State of political unrest
This is what I call the hypocrisy of journalism, when you start reminding rules and duties to people who don’t subscribe to your intentions and agendas (The Daily Fix: Breaking rules to make political remarks, Army chief Rawat attacks Indian democracy). There was a time when Baba Ramdev was also criticised for speaking his mind and not focussing on yoga. Only one section and age group don’t have the liberty and privilege to protest, destroy law and order, and yet be praised and supported.
Who we are to teach the Army General what he can speak about and what he cannot? He has an opinion and has put it out on a public platform. The freedom of expression from our Constitution gives him the right to do so. Don’t preach morality everywhere. India belongs to every single person born here and who believes in it, irrespective of age, caste, gender and profession. I lament my decision to purchase your annual subscription and getting bombarded with your biased opinions and articles. – Harish Benjwal
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If the Bharatiya Janata Party can make place for outsiders in the country, why not provide homes to those who live on the streets and railway stations without shelter. Why not provide jobs to the unemployed and the youngsters of the country? India is the second-most populated country in the world. Think of the children of this country – where will they go? The BJP should work for the people of this country, as they are the ones who voted for the party. The government is supposed to be “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Yes, there are changes required in the country, but please don’t change the people of the country altogether. – Rigensing Lakai
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Efforts are on to somehow bring the wheels of the economy back on track when some of the core indicators of the economy are shrinking and heavy losses are sustained in tourism revenue, trade, commerce (Rs 1,000 crore loss expected due to Citizenship Act protests, says tourism board chief). As per a report by a Delhi-based think tank,India lost more than $3 billion due to internet shutdowns during 2012-’17. Where are things headed? What kind of resilience should the system show? Are violence and vandalism the only means to express protest? Well, there are many such questions over which we must introspect. – Ramana Gove
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This is a very good article on the impact of internet shutdowns on the economy (In charts: India shut down the internet more than 100 times in 2019). There is a need to control internet traffic and tone down commotion that leads to a flare-up of anti-social propaganda and activities. In the world that we live in, economies matter at both, the individual and national levels. Whenever the government takes a step, it should consider the economic implications. Undoubtedly, the internet is indispensable during crises, as a means of connecting to those who need assistance and in playing a potential role in saving lives. – Ramana Gove
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You guys are journalists and your main responsibility is to portray the facts the way they are (No law for refugees in India – and the Citizenship Bill does not fill the gap). The Citizenship Amendment Act is not based on religion as it appears. It is, in fact, history-based – the Muslims from Islamic countries were part of Akhand Bharat, two-thirds of which got divided on the basis of religion. Religious minorities in these Islamic countries are being persecuted. That is why this bill has been introduced. Are you really a responsible journalist? Have you done your research? You are creating hatred among Hindus and Muslims. Do you know these lies can lead to civil war? And you will play a role in it. – Nupur Nupur
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With regard to this article on the Citizenship Amendment Act, I find that there are similar issues plaguing China (The CAA and NRC together will reopen wounds of Partition and turn India into a majoritarian state). The CAA was brought in after intense debate, but we must understand it in its context. The problem – and this is no trivial problem. It is in fact reminiscent of the nationality laws for foreigners in Saudi Arabia – is that the bill quite deliberately deprives rights from Muslim minorities. This, in essence, would go against the Indian Constitution and is likely to be a grave violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which India has ratified.
The CAA has caused a whole new debate on the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens. Voices like Arundhati Roy are suggesting that names and addresses be forged to pull the wool over the eyes of the government. Some citizens have instead gone against her, not realising that her arguments are an almost unavoidable by-product of the CAA. Such is the power of media. Silence is appreciated and people who voice out are condemned, vilified and subsequently silenced. A truly sorry state of affairs.
If anyone were to ask why we should care about issues that do not directly affect us, the answer lies in Martin Luther King Jr’s words, in a letter from Birmingham Jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”. – Parveen Harnam
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As I understand, any person who entered the country illegally or on long-term visa before December 31, 2014, and belongs to six notified religions from three notified countries can apply for Indian citizenship (Kerala passes resolution against Citizenship Amendment Act in state Assembly). An application for citizenship has to be made to the Ministry of Home Affairs through the state government where the person resides. The role of the state government is limited and it is just a forwarding agent on behalf of the MHA.
If any state does not accept the CAA, the MHA can allow applicants to approach it directly by simply amending the procedure in the Citizenship Act,1955. This merely requires a notification from the Centre. Moreover, the NRC and NPR will not need the support of state governments. –Narendra Agarwal
Miscellaneous comment
The concept of victory in modern wars is indeed a myth, unless it is looked at from the perspective of the mass murder and the economic and political losses incurred by the enemy (Don’t believe the movies. In modern warfare, victory is a myth). With nuclear arsenals piled up and with potential capabilities to obliterate countries at the click of a button, going to war would be an act of insanity. In the world we live in, when economies and essentials too are interlinked, war carries little meaning except that it causes misery to innocent citizens. The only victory may be political and wanes when the consequences start unfolding – right from citizens’ standards of living to the strategic position of the nation in the world.
Once this realisation dawns on the minds, political victory too suffers a U-turn, reaching a trough of equal size as that of the crest the victory might have brought in. War, once initiated, in a corner of the world, has little possibility of confining to the epicentre without transmitting intense tremors across the globe that can create catastrophic cleavages. I conclude my comment with a brief quote by Bertrand Russell: “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” – Ramana Gove