - Rs. 2000.00 (Life subscription is only for individual subscribers and not for institutions) Cheques should be in favour of The Radical Humanist. In other Countries: Annual subscription (Air Mail) $ 100.00; GBP 75.00 Note: Direct transfer of subscription amount from abroad may be sent to: SWIFT Code: CNRB0000349, MICR Code: 110015012 in the Current Account Number

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THE RADICAL HUMANIST 17 Legs cut off and forced into begging: Kashmiri man recounts Army’s torture Qalandar Khatana has not given up his fight for justice even after more than 2 decades Freny Manecksha On a recent May morning, Qalandar Khatana Khatana’s ordeal stepped out of his home in Kothiya village, For Khatana, who underwent multiple located near the border, after carefully strapping incidents of torture for four years, the ordeal on his prosthetic legs. He picked up his crude began in the 1990s, shortly after militancy wooden crutches, slung a small makeshift erupted in Kashmir. A member of the Gujjar backpack over his shoulder and proceeded community, his home is located in one of the painfully on foot to Halkamori – the closest five villages in the remote highlands near the roadhead some four kilometres away. LoC. The rapid militarisation and the conflict From there he found some transport to had an adverse impact on the life of residents Kalaroos. He then took a shared Sumo service of the region. to Kupwara and onward to Srinagar, his arduous Khatana says he and other villagers were journey reflecting his commitment to an informal often accused of crossing the border by Border group called ‘Survivors for Truth and Justice’. Security Force (BSF) personnel but, up until the Khatana, who lost both his legs after enduring 90s, the borders had been permeable and fluid. torture at the hands of security forces, is a “We used to roam with our livestock freely member of this group, which also comprises and could go into the forests. There was no one victims of sexual assault and families who’ve telling us where we could go or not go. Then faced enforced disappearances and civilian they fenced off a portion of our own lands and killings in Kashmir. He joined the group on May began calling it the border and clamped down 10 to make an appeal to the international on us so ferociously.” community, pleading for UN intervention into allegations of gross human rights violations in One night in 1992, there was a knock on his the region. door and Khatana was dragged away by the These victims claim they have exhausted all BSF personnel to the camp at Mori. He was means of peaceful protest in their struggle for then accused of being a guide who had helped justice. They have carried out demonstrations militants across the border. in parks and other public spaces, have doggedly “They kept interrogating me, beating me, even pursued the cases with the State Human Rights hanging me upside down,” Khatana said. Commission (SHRC), a quasi-judicial human Torture by the security forces rights body formed in 1997, in the local courts, in the high court and even in the Supreme Court. In the months that followed, he claims he was However, not even a single case has been taken from one camp to another, where he was resolved and the denial of justice has left them tortured by the BSF and Special Task Force dispirited. personnel. He claims they would take him atop

18 July 2017 a mountain and roll him down the slope. He was information but to send out its message through forced to do hard labour and even held in solitary the broken and defiled bodies, and to break the confinement. people’s will and determination. Six months later, he was brought to Srinagar’s “This [is] psychosomatic warfare,” he adds. Papa II, an interrogation and torture centre. He Khatana’s worries were further intensified claims that the flesh from his waist and after he learnt that his wife too had been elsewhere was sliced with a blade, and that he tortured. Being kicked violently in the chest left was then forced to eat bits of it. her with broken ribs that did not heal properly. One day, a crude attempt was made to hack She remained confined to her bed until her death off his legs. a few years later, leaving Khatana to provide “I passed out and when I regained for and look after their three children – two girls consciousness, I found my blood-stained limbs and a boy. had been tied with strips of cloth. I learnt fellow Determined not to be obligated to any inmates at the torture centre had torn off the organisation and to remain independent, sleeves of their shirts and had tried to stop the Khatana believed his only option was to beg. bleeding.” People would hoist him on their shoulders and He was then sent to the Kot Balwal jail in he would sit outside various mosques appealing Jammu where he stayed for about four years. for alms. His wounds had gotten infected with maggots It was outside one such mosque that human and eventually his legs had to be amputated. rights activists came upon him and helped him He was then released and received treatment file a plea with the SHRC. at the Bone and Joints Hospital in Barzulla in 1996. After an inquiry, the panel concluded that he had been severely tortured and that his case Devastated by his experiences, and lacking was only one among a bunch where similar education and any other means of support, he amputations had to be carried out because of returned home, too frightened to approach the the hacking methods used. police or file any complaint. Khatana has also been featured in the “I was terrified. It was almost as if it had Channel Four film Kashmir’s Torture Trail been drummed into me that I had no rights to directed by Jezza Neumann. life. I wasn’t sure if I would be allowed to live even after my release.” Courtesy The Wire June 14, 2017 Anthropologist Mohamad Junaid, who also Freny Manecksha is an independent grew up in Kashmir in the 90s, observes that journalist from Mumbai who is interested in the state uses torture not so much to extract human rights and development issues. “Where a society has chosen to accept democracy as its credal faith, it is elementary that the citizens ought to know what their government is doing.” Justice P N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India, (1981)

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 19 [These three years have seen the State fuse with the street to create a vigilante nation. If India’s first national movement was a mobilization against foreign rulers, the new nationalism, the principal style of which is vigilantism, is directed at the enemy within.] A nation of vigilantes - Lynch mob republic Mukul Kesavan These three years have seen the State fuse thwarted Nation’s cause. with the street to create a vigilante nation. If Even under Narendra Modi’s new India’s first national movement was a management the routines of the State and its mobilization against foreign rulers, the new institutions - courts, bureaucracies, uniformed nationalism, the principal style of which is services - aren’t sufficiently responsive to the vigilantism, is directed at the enemy within. cause of the Nation. They need to be aided by ‘Vigilantism’ used in this way needs an organized citizen auxiliaries and revitalized by explanation. Vigilantes are ordinarily defined as the spirit of vigilante nationalism which is simply people who take the law into their own hands. an expression of the popular will, unmuffled by For example, Amitabh Bachchan (with the aid bureaucratic flannel. of Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra) Since we’re talking about State-vigilante dominated the box office in the Seventies and coordination, it’s important in this context to Eighties as the vigilante hero who tried to set distinguish vigilante nationalism from vigilante an irredeemably corrupt world to rights. Films counter-insurgency. Vigilantes of the sort who like Zanjeer, Deewaar and Coolie defined a new belong to militias like Salwa Judum or Sulfa or genre in Hindi cinema. the Ikhwan force are renegade mercenaries. Plain vanilla vigilantism of the Bachchan sort They are creatures of the State who serve a is different from vigilante nationalism in two counter-insurgency purpose. Vigilante ways. First, it’s a form of individual heroism nationalists, on the other hand, are the soulmates whereas contemporary Indian vigilantism is of an ideological party, bound to it by a common organized and collective. Secondly, the filmi purpose: the forging of a Hindu nation. vigilante is at odds with the ‘system’ and the Yogi Adityanath’s provincial government is the corrupt State that underwrites it. The modern first fruit of this fusion of the State and the street. Indian vigilante, on the other hand, is in a patron- Adityanath is best understood as Uttar Pradesh’s client partnership with the State; this is not an Chief Vigilante. His democratic mandate adversarial relationship. legitimizes his private vigilante militia, the Hindu Modern vigilantes bend the system to their Yuva Vahini. The anti-Romeo squads who police will and take the law into their hands with the Hindu-Muslim romance, the cow goondas who tacit or explicit blessing of the State and in the patrol UP’s highways attacking cattle name of the virtuous Nation. This is a Nation transporters and butchers are examples of the that is insufficiently realized because its coming state government of India’s most populous into being has been thwarted by a false province informally sub-contracting out law nationalism and a corruptly administered enforcement functions to avowedly Hindu republic. The new vigilante is insurgent in this militias.

20 July 2017 The political patrons of these vigilante institution. So we’ve seen Indian university nationalists sometimes prioritize the galvanizing students being sorted into traitors and patriots. of the nationalist street over the maintenance Here the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, of law and order. There have been a series of the youth wing of the BJP, has helpfully played beatings and lynchings in states ruled by the the role of a client militia, sometimes local Bharatiya Janata Party which have resulted in informant and sometimes campus muscle. Muslims at the receiving end being booked and One institution that has been successfully their assailants defended by BJP office bearers, remade in the image of vigilante nationalism is ministers and chief ministers. news television. The farcical scrap between Undeterred by the violence, BJP state Times Now and Republic TV over the phrase governments have made the cattle trade ‘the nation wants to know’ just about sums up conditional on so much paperwork that they this transformation. In a style pioneered by Arnab have effectively laid the groundwork for Goswami and imitated by many others, the protection rackets run by vigilante militias. These television anchor transmutes tabloid headlines into governments have raised the jail tariffs for cow TRP gold by setting scandals, investigations and slaughter and effectively made cow vigilantes controversies in the frame of the national interest. licensed predators. Yogi Adityanath, whose Dead cows, murdered humans, raped women, elevation to UP’s chief ministership was justified mutilated soldiers are all grist to this nationalist by the BJP by citing his talent for law and order, mill and like vigilante militias these television lynch seems to have temporarily ceded control of his mobs take no prisoners. state’s highways from Noida to Saharanpur to It is ironical that the rhetoric of vigilantism thugs with murder and arson and rape on their has managed to draw the most rigidly rule-bound minds. institution in this country, the Indian army, into One reason for this is that the BJP the orbit of a lawless nationalism. The use of a understands that political parties of its sort don’t Kashmiri civilian as a human shield was widely live and grow by policy and law-and-order alone. discussed and massively endorsed in the frontline As the BJP expands its footprint and its trenches that are our television studios. In a membership under Amit Shah’s stewardship, it move that the armed forces and India might needs camaraderie and purpose. The come to regret, Major Gogoi appeared before Hindutvavadi Right’s militias are its violent television cameras to justify actions explicitly satyagrahis. They are nationalist foot soldiers prohibited by international conventions. of a different time, pledged to the service of a Meanwhile, the chief of army staff pre-empted different sort of nation. Unlike anti-colonial the army’s own inquiry into Major Gogoi’s nationalists, they own the State already, their actions by awarding him a certificate of project is to remake the nation’s citizenry in their commendation. Unsurprisingly, he was own image, and to subordinate those who are exonerated. Publicly parading a civilian as a too alien to be reformed. For this the symbolism human shield through one village after another of a Dandi march is unnecessary; a danda was presented as a daring and ingenious march is a better way of getting people to defer response to a law and order emergency and to the Nation and its symbols. commended. The climate of vigilante Vigilante nationalism isn’t confined to militias; nationalism doesn’t merely allow thuggish it’s a state of mind that shapes every sort of militias to encroach upon the prerogatives of

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 21 uniformed men; it allows uniformed men to genius is its knack for turning every political believe that it’s alright to adopt the methods of conversation into a traitor-hunting, treachery- vigilante militias. baring expedition. The sense of nationalist purpose, the excitement of being allowed to Institutions take decades to build and moments name the ‘enemy’ without the tyranny of political to undo. Vigilante nationalism has corroded our correctness, the frisson of the chase (which, universities, our armed forces, our media luckily for the genteel middle class recruit, organizations, and our mechanisms of law and doesn’t have to culminate in the fury of a lynch order. It will destroy them if we keep bending mob), this is what makes it popular. If India ever rules and abandoning due process to prove our takes a fascist turn, vigilante nationalists will be patriotic credentials or worse, to challenge those our Brownshirts. of others. [email protected] Fascism is best understood as violent nationalism with the violence turned inwards. Courtesy telegraphindia.com, Sunday, May Its sex appeal, its crowd-pulling, cadre-recruiting 28, 2017. An Appeal For Donations For Republishing books written by M.N. Roy & other Humanist Literature Indian Renaissance Institute has embarked upon republishing/reprinting the large amount of books & other material written by M.N. Roy as most of them have gone out of print, though requests for these books continue to pour in into our office. Connected humanist literature will also be published. Following books, at the first instance, require immediate publication: ‘New Humanism’; ‘Beyond Communism’; ‘Politics, Power and Parties’; ‘Historical Role of Islam’; ‘India’s Message’; ‘Men I Met’; ‘New Orientation’; ‘Materialism’; ‘Science & Philosophy’; ‘Revolution and Counter-revolution in China’; ‘India in Transition; Reason, Romanticism and Revolution’; ‘Russian Revolution’; Selected Works – Four Volumes(1917- 1922), (1923-1927), (1927-1932) and (1932-1936); ‘Memoirs’ (Covers period 1915-1923). We request readers and sympathizers to donate generously for the above project as this literature will go long way in enriching the humanist and renaissance movement in the country. Cheques/Bank drafts may be sent in the name of ‘Indian Renaissance Institute’ to: Satish Chandra Varma, Treasurer IRI, A-1/103, Satyam Apartments, Vasundhra Enclave, Delhi- 110096. (M) 9811587576. Email ID: Online donations may be sent to: ‘Indian Renaissance Institute’ Account No. 02070100005296; IFSC Code: UCBA0000207, UCO Bank, Supreme Court Branch, New Delhi (India) Rekha Saraswat Satish Chandra Varma Secretary Treasurer

22 July 2017 OPINION Media in the Modi era: How did India’s watchdog press become so docile? The government does not need to impose any kind of direct curb on the media. Kalpana Sharma India is talking about the 1975 Emergency Emergency vs undeclared Emergency again even as its 42nd anniversary, on June 25, If there is any comparison between 1975-’77 hovers around the corner. Some people believe and now, it is surely only in the fact that even that freedom of the press is endangered once without censorship, many stories of the way the again. Yet how many people are really bothered poor are suffering do not find space in the about the freedom of the press? mainstream media. The plight of the poor only This is a question that was often asked during becomes front-page news when they protest the Emergency. The answer then was: not many. and are shot or beaten up. It is possible that even today, if a survey were It is also clear now, three years into Narendra to be taken, that would be the answer. In the Modi’s term as prime minister, that his order of priorities in India, press freedom does government does not need to impose any kind not rank very high. of direct censorship on the media. The media, But the principal lesson from the Emergency by and large, has already fallen in line. Even was that while the absence of an inquiring and documentary films on subjects the government free press made no difference to the moneyed does not like are stopped from being screened classes who were pleased that trains ran on time, at film festivals. However small the critical for the poor, who are voiceless at the best of component of mainstream and other media, this times, there was a void that swallowed up their government is not prepared to tolerate any of tale of increased oppression. There were it. Shut it down, is the clear message. whispers about forced sterilisation, about Many of us in the media are hesitant to navel- ruthless slum demolitions, about increasing gaze at this particular juncture when the hunger and deprivation, but there were no reports government is targeting media that is critical. on this in the media. Yet, the Indian media must ask, how is it that In the end, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi within three years of the Bharatiya Janata Party chose to believe the censored press that coming to power, it has turned from being reported only the good news and what she adversarial, even hostile at times to the previous wanted to hear. She called for elections in Congress-led United Progressive Alliance 1977 confident that the people, especially the government, to being pliant, even docile, under poor, loved her. Yet ultimately it was the poor, this government? in whose name she suspended fundamental ‘Clear shift from UPA rule’ rights, who turned against her. The full truth about their oppression during the Emergency After talking to several senior Delhi-based only surfaced after press censorship journalists who have covered both the BJP and was lifted. the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 23 for many years, an interesting picture has returning to using wood for fuel. emerged. Access denied Those who covered the two terms of the UPA While decisions about investigating the reality recalled how critical even those who were behind government schemes often rests with generally supportive of the government were editors, what is happening to journalists whose during that time. Every new scheme introduced job it is to report on the government and major by the government was looked at closely – the political parties? media discussed whether these schemes could work, reporters checked on rural employment Like most capital cities around the world, guarantee programmes, on government efforts Delhi is a city of patronage. Journalists work to end open defecation, on urban renewal hard to build contacts. Newspaper editors and programmes, and often exposed shortcomings. owners value journalists with important contacts. They prove useful not just in terms of In the three years since the Modi government getting stories, but also in helping owners gain came to power, such investigations are few and access to the government at crucial junctures far between. Take for instance the Pradhan (remember the Niira Radia tapes?). Therefore Mantri Ujjawala Yojana, where families below cultivating these contacts is part of the game of the poverty line are given an LPG connection journalism for journalists based in Delhi, or for with the upfront payment waived. Hoardings that matter in any state capital. None of that around India, depicting Modi’s face, announce has changed with the present government. What that his government has saved women from is different, however, say journalists, is that being slowly poisoned by smoke from wood- while in the past, even if they belonged to a based stoves by this woman-friendly gesture. news organisation that was critical of the ruling Yet, where are the stories checking whether party, ministers, bureaucrats and members of such a scheme is practical, or even working on the ruling party would talk to them. Today these the ground? Some business papers have insiders are much more cautious. uncritically carried reports based on a survey One journalist pointed out that before the Uttar by a company called MicroSave Asia, which Pradesh elections earlier this year, it was still gave glowing accounts of how the scheme was possible to find people within the ruling party benefitting women. who would express some critical views about So far, I have only come across one story the way the BJP functioned, even if it was off that tells it like it is – a report on this website by the record. But since the saffron party’s stunning Dhirendra K Jha. After talking to the supposed electoral victory in India’s most populous state, beneficiaries of the scheme, Jha shows how such talk has virtually dried up. impractical it is to expect families below the One senior journalist pointed out that today to poverty line to have the money to pay Rs 650 get any information, they have to work much or more for a gas cylinder even if the first one harder. For instance, they have to haunt the BJP – as well as the stove – are given to them free office even if important functionaries are not of cost through a loan. present in the hope that over time someone would talk. These journalists say that there was Far from the “healthier, happier women” greater access in the past. depicted in the MicroSave survey, many women who signed up for the Ujjwala scheme are While press conferences conducted by the

24 July 2017 official BJP spokespersons are usually quite to believe that all is well barring a few stray cordial, and even those asking difficult incidents – a lynching here or there, a few questions are given time, this is not so during protests, a passing communal incident. media interactions with BJP president Amit This clever strategy has worked because the Shah. Since the big Uttar Pradesh win earlier media too has played along. Individual journalists this year, he has become even ruder with have bought into the government’s propaganda those he considers to be critics, usually asking and owners of media houses have sent a them to shut up instead of answering their message down the line that too much criticism questions. The rest of the media fraternity of the government is unwarranted. So present shows little solidarity with the censorship? Who needs it? journalist so treated. Incidentally, most of my observations relate The bureaucracy is also much more guarded to print media. I am not even touching on the while meeting journalists. They can cover routine insanity that has taken over television news matters, but attempts to try and dig into what is where the line between reality and hysteria has actually going on, what gets discussed at cabinet been erased. meetings, how decisions are taken, who is in favour and who is not, possible cabinet To end, let me quote India’s wise and reshuffles – basically the grist of much political prescient Vice President Hamid Ansari. At the reporting from Delhi – throws up precious little. release of a special edition of the National Herald in Bengaluru on June 12, he said: Those who have access are the ones clearly on the side of the government. They report the “In this age of ‘post-truth’ and ‘alternative good news – all the schemes are working facts’ where ‘advertorials’ and ‘response spectacularly, the economy is doing well, features’ edge out editorials, we would do well demonetisation has had no negative impact, and to recall Nehru’s vision of the press playing its achhe din (good days) are just around the role as a watchdog in a democracy.” corner. The negatives are reserved for bashing But when the executive has figured out a way the Opposition, or whatever little there is of it. not to be watched, can the media be a All is (not) well watchdog? So the ordinary media viewer or reader is led Courtesy Scroll.in, 16 June, 2017 Gandhi, the eternal anarchist! When Gandhiji was being tried under the notorious sedition section of the colonial law in 1922, he said: “Section 124-A under which I am happily charged is perhaps the prince among the political sections of the IPC designed to suppress the liberty of the citizen. Affection cannot be manufactured or regulated by law. What in law is a deliberate crime appears to me to be the highest duty of a citizen. To preach disaffection towards the existing system of Government has become almost a passion with me.”

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 25 Policy making and autonomous intellectuals: Who wants genuine debates? Arun Kumar The Chief Economic Advisor, Arvind especially universities and independent Subramanian, speaking at the VKRV Rao researchers that are distant from and not Memorial Lecture raised the important issue of dependent upon the apparatus of power – to lack of independent thinking in the country and speak up.” its detrimental impact on policy making in the The loopholes government. Subramanian is broadly correct but what he He again mentioned it a few days later at the says is less than half the story for at least three Nehru Memorial Library Seminar on Indian reasons. Economy. So, it was not an off the cuff remark made casually but a serious issue for discussion. First, what he says is only part of the story. Intellectuals need to respond to it since he Second, one needs to understand why the has questioned their motivation and their missing part of the story is the correct one? independence of thought. Finally, who is responsible for the prevailing At the VKRV Rao memorial talk, he stated: state of affairs? “Before policy decisions are announced, The pliable and ‘disinterested’ set of experts experts tend to express the views they think being referred to are from the hallowed circle, officials are likely to take. After policy actions, close to the powers that be. They could be the they try hard to endorse the decisions already favourites of one or the other regime. They not taken. As a result, we in the government do not only change their opinions when policies are benefit from their wisdom. This is a serious announced but also when governments change. problem because high-quality policy-making They know the art of keeping those in power demands high-quality inputs and high-quality happy and also play the media to maintain their debates...” visibility. He further stated, “They censor themselves, What is it that is left out and why it is the and in public fora are insufficiently critical...” more important part? He also said, analysts find ex-post logic to The set of experts ignored in Subramanian’s attribute merit to government decisions. And, statements are the ones who are critical of the questioned the competence of analysts by establishment. They have criticised the policies saying, “That diversity will require both that prevailed before 1991 and then they competence and capability. It will require voices critiqued the New Economic Policies (NEP) that are not silenced, compromised, or which were implemented after 1991. conveniently moderated by the lure or fear of power.” These people critiqued the policies of the UPA and also of the NDA. These experts belonged His solution was – not only to some key universities but also to “We need more disinterested voices – important NGOs.

26 July 2017 Why does Subramanian not consider these marginalised. as independent voices and laments the absence Who does the ministry, in which Subramanian of ‘disinterested voices’? works at, consult? Its favourites and not the There are critical voices on fiscal policies, like, independent academics in universities. GST, deficits, subsidies and black economy. At the time of budget formulation who are Many have critiqued the RTI as implemented, consulted among public finance economists? MGNREGS, SEZ and other such policies. Again the favourites, including those who are Pressure based on concrete analysis from mildly critical but belong to the system. alternative movements have led to the Right to In the early 1990s when this writer was called Education and Food and better provision of basic to a few consultations, he found that the press services. Based on critical analysis there has briefing did not mention the critical arguments been a demand for better systems and proper voiced. The signal is, if one wishes to be implementation. relevant, one has to conform. Other ministries But the system considers these people to be too follow a similar model. outsiders. In fact, each important ministry has its own Witness the resistance to MGNREGA and institute which feeds policy advice and analysis. RTI from within. These were implemented in Ministry of Finance has the National Institute spite of the massive resistance from within the of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), Ministry system. of Commerce has the Indian Institute of Foreign Systems: Inside & outside Trade (IIFT), HRD has the National University of Educational Planning and Administration Clearly, what Subramanian is bemoaning is a (NUEPA) and so on. lack of critique from within the ‘ruling’ system and not from outside it. So, whatever needs to be said is said by these institutes – they give the advice the ministry This is a contradiction in terms. Those who wants and later present its justification. So is have decided to be in the system are trying to there space for critical voices in this closed get ahead within it and not to tumble out of it circuit? into what they consider as oblivion. Go back to Pakistan! In one instance, an academic who started to write for the Alternative Economic Survey in The situation has now deteriorated further 2004 was called up by an insider and told that since those critical of the government are often he had damaged his career and henceforth he branded as anti-national. At least during the UPA would be an outsider to the Ministry of Finance. regime, one only got marginalised but not branded. The hyperactive social media has Recently at a dinner, one analyst, popular with made the situation worse with systematic trolling the Ministry of Finance, told this writer that any organised by political parties. During Indira time he is even mildly critical of the government Gandhi’s regime, critics were branded as CIA he gets a call from the ministry. agents but there was a large phalanx of socialists So, what are the signals being sent by the that did not fit the bill. system to the experts? Criticism of government policies is now Stay within bounds or be ready to be characterised as weakening the nation. Critics

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 27 are not just to be ignored but have to be actively economists used to say, if I get a 3-month dissuaded. consultancy in the World Bank I can buy my Take the case of demonetisation – the biggest car and if I get a one-year consultancy, I can decision this government has taken. Who was buy my flat. consulted before initiating it and who was These worthies went on to become very consulted when implementation led to huge successful economists in the system. problems for the vast majority of the public? So, Subramanian has done great service by There was an outpouring of critical writing raising an important issue but missed the point on the subject but it was ignored. From within completely. the system also, the consultation was minimal. From all accounts, the RBI had to fall in line Over the last 70 years, there have always been and had little role in advising on the viability of critics of policies, but from the outside. He is the step or in planning its implementation. consistent in ignoring them just as the system has done for the last 70 years and it is this that The PM took full responsibility for the decision undermines policy making in a democracy. but did not answer questions on the subject in the Parliament. Clearly, criticism was not Looking for critics from within the system is welcome and debate was avoided. a contradiction in terms, given the signals from the system. If that was not the case, there should Experts are no babes in the woods and know have been many more resignations from key which side the bread is buttered. They can read positions in the government. the nuances better than most. If criticism is dissuaded, they quickly adjust. The author is a retired professor of Economics from JNU and the writer of Indian In the early 1980s, as the economy came under increasing pressure from the IMF and Economy since Independence: Persisting the World Bank policies, the experts quickly Colonial Disruption published by Vision Books. changed their tune. Some, then young Courtesy catchnews, 30 May 2017 Articles/Reports for The Radical Humanist Dear Friends, Please mail your articles/reports for publication in the RH to: [email protected], or [email protected] or post them to: E-21/5-6, Sector- 3, Rohini, Delhi- 110085. Please send your digital passport size photograph and your brief resume if it is being sent for the first time to the RH. A note whether it has also been published elsewhere or is being sent exclusively for the RH should also be attached with it. - Mahi Pal Singh, Editor, The Radical Humanist

28 July 2017 OPINION The demonetisation effect is visible in the falling GDP numbers. But the government says all is well. Mohan Guruswamy In January, no sooner was the demonetisation million till November. During the months of period officially over, Chief Statistician TCA November and December, when 86% of the cash Anant told us, “The growth in GDP [gross in the system was withdrawn, the number of domestic product] during 2016-’17 is estimated digital transactions shot up to well over 500 million. at 7.1% as compared to the growth rate of 7.6% In the first three months since currency curbs in 2015-’16.” He also said the economy had were withdrawn, the number of digital weathered the volatility caused by the withdrawal transactions fell to 350 million. This downward of high-value bank notes in November and that it trajectory suggests that such transactions will hit was now back on the growth trajectory. pre-demonetisation levels soon. Tax revenue Immediately, the full official caboodle, from the mostly went up because of additional tax prime minister downwards to the patently collections on Seventh Pay Commission back ignorant party spokespersons, went to town and dues. said the ill-effects, if any, of demonetisation were GDP data a passing blip and all was well. Gross domestic product growth is like a What they did not say was that the data on number on the speedometer in a car. It tells us hand was till November 2016, before that singular what pace the nation’s economic train is moving act of great stupidity was inflicted on the nation. at. By knowing this, we can estimate the distance This is typical of how this government uses and to the next destination. But suppose somebody misuses data to create the illusion of wellbeing. tinkered with the speedometer to get a higher It is now known that demonetisation cost us much reading even when at zero? Even when the more. India’s GDP growth for the last quarter of vehicle is not moving, the meter will tell you it is 2016-’17 financial year is officially pegged at moving, and when it is moving it will tell you it is 6.1%. It’s a huge fall from the 7.8% claimed for moving faster than it actually is. the previous year. Mind you, the 2015-’16 growth factors in a deflation of 1.4%, which means the This is what the Narendra Modi regime did in nominal GDP growth was only 6.4%. In the real February 2015. The GDP growth rate was world, it is nominal GDP that is more important tweaked to put India on a higher trajectory, giving as value addition, profits and taxes are computed itself an added 2.2% growth as a bonus. Since it as they are without adjusting for inflation or was not real, it was like adding water to milk. deflation. Adding this gave us a growth of 7.4% in 2015- ’16. Without the tweaking, it would have been Demonetisation was supposed to be the great 5.2%, in line with the International Monetary big magic wand to clean up the economy, elevate Fund’s forecast. If the Manmohan Singh-led revenues and put us on a higher growth trajectory. United Progressive Alliance government had None of this happened or is happening. Cash done it a year earlier, the growth in its last year in transactions are once again the norm. According office would have been a healthy looking 6.9% to Reserve Bank of India data, the number of instead of the dismal 4.7% computed. digital transactions increased by 100 million to 200 million in 2014-’16. This went up to 300 Tweaked speed on the speedometer gets

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 29 caught out when speed and time cannot be by 17%. These two heads are classified as part reconciled with the distance travelled, and things of the services sector. They account for about like fuel consumption. The lack of new jobs, just 15% of services, which, in turn, accounts for 210,000 in the organized sector last year, and the almost 60% of the GDP. Announcing acceptance falling investment to GDP ratio are some of the Seventh Pay Commission’s giveaways pointing to a lower speed. But the recommendation of an across-the-board salary cacophony of lies orchestrated every day in the hike of 23%, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said media, particularly television, tries to drown out that it will boost demand. Didar Singh, secretary the reality. But like the mismatched readings on general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of the speedometer and odometer (which measures Commerce and Industry, said, “The pay hike of the distance traveled by a wheeled vehicle), the nearly Rs 1 lakh crore for government employees truth cannot be hidden for long. The 2016-’17 will give a strong boost to the consumer demand GDP for the fourth quarter is now officially fixed and help uplift the growth of the economy.” at 6.1%. Take out the 2.2% and it is actually Clearly, spending ever more on its employees is moving at 3.9%, or around 1% below that in the seen by this dispensation as a Keynesian pump last year of the Congress-led United Progressive priming of the economy (using government tax Alliance, which had left us so despondent that and spending to boost the economy). So what is 31% of the country had taken the economic happening here? prognostications of Narendra Modi and Baba I have told this story before. I will say it Ramdev seriously to give the National again as its aptness to describe our Democratic Alliance a mandate to take us out of leadership style has never been so exact. the morass. The Russians have a great joke on every Make-believe euphoria? misfortune they have to endure. One of the best I have heard is about Lenin, Stalin, Several well-regarded economists have Khrushchev and Brezhnev traveling questioned the data the Finance Ministry and the together on a train when it unexpectedly Central Statistics Office are churning out. Derek stops. Then come suggestions to fix the Scissors of the American Enterprise Institute, who problem. Lenin suggests a subbotnik or day tracks the Chinese and Indian economies, equates of voluntary labour so that workers and the two when it comes to fudging data. In March, peasants can fix the problem. Nothing Scissors wrote, “Most people from pluralist open happens. Stalin puts his head out of the societies want to see pluralist, open India do well. window and shouts that if the train does not For now, however, India has the same level of move immediately, the engine driver will be economic credibility as a country like Vietnam, shot. Nothing happens. Khrushchev then which publishes GDP results even before the year suggests having the rails from behind put ends! World-beating growth? Maybe. Or maybe in front so that the train can start moving. poorly founded quasi-propaganda.” Even Nothing happens. When his turn comes, Raghuram Rajan, as the Reserve Bank of India Brezhnev says, “Comrades, let’s draw the governor, had expressed concern about GDP data curtains, turn on the gramophone and collection and analysis. pretend we are moving!” There is a similar True or false, the figures put out by the air of eyes shut make believe in this government reveal an even more worrisome government’s persistent euphoria on the economic front. trend. While GDP growth has slowed to 6.1%, (Emphasis provided) public administration and defence have grown Courtesy scroll.in, 4 June 2017.

30 July 2017 Three years of Modi rule: OPINION Four ways I was wrong about Narendra Modi three years ago The Indian prime minister has contempt for intellectuals because they got him wrong. They did. Shiv Visvanathan A report on the completion of three years of representative of middle class resentment, the Narendra Modi regime should lead to a which needed nationalist jingoism to cover up moment of reflectiveness. A report has a sense its inferiority. He belonged more to the people of being objective, distanced, a list of than intellectuals did. observations by an observer dispassionately 2) Misreading middle-class India watching a regime. There is a dualism here that we must break because a report, rather than The second phenomenon we did not being objective, is a dialogue between storyteller understand was the Indian ability to normalise and subject. The storyteller is not the analyst violence and be happy with authoritarianism. but part of the case study that he is reporting. Modi, Bollywood style, believed that goodness He has to ask critically whether his own was weak, socialism was slow and that he narrative has changed in these three years. Did needed to create an assertive aggressive Indian he make mistakes in assessment or description? for whom the end justified the means. Middle Where did he miss out on the total picture? class India is quite happy to be Chinese, Indian style, to argue that democracy beyond a point 1) Underestimating Modi does not make sense. Majoritarian rule is middle First, I think one of the big mistakes I made class India’s answer to the success of was in underestimating Modi. The scale and size authoritarianism elsewhere. India is now of his victory, and his impact on India is committed to erasing plurality in the name of stupendous. It is not that I was marginally wrong development. The normalisation of brutality and in assessing the power of the majority. I was violence is not something we anticipated fully. colossally wrong in sensing that Modi, as a We somehow felt that democracy would curb Rorschach of middle class majoritarian Indians, the majoritarian evil. We did not realize that one wields unbelievable power. Modi has contempt of the ironies of a democracy tired of itself is for intellectuals because they got him wrong. that it adds to violence, and evil. Many social They did. But I think that the power of scientists trapped in secular concepts were intellectual life resides in recovery, in rebuilding ambushed by the dangers of Modi. Admittedly, critique in more creative ways. Intellectuals social science did not function as a critique, an confronted violence at a different scale, and early warning system about Modi. The only two were also surprised by the silence around Modi. domains that did – marketing and management It is as if the Opposition lost its voice, and dissent – had already been appropriated by Modi. its tongue. The marginalisation of dissent, and 3) Over-ideologising Modi the power of celebration around Modi is worrying. The irony is that we saw a monster Third, in narrating Modi’s rise to power several being created. We also saw the middle class people over-ideologised him, seeing him as loving the monster, and realising that the monster communally obsessed. It took us some time to was us. Modi, in that sense, was not just a realise that the only aphrodisiac Modi responds figment of the communal mind, but a to is power. Modi loves power, and wants more

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 31 of it. In their love for power, Modi and his right- into simple dictums and slogans. Modi mastered hand man Amit Shah work in tandem. They are the use of these simplistic proverbs to lethal ideological when they need to be, but it is the effect. In this he was a match for China’s Mao pragmatism of the BJP that has surprised this Zedong or North Korea’s Kim-Il Sung. The commentator. As they chart their invasion of cliché as chorus acquired tremendous political the North East, or their plan for South India, it force. In that sense, Modi was a shrewder becomes clear that Modi is quite happy with modernist than his critics. politicians crossing over from any party. Modi Modi realised that electoral democracy, like realises that the loss of power corrupts Bollywood, loved fictions. It gorged on B-grade absolutely. Second, his pragmatism of playing sentimentality, was carnivorous about populist to film stars long after their careers are dead or fables like his chaiwala story, and enacted scripts moribund, shows his sense of the fan club being to cater to this need for everyday myth. In that the equivalent of the cadre and shakha. Shah sense, Modi understood propaganda better than and Modi showed astuteness at a tactical level his critics did. It was not ideology that he that we did not expect. There was a realisation mastered but the power of communication that it was not the movements devoted to social systems, the uses of performative language, justice that they were committed to. Modi and where saying becomes a form of doing, where Shah were more interested in movie stars playing the articulation of a mere utterance evokes a out the fiction of social justice. Modi understood sense of competence. that democracy in India needed the myths of justice enacted by these fading stars more than I must confess that as an analyst and the realism of politics. storyteller, I misread Modi here. It is not his goodness but his competence that has come as 4) Propaganda guru a surprise. I labeled Modi in a narrow way as a Finally, Modi’s understanding of the communalist without realising that power and information society – in which the creation, evil cater to a wide world of symbols. distribution, and manipulation of information is I should just hope that in admitting to a significant political, economic and cultural underestimate him, the pages that will follow activity – and its logic was more acute than I will be more astute in tracking the slow disaster imagined. He realised that unlike knowledge, he is subjecting India to. information allowed for erasure and amnesia. What he created through development was an Courtesy scroll.in erasure of the crimes of the past. Modi sensed Shiv Visvanathan is a social science that information bowdlerised and simplified India nomad. The Radical Humanist on Website ‘The Radical Humanist’ is now available at http://www.lohiatoday.com/ on Periodicals page, thanks to Manohar Ravela who administers the site on Ram Manohar Lohia, the great socialist leader of India. Mahi Pal Singh

32 July 2017 Three years of Modi rule: LOOKING BACK ‘We’re in an even deeper malaise’: Many of Modi’s right-wing liberal supporters are now disappointed It is clear now that the Hindutva right controls the BJP. Shoaib Daniyal As chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi stain. He was simply saying it was outweighed was a highly polarizing figure. Due to the 2002 by the benefits Modi would bring as an economic anti-Muslim riots that took place on his watch, reformer. Three years down the line, how well Modi was anathema to leftists, liberals and even has this bargain worked? to a section on the right. After the riots, Atal Bihari One end of the bargain Vajpayee, the Bharatiya Janata Party prime minister at that time, himself wanted Modi sacked Novelist and political commentator Aatish as chief minister. Taseer said that his initial assessment of Modi was off the mark. “In 2014, I expected a mixture Yet, as the general election of 2014 approached, of economic vitality and chauvinism with Modi, Modi’s base expanded. As the prime ministerial but I was wrong,” said Taseer. “What India got candidate, Modi ran a powerful campaign that focused on economic growth, limited government was only chauvinism – and now we’re in an even and liberalisation. The communal polarisation that deeper malaise”. had kept him in power in Gujarat was rarely Taseer’s point is backed by data. In 2014, Das addressed. Coming after the moribund United was clear that job creation was a moral imperative Progressive Alliance-II government, Modi that outweighed ideals such as secularism. presented an attractive economic pitch to many However, this argument is under severe strain right-wing liberals. three years later, given that job creation has The utilitarian approach ground to a halt under the Modi administration. India’s unemployment rate has actually increased The mood of many right-wing liberals was since the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government captured by a much-discussed Gurcharan Das took office. The number of jobs added by the piece that was published in April, 2014, a few Modi government in its three years in office is weeks before the election results were due. In just 50% of the jobs added by the previous his piece, Das, former CEO of Procter & Manmohan Singh government in its final three Gamble, India, and an author and columnist, years. juxtaposed Modi’s communalism versus his promise of reform thus: Even as the Modi government is unable to live up to its promise on increasing employment, it “There is a clear risk in voting for Modi — he has also slipped on its promise of small is polarising, sectarian and authoritarian. There government. In 2014, Modi ran for prime minister is a greater risk, however, in not voting for him. with the slogan “maximum governance, minimum It is to not create jobs for 8-10 million youth that government” – a thrilling prospect for India’s enter the market each year…There will always economic liberals, given how rare the concept is be a trade-off in values at the ballot box and those in India. Yet, as right-wing commentator Rupa who place secularism above demographic Subramanya pointed out in a piece last month, dividend are wrong and elitist.” the Modi-led Union government is “starting to As a thesis, this was utilitarian in the extreme. slip back into the old command and control mode Das was not absolving Modi of the communal and away from the promise of good governance”.

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 33 Religious identity politics has been unable to raise India’s ease of doing Even as the vast majority of India’s population business ranking but said, overall, he would still stagnates economically, religious identity has support the BJP were he given a chance to turn emerged as the main axis of Indian politics. For back the clock to 2014. “There is nobody else,” the past three years, politics around the cow has explained Das. taken centre stage, with vigilante groups attacking The TINA or “there is no alternative” argument, Muslims and Dalits across the country on the however, is something that punctuates most suspicion of cattle smuggling and slaughter. critiques of Modi from his right-wing liberal Political columnist Tavleen Singh supported supporters. Modi in 2014. Yet, on May 7, Singh wrote, “It is “Modi and the BJP is still the best option,” said hard to understand why a Prime Minister so Tavleen Singh. “Compare him with Nitish passionate about making India a modern, digital, [Kumar], Lalu [Yadav] or Rahul Gandhi. That is prosperous country has seemingly not noticed that why he wins; because the voter can see he is hunting and killing Muslims on the pretext of the best option.” cows and love jihad does not sit well with modernity.” Liberal irrelevance Speaking to Scroll.in, Singh said, “I think I In the end, the fact that Modi can coolly ignore misjudged him. I thought he was a liberaliser.” his right-wing liberal supporters and still end up being backed by them might serve to illustrate In Swarajya, a magazine that describes itself how increasingly irrelevant India’s tiny liberal elite as “a big tent for liberal right of centre discourse”, – both right and left – are becoming to the political senior journalist Seetha argued that right-wing discourse. Maybe nothing captures this better than liberals are “disappointed at his [Modi’s] inability the Union government’s demonetisation of Rs to get the BJP-ruled state governments to rein in 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes late last year. The the hardline/fringe elements and vigilante move went against every liberal principle of groups”. limited government and had few economic Seetha specifically called out the appointment benefits. Sadanand Dhume, a Wall Street Journal of the far right Adityanath as the chief minister columnist and a prominent supporter of Modi of Uttar Pradesh in March to buttress her point. during the 2014 elections called the move a “debacle”. Hobson’s choice Yet, Modi simply brushed aside this criticism Gurcharan Das, though, is still sticking to his and converted what was an economic disaster 2014 analysis. “Jobs are plummeting all over the into a political windfall. Months after world,” argued Das, defending Modi’s poor job- demonetisation was announced, the BJP won a creation record. “This is due to automation. I am landslide victory in India’s most populous state, not sure what other policies could have been Uttar Pradesh. If 2014 saw a provisional alliance pursued to make it better.” between right-wing liberals and Hindutva Das is also sanguine about the BJP’s record groups, three years since, it is clear that right- on law and order. “Yes, there have been stray wing liberals are getting increasingly events such as gau rakshak attacks,” he said. marginalised. For the last two years of the Modi “There has been no sort of state-planned murder adminstration’s term, it seems the Hindutva right or anything.” will call the shots within the BJP. Das is disappointed with the fact that Modi Courtesy scroll.in

34 July 2017 Justice Desai Endowment Lecture: CONSTITUTIONALISM, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND BLACK ECONOMY BY :- Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy Supreme Court of India

At the very Desai, at a deeper level. This is on account of outset, let me his humble beginnings. Born in Ketagriri Village, express my in the hinterlands of Bagalokot District, Justice gratitude for the Desai seemed to have also brought with him organisers of this the innate humility, a sense of interdependence memorial lecture in Honour of late Shri Justice among people, and an intuitive sense of right Desai, former Judge of the High Court of and wrong that an agrarian background Karnataka and Vigilance Commissioner of the provides. I was also born and raised in a similar State of Karnataka. While I did not have the hardscrabble village of Ranga Reddy District, honour of interacting personally with Justice in your neighbouring state of Telangana, prone Desai, and I consequently believe I am poorer to frequent droughts, and where people had little on account of that, I believe there is a personal and yet developed a keen sense of community, connect, which I will explain in a short while. and inter personal empathy. Such a background However, I have had the occasion to come seems to make people intuitively appreciate the across the work of Justice Desai, both as a need to temper the sword of the law with softer, lawyer and as a judge, and his scholarship and but in the long run more productive, edge of judicial wisdom always left me with a sense of humanism. Whenever I read Justice Desai’s admiration for him as both a man and a judge. works, that quality always came through and Ultimately, as lawyers or as judges, we seek to strengthened similar inclinations in me. Bagalkot find meaning of justice and the finer qualities of is the cradle of an ancient civilization, and is human beings, as individuals and as members of marked by the remnants of incomparable human collectives. Justice Desai’s work clearly aesthetics of that civilization. From the cave reflects such a striving. His reports on various shrines of Badami to the sandstone masonry commissions he has chaired, from the Moily to temples of Aihole and Pattadakal, Bagalkot illicit Hooch cases, reflects his keen ability to stands as testimony to a syncretic culture, of distil evidence and make the right and judicious cohabitation in peace of many peoples of many inferences from it. And that too without faiths without the harshness of the jingoistic and succumbing to the pressure of public opinion and monotonic chest thumping that is increasingly public outcry. Justice is indeed a matter of refined being advocated as the sole platform for interrogation of evidence, and of ensuring that realization of national ideals. Justice Desai the State always upholds the majesty of the law represented those finer qualities of the ancient and not the baying of the mob. Indeed it is an civilization of Bagalkot. And we in the judiciary honour to be asked to speak at an event organized were all made better by his life of law and the in the memory of such a judge. civilizational ethos he brought to bear in his But I sense another connect with Justice professional life.

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 35 To his family members, I must express my promote and instantiate in our social-economic gratitude for sharing Justice Desai with the field and political theatres of individual and collective of law – which is a very jealous mistress. action. The contributions of my seniors in this Families of dedicated lawyers are known to profession, such as Justice Desai, and the often chaff and grumble that the profession takes fervour of youngsters has helped me remain over lives and leaves little for the family. Let that humble servant. So my acceptance of this me assure them that their sacrifices have made invitation is an expression of that humility. the profession better. And the lives of many The organizers have asked me to speak about thousands of citizens of India better. Thank you the constitutional implications of the Black for your forbearance during the life of Justice Economy. It is with some unease that I agreed Desai and for helping organizing his memorial to speak on this topic. That is so because of the lectures. fact that I, as a judge of the Supreme Court of There is yet another reason as to why I must India, authored what has come to be known as thank the organizers. As I have repeatedly the “Black Money Case”. There are certain maintained when I was a judge and continue to traditions and norms that guide us as judges – do so as a common citizen after demitting office, both when we serve and after demitting office. it is always an honour to be asked to deliver They place restraints on us as to how and in lectures at platforms that further reasoned and what manner may we speak about issues that reasonable debate and public discourse. In the we had formerly delivered an opinion on. One theatre of democracy, and even as spaces for of the primary concerns is about not attempting reasoned and reasonable debates shrink under to further add any gloss to the decision itself, the onslaught of politically and culturally for: (a) the decision was of the Supreme Court, organized gangs and when most major media and not a personal one; and (b) it is for the outlets seem nothing more than cheap Supreme Court (i.e., other judges and benches) mouthpieces for this or the other political party, to interpret that opinion. The judgement should such events are of vital importance. And they speak for itself. So, the care that one needs to cast a heavy burden on the organizers, the exercise on that countwill substantially restrict speakers as well as the audience. This would the range of issues I would be speaking on. be so, because over and above any substantive Secondly, the topic itself covers a very, very discussions we might have, the fact that vast field. Hence, in the course of 30-40minutes discussions are being kept alive should be one could at best only hope to paint a hazy viewed as a willingness to shoulder a civic picture in the broadest of brush strokes. responsibility. It is imperative that in a Furthermore, the topic also traverses many constitutional democracy, the freedom and the areas that could be deemed to be legitimately fearlessness to speak, appreciate, analyze and controversial. And many more areas that maybe criticise the powers that be are both sustained needlessly made controversial. These limitations, and nurtured. Hence it is heartening to see the of course cannot be treated as fatal to our Karnataka State Law University, its Vice project of furthering reasoned and reasonable Chancellor, faculty and the students are taking public discourse. If my lecture today can fuel on such responsibilities with vigour. And I thank further debate and disseminate a more nuanced, you all, for doing that. reasoned and reasonable debate about the issues I have strived to be a humble servant of our that emerge under the topic on hand, I believe it Constitution and the values that it seeks to would have served my responsibility as a citizen

36 July 2017 beholden to the Constitution of India. he does not want to hear about how the decision by his party could be contrary to the The topic for today’s lecture is Constitutional provisions. At first the politician Constitutionalism, Social Justice and Black blustered on about the law not being contrary Money. As I said earlier, the area is very vast to the Constitution, and when he realized that – hence I will have to restrict myself to broadest he was actually wrong he went on to claim that of brush strokes of a small set of issues to all of that does not matter as the people will highlight the nature of constitutional debate, and support their move. The claim implicitly was that the balance that one needs to strike to achieve popular support itself is sufficient to make any the values of modern constitutionalism. Yet, kind of action lawful and moral. While we could towards the ending I will argue that not being all be spouting about Kenneth Arrow’s insight, able to propose a definitive end result, ex ante that barring a referendum on each issue, no one as it were, does not imply that the project of can ever know whether a majority/plurality of Indian constitutionalism is itself flawed. Rather, the populace actually supported one amongst it is a reflection of the fact that, while the the many issues on which the individuals votes specific consequences are not always in sight, get cast on, there is a far simpler and preliminary an anxious fealty to the larger value premises reason to be aghast: it seems many of the of the Constitution necessarily need to guide us. powers that be have begun to assume that we Let me start with what ought to be an are a majoritarian democracy and not a unexceptional premise, but which unfortunately constitutional democracy. we seem to have lost along the way. That fealty The collapse of the distinction between the to the Constitutional values is required of all the two, and incidence of such transgressions in an stakeholders and not just the Constitutional increasing number of arenas and assertions – courts alone. While the Courts are needed to rights of the minorities, re-subjugation of Dalits, resolve a genuine dispute of law, or to find safety of women, and high arenas of executive minimal action as being normatively needed by and even legislative action –point to the limits the State when abdication of responsibility of constitutionalism. Yet, that only further towards a citizen or a group of citizens is of underlines the importance of constitutionalism such magnitude and of an egregious nature, the to protect the citizens from the vagaries and Constitution places an obligation on all the major rapacity of the elites and the powers that dance players to ensure that constitutional values are not to the benefit of all the people, but to the adhered to. interests of the few. This point needs to be made explicit, because Modern constitutionalism is a product of a of late there seems to be a tendency to assume long historical debate of how to restrain that as long as a law, and the action by the state collective power vested in a small group of that law mandates or gives rise to have not been people – restraining them against the collectives examined by a constitutional court and its vires of people as a whole or against particular groups or constitutionality not ascertained the other of them. The second facet of the debates, about stakeholders have no responsibility to assess the vesting of collective power in rulers or legality of their actions on the touchstone of institutional arrangements, revolves around what Constitutional values. I was aghast recently, the scope of the work of the State needs to be. when I heard on television one prominent As we look at historical developments, we should politician telling the anchor of a TV channel that not expect that when an idea, especially

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 37 regarding liberty or justice, is first formulated it equal (and effective) protections of the law would be visualized as being universal in (including but not limited to protection from coverage. Who were expected to be covered economic forces, natural forces and foreseeing by the permissive structure of a liberty or enjoy the potential risks and protecting the populace the benefit of the uplifting blanket of justice from them) and benefits of armed forces – both would depend on who were thought of as lesser civil and armed; (c) the nature and kinds of or greater, who was deemed to be worthy or freedoms conceived, their distributions across unworthy, who was deemed to be an insider or groups within the jurisdiction; (d) the nature of an outsider and who was deemed to be a fundamental rights assured or guaranteed, and freeman or a slave – these were all matters of coverage across the entire populace and/or intense contestation, and the scope of coverage groups; and (e) nature and principles of justice expanded over long spans of time covering many that are conceived and extended to the populace, centuries. However, a progressive idea and distributed across groups. But any which applicable to some necessarily raises questions way we understand it, because of the relentless about its non-applicability in the case of others. pressure from populaces in each nation for The intrinsic nature of liberties and principles extension of values implicit in each of the of justice is that they are often founded on a organizing categories as listed by me above, all core morality that speaks to essential aspects of them or some combinations of them, central of humanity of all. The strength of a particular normative theme of the debates in and about normative formulation would then depend on the constitutionalism, and its progress, has been robustness of its logic regarding the extent of around the question of equality - equality its applicability. Extension of rights and principles conceived as both procedural and substantive., of justice to groups hitherto excluded have in actuality and as an ontological assumption and occurred for multiple reasons, including but not a normative imperative. limited to: (1) diffusion and spread of ideas, along What level and kind of equality, along with with their adaptation; (2) spread on account of liberties and policies for substantive justice, do dominant cultures, both at the international level constitutions of modern democracies envisage and also at the level of individual nations, whether in the modern world? It would be useful to begin involving colonialism or not; (3) adaptation of this analysis from a conception of the state as a values and normative structures as a part of “nightwatchman”, providing defence and modernization of state and society; (4) struggles, possibly policing coupled with a legal system to both peaceful and violent, for inclusion by protect property and enforce contracts. At the hitherto excluded groups, or by entire populations other end of the spectrum are collectivized seeking new rights or measures of justice, etc. communist models, with alleged intra-party 1 Thus, one of the primordial modes of democracy. characterizing constitutionalism would be the The first model is often associated with degree to which the State has been enabled and/ Friedrich Hayek2. It is unfortunate that more or achieved extension of equal rights: (a) to often than not, our homegrown neo-liberal elites periodically vote in or vote out governments, chant Hayek’s name to propose a complete beginning with restricted franchise to a model evisceration of any and all roles of the State in of universal adult franchise, along with a the market. While Hayek’s orientation was vertically and a horizontally divided branches generally informed by a suspicion of any form of government; (b) equality before the law and of coercive regulation of markets by the State,

38 July 2017 he recognized that in addition to the role of a is not, and distribution not according to what night watchman, the State would be needed to one “deserves” but according to what one regulate activities that destroy nature (protection needs (also to be determined by a bureaucrat). of environment), activities that will endanger The obvious problems associated with this health (as for instance spurious and unverified would about the destruction of freedoms and drugs, or broadly speaking against fraud in liberties, as individuals and being subjected to markets and in favour of laws against deception) the whims and caprice of those deciding on and efforts to provide a security net against behalf of the collective. Because vast powers hunger and bad health (as minimal charity in are vested in small numbers of experts, and societies that have enough or can afford). The the coercive machinery of the State is in their obvious problems associated with this model hands, they could take wrong decisions (even would be about what happens when there are if intentions were genuine). And this could no substantive improvements in the lives of those happen, even if we assume that they are already poor, and competing with those with genuinely concerned about the welfare of the much. Could such a state of affair undergird a populace, because they do not take into stable social and political structure? Why account all the information available, and being couldn’t the elites capture governmental used to centralized decision making process in machinery, in the name of greater liberties for which only small coteries are permitted they themselves, eliminate any and all forms of do not have any feedback loops of criticism and regulation and suppress even the political helpful critique. Moreover, the temptation to 1 freedoms of the poor? Who is to prevent the bureaucratize all (Footnotes) destruction of nature, and engendering of all I am deliberately avoiding the “anarcho- sorts of externalities that destroy the political capitalist” model, because we have seen no freedoms and liberties – including right to life – modern society built on alleged principles which of the many? And if all that matters are the advocate such complete absence of the State choices made by individuals – as those are to and any kind of collective action that even be considered to be the sole measure of protection against child kidnapping is seen as goodness, then if the poor and the ones who detrimental to individual liberty. have lost form a collective to topple the state 2 Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom” and controlled by elite, why shouldn’t such an event “The Constitution of Liberty”. also be treated as a natural expression of choice? For the youngsters here, I would 1 I am deliberately avoiding the “anarcho- recommend the works G.A. Cohen, particularly capitalist” model, because we have seen no his “On the Currency of Egalitarian Justice, and modern society built on alleged principles which Other Essays in Political Philosophy”, and advocate such complete absence of the State and “Rescuing Justice and Equality” to read and any kind of collective action that even protection absorb the debates about what ought to be the against child kidnapping is seen as detrimental purpose of the State. to individual liberty. The second model is akin to the collectivized 2 Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom” and communist models in which groups of “The Constitution of Liberty”. bureaucrats decide not just what gets decisions by inflexible rules is an all too produced but also how it gets produced, tempting factor for the bureaucrat. For instance, prescription of what is acceptable culture and it is speculated that China could have

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 39 industrialized in the 12th century itself, but the …to be continued Chinese bureaucrats, comprised of the upper (During his four-and-a-half year tenure caste/upper class elites, decided that they knew in the Supreme Court, to which he had been everything that was all there to know, and prescribed specific ideals beyond which there appointed on January 12, 2007, Justice B. was nothing to seek. And, if sought, the seeker Sudershan Reddy rendered several to be punished. And China declined to become landmark judgments on various branches a colony where a vast majority of its people were made to be addicted to the opium being of law, in particular on issues of criminal sent there by the British. For the students here, jurisprudence, Constitution, taxation, I would recommend that they also read Frank service law and human rights. With a Dikotter’s “The Tragedy of Liberation” that smiling face, he endeared himself to the describes the horrific consequences, in which five million civilians were driven to their deaths members of the Bar and the Bench. by Mao and his unilateral decision to drag scores A few days prior to retirement, Justice of millions of peasants away from agriculture to cottage industry. It is such experiences in Reddy delivered a judgment criticising the governance that have informed modern Union government for its slackness in constitutionalism to always be wary of the one probing black money cases and ordered the policy as being the solution for all evils. constitution of a Special Investigation Team For India, neither of these models in their purer under the chairmanship of the retired form were deemed to be ideal for us. At the Supreme Court judge, Justice B.P. Jeevan time of independence, in our Constituent Assembly debates, and in the early years of our Reddy, to take all steps for bringing back Republic there was a significant debate amongst unaccounted monies unlawfully kept in our founding fathers. It was about whether we bank accounts abroad. would choose to adopt an evolutionary path to social justice, in which progressively we would Highlighting the importance of human eliminate conditions that that kept us poor and rights, Justice Reddy declared illegal and living in a socially unjust society. The other option unconstitutional the appointment of tribal explored was the revolutionary path, in which all property and wealth would be taken over by youth as Special Police Officers/Salwa the State or a more egalitarian structure be Judum or otherwise called ‘Koya established through a massive redistribution of Commandos’ by the Chhattisgarh resources. The violence implicit in the latter government to counter Maoist violence or options did not appeal to our founding fathers. And this was not just on account of some insurgency.) inherent incapacity for violence, as some chest (Footnotes) thumping nationalists seem to think today, but 1 because history seemed to support the idea that Heaney, Seamus: From the Cure at Troy, violence for equality only ends up promoting one http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/ set of new elites in the place of the old. entertainment-july-dec98-pinsky_10-29/

40 July 2017 Humanist's Section : Atindramohan Goon: A Radical Humanist Anjali Chakraborty Atindramohan Goon, Professor of Statistics, Professor Goon was moved by the retired from the Presidency College, presently contemporary politics and moral crisis Calcutta University, in 1991. After usual visible in the socio-economic life of retirement, he continued his work of teaching in people in the country. He wrote some the Presidency College and then Saint Xavier’s popular Text books like i) ‘Fundamental college for eight years more. He was engaged of Statistics’, ii) ‘The Theory of not only in teaching but also in studying and Probability, and some other text books. writing books and articles. The most important He wrote a short biographical essay on thing about him is that he is a radical humanist Ellen Roy’s (Ellen Gotscheck) life and who is proved by his writings in spirit and content. works. Ellen Roy, a German, was not only M.N. Roy’s wife, but also his intellectual companion, short-hand writer • He joined the Radical Humanist of Roy’s lectures and dictations, lover of Association, West Bengal Branch India, and writer of articles and book. founded in1960s. The Association has Prof. Atindramohan Goon was fond of been involved in socio-educational her book “Radical Democracy” and the movement through publishing journals, book on her name , titled ‘The World arranging for seminars, conferences etc. Her Village’…compiled by Prof. since the years of 1970s. Some of its Shibnarayan Ray. Being inspired by her members have taken part in active politics, life, he wrote the short biography of Ellen particularly during the National Roy in Bengali. Many of his articles are Emergency of India in 1975. We can here scattered in different journals. These are recall the names of radical humanists like to be collected and compiled into a book. late Manoj Datta and late Gour Kishore • Though he was not a student Ghosh. Manoj Datta had a good of social science, but he was moved and contribution to the proliferation of the inspired by the contribution of scientific radical humanist association in Bengal. thought of M.N. Roy and his He worked with V.M. Tarkunda and philosophical interpretation of new deeply involved with Citizens For scientific discoveries during the thirties. Democracy (CFD) movement. Gour So he felt high estimate and respect on Kishore Ghosh was a veteran novel the academic talent of M.N. Roy who writer and social activist. He was was not less than a scientist of the world. awarded for one of his novel. Atindramohan had friendly relation • Being associated with the withlate Shuvankar Roy and Manoj R.H.A of Bengal, he has achieved some Datta. He felt very much shocked for the valuable experience regarding the people untimely death of these two. entrusted with responsibility of renaissance movement in Bengal. He • Like other thoughtful people, knows the problems and differences.

THE RADICAL HUMANIST 41 However, he wishes that the present India. Prof Gun, in his age of 86 years members should go forward holding (in 2015), keeps trust on the potential of hands of all. Those who came here once this organization. out of reverence and respect to M.N. • He was born in 1931. He has Roy, they should not be left for going far. been living in his residential house at Salt We could bring them back by virtue of Lake, Kolkata for long years. Presently our love and fellow feelings. he is not physically fit for moving out of • Once a good number of home. He lost his wife few years back. thoughtful people with their human values He has two sons. The elder son is a and aspirations came around the ideal medical practitioner and social activist for dream of M.N. Roy to change the society the people in the bottom level of society e.g. doctor of SRAMOJIBI HASPATAL and his new approach to politics. After in West Bengal. Roy’s decision to quit from ‘party politics’ as menace to individual freedom and On behalf of the Radical Humanist conscience, the members of Radical Association, (West Bengal Branch), Kolkata, Democratic party, then, proposed for a we arranged a felicitation function for paying Radical Humanist Association all over our tribute to the veteran radical humanists— India as a common platform of like- Professor Atindramohan Goon and Professor th minded people, and it was formed by G. P. Bhattacharjee on 10 October 2015, at taking Roy’s consent. The IRI (Indian the Swimming Club Association Hall, College Research Institute) founded by M.N. Roy Square, Kolkata. In this occasion, both of them will have well connection with the had discussed on M.N. Roy, his thought and the duties of the Radical Humanist Association Association. Both the Institute and the ahead. We wish their long life. Association have an undeniable responsibility to carry out distinct identity The write up is the result of an interview with in the midst of conventional politics of Professor Goon and co-operation of his eldest son. The Radical Humanist Rates of Advertisement/Insertion Journal size: 18cmx 24 cm- Print area: 15cmx20cm

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42 July 2017