The Russia-Ukraine war that began on February 24, 2022 when Moscow invaded major cities across Ukraine, including Berdyansk, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Sumy, and the capital Kyiv, has left the world more unstable. It is clear that President Vladimir Putin miscalculated the prowess of Ukraine to withstand the deadly assault. The US-led West doubly miscalculated that it can bring Russia on its knees through sanctions. However, this only heightened tensions leading to death of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, destruction of countless buildings, energy crisis, food shortage, a battered economy and threat of a nuclear conflict.
The war has disrupted global trade that was still recovering from the pandemic. Caught between the ambitious nations, Ukraine has become a macabre of death and devastation. The United Nations is watching the grim situation helplessly as no side agrees to yield. The war has highlighted the fragility of the UN as it has so far failed to end the stalemate. Russian businesses have been blacklisted in many countries, yet Moscow has been able to strengthen economic ties with China, though Beijing is keeping its distance from the fighting and so far has not sent weapons. But if it sends military aid to Russia, Beijing has the ability to transform the war’s trajectory. Putin has already reinforced military links with international outcasts North Korea and Iran and it continues to build influence in Africa and the Middle East.
The defiant tone of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that “every tomorrow is worth fighting for” makes it clear that the bruised country is not prepared to bow. Zelenskyy has said Ukrainians proved themselves to be invincible during “a year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity and since the onset of war we haven’t fallen asleep.” He in fact declared 2023 as the year of Ukraine’s victory over Russia.
India which is on the side of peace has to decide whether to remain bystander or make an effective intervention to facilitate a ceasefire. A year since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, 141 countries backed the resolution calling for a “comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine while 32 countries including India abstained from voting in the UN General Assembly. With the world recognising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s influence over Russian president Vladimir Putin, India can play a proactive role in forging peace.
At a time when the world is divided into two camps, the Tehelka SIT investigative report (Part-2) “Nailing the bogus doctors” reveals how hospitals hire foreign medical graduates while turning a blind eye to their failure to clear the mandatory Foreign Medical Graduate Examination [FMGE]. Tehelka in the first part of the story, published in the last issue, had exposed how many fake doctors with degrees from foreign universities in Russia, Ukraine, China, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal among had been illegally practicing in India and endangering lives.
The gruesome killing of Junaid and Nasir who were allegedly abducted from Bharatpur, Rajasthan, by Bajrang Dal ‘Gau Rakshaks’ from Haryana before being set afire in Loharu area in Bhiwani, Haryana has left the entire nation shocked, writes Aayush Goel
“We are doomed. He was the only breadwinner in our family and would take care of us and his brother’s family. All I can see now is darkness. The government has announced compensation but tell me can it replace my husband? Will it be enough for me and my 6 children to spend our entire life?” says teary-eyed Sajida, widow of Juniad. Living in fear of cow vigilantism for years, the village of Ghatmika in Bharatpur, Rajasthan is engulfed in angst and gloom. 35-year old Junaid and 27-year old Nasir were allegedly abducted from Bharatpur by Bajrang Dal ‘Gau Rakshaks’ from Haryana and their charred skeletons were found in their car set afire in Loharu area in Bhiwani, Haryana.
The gruesome killing has left the entire nation shocked and terrified and yet again highlighted the rampant cow vigilantism in Mewat region spanning across Haryana and Rajasthan. The area has been repeatedly been reporting instances of lynchings and torture in the name of cow protection. “This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. Earlier, we witnessed the brutal killings of Pehlu Khan, Rakbar Khan and Ummar Mohammad in the Mewat region, and now we have lost two more people. This time, the Haryana police helped murderers to kill them. Everyone in this village is scared and we want action, so that no one dies this way in future,” says Jubair, a relative of slain Nasir.
The latest gruesome murder where even Haryana police has been accused of connivance has stirred the debate over a 15,000 strong army of Gau Rakshaks in Haryana, their unchecked power and political patronage they allegedly enjoy. “If your police are done with the meat of Biryani on Eid, then tell me when will the killers of Junaid-Nasir be arrested? When will those who spew venom in the Mahapanchayat go to jail? If even the burnt corpses of Junaid-Nasir could not wake up your conscience, then it is the same whether you are Chief Minister or not,” AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi said while addressing Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.
The Loharu immolation
The nation woke up to a terrible news on February 15 as skeletons of two men were found in a charred Bolero in Loharu in Bhiwani. The duo were allegedly abducted from Ghatmika village in Bharatpur a night before by Gau Rakshaks. The family went ahead and filed an FIR and a tale of horror unfolded. The investigation of Rajasthan police revealed that a gang of around 10 Gau Rakshaks had picked up the duo accusing them of cow smuggling.
One of the victims, Junaid had a bovine smuggling history and was wanted by the police. The Gau Rakshaks brutally thrashed the duo and took them to Nuh police seeking their arrest but when they refused they allegedly set the duo on fire with their vehicle. Celebrated Gau Rakshaks from Haryana including Monu Manesar were named as accused in the case and police have managed to nab one. “Investigations are on. We have arrested one accused, Rinku Saini who helped us identify eight other accused. He has confessed to murder saying victims died due to thrashing and to eliminate evidence they burnt them,” says IG Rajasthan Gaurav Shrivastav. “I would say that the law will take its own course. These anti-social elements who work in the name of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are dishonest people. The Prime Minister has himself said that these are anti-social elements. It’s high time that the Haryana government realises this and controls this vigilante force,” said Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.
The Gau Rakshaks
Soon after the murder, the Bajrang Dal member, Monu Manesar became a celebrity with his name trending across Twitter. 27-year old Manesar resident Mohit Yadav alias Monu Manesar is a polytechnic graduate, known for posting videos of chase and ‘capture’ of cow smugglers. With over two lakh YouTube subscribers, his pictures with police and government officials were widely circulated.
This was no surprise as he is a key member of the Haryana government’s cow protection machinery. The state today has a loosely knit ‘force’ of about 15000 men with affiliation to mainly three outfits – Bajrang Dal, Goputra Sena Haryana and Goraksha Dal – which are active as cow vigilantes across the state. The men equipped with an I-card of Gau Rakshak have free toll access across Haryana and get priority arms licences. These men probably have the biggest intelligence network using which they reportedly fight cattle smuggling and nab cattle smugglers. The rise of Gau Rakshaks started in 2015 with implementation of Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act in Haryana.
Their influence and power grew unimaginably post 2021 when Haryana’s BJP government notified the setting up of a state level Special Cow Protection Task Force (SCPTF) committee comprising several senior officials, to prevent the smuggling and slaughter of cows, rehabilitate stray cattle, and take legal action against those found to be involved in such activities. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said recently in Vidhan Sabha, “We have formed a task force for each district. Non-official members are also included in the task force which is headed by a DSP so that police take action on the information received through the task force. Neither does anyone have the right to take law into their hands nor can such a right be given to any one”.
The worth and power of Monu Manesar like Gau Rakshaks is evident from the fact that the entire state has united to support him. A series of Hindu Mahapanchayats have been held seeking CBI probe and even threatening to not let Rajasthan police return on their feet if any Gau Rakshak is arrested. The Gau Rakshak supporters even went ahead blocking Delhi-Jaipur highway to stop Rajasthan police fro entering Haryana. A day later, Meo Muslims went ahead blocking Alwar- Gurgaon highway seeking arrest of the accused.
“We have sympathy for the deceased. But it is wrong to accuse and arrest a person without evidence in the name of communal hatred. There should be a CBI inquiry into this matter. Till anything is proven, we will not let them touch a single Gau Rakshak”, said Pawan Kumar, President Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Haryana. The patronage can be fatal feel various leaders in Mewat. Ferozpur Jhirka MLA Mamam Khan has time and again raised the issue and accused the Khattar government of promoting vigilantism. “This kind of patronage has given them courage to set two men ablaze. If these guys are to arrest and impart justice then what is police for? Videos of these men brandishing multiple guns, dragging thrashing men and women in Mewat go viral everyday but the government does nothing. It’s ironic that the vehicle used to abduct Junaid and Nasir was a state government vehicle,” says Khan.
The war of cops
The incident meanwhile has pushed both Rajasthan and Haryana police in a tug of war. The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Ferozpur Jhirka team has come under scanner as the victim’s family alleged that they were hand in glove in murder. In contrast to initial claims of CIA team aiding in the abduction it was revealed that the accused brought Juanid and Nasir to them but rather than help dying victims they turned them away.
“Had they stepped out of the police station and got the victims to a hospital they could have been saved but they did nothing. We have found that all accused were informers of Haryana police and had several whatsapp groups with them where they regularly posted their videos of torturing men,” said an investigator of Rajasthan police. The police also alleged that while they were camping in many areas of state, they were not getting much help from local police to arrest the accused. Meanwhile, the Haryana police has questioned Rajasthan police over inaction for 18 hours after an abduction complaint was filed.
“The families rushed to them, and for 18 hours they were made to run from one police station to another. They sent no message, sought no information from Haryana police till bodies were found”, said a senior Haryana cop. As Rajasthan police initiated an investigation in this regard, Nuh police also filed an FIR against them. The Rajasthan police was accused of brutally thrashing the wife of accused Gau Rakshak leading to miscarriage of 9 month old foetus. The police have ever since been denying any involvement in the same. “We have registered a case and foetal viscera for examination. We will be quizzing cops about allegations,” said Varun Singla, SP, Nuh.
The issue is about the cow being used as a symbol, rather an instrument, for targeting a particular community. Even as Hindu conservatives hail the holiness of the cow, its misuse has sullied its sanctity.
Valentine’s Day came and went but the cows kept waiting: no one came to hug them. It was, perhaps, much ado about nothing.
It started with a government department issuing a notice asking cow lovers to celebrate February 14 as, to use its terminology, a “Cow Hug Day”.
For record, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the western world on February 14.
Given that it is a concept imported from the West, the BJP had issues. Consequently, it has routinely protested and prevented people from celebrating it, thus creating law and order problems.
In the same strain, the government department regretted the “extinction of Vedic tradition” thanks to the “dazzle of western civilization” even as it extolled the virtues of mother cow, or Gaumata as cow worshippers reverently refer to the cow. At the same time, they asked cow lovers to hug the cow on grounds that it will bring “emotional richness”.
The notice hit headlines and the Government was on the backfoot for appropriating Valentine’s Day as the day for hugging cows.
Of course there were concerns and interesting questions on the fate of cow huggers, were the cows unwilling.
Netizens apart, politicians too jumped in.
For starters, it was West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who sought to know whether the Centre would pay compensation if a cow hit the hugger. In the same strain, she demanded that the Centre should approve a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the injured person if attacked by the cow. Banerjee also wondered if the Centre would come up with a proposal asking people to hug “an ox or a buffalo” even as a BJP Minister hailed the initiative as “commendable”.
Whether it was embarrassment or controversy, the concerned department withdrew the notification days after issuing it.
Some rejoiced while others shed tears.
As for tears, there were victims whose families mourned their dead.
Barely a100 kilometers short of the country’s national capital, Delhi, two men were abducted and attacked by a mob and later set ablaze.
The victims, Junaid and Nasir, were accused of smuggling cows. The family alleged that the victims were abducted by Bajrang Dal men.
This incident followed the killing of another person, Waris, from the same area. He was allegedly lynched by Bajrang Dal members led by Monu Manesar.
Of course there are conflicting versions with the Police saying that Waris died in a road accident. Incidentally, Monu Manesar is also named as accused in setting Junaid and Nasir ablaze.
Reportedly, he had given a call for violence at a Mahapanchayat in Haryana stating that the only solution for those pointing a finger at “our religion” is to beat them up. Monu, who leads a team of over 50 cow vigilantes, is allegedly involved in nabbing cow smugglers.
But this is not about Monu or his deeds or misdeeds. It is about the cow being used as a symbol, rather an instrument, for targeting a particular community.
Even as Hindu conservatives hail the holiness of the cow, its misuse has sullied its sanctity.
Who can forget the mob killing of Mohammad Akhlaq in the state of Uttar Pradesh some years ago? Akhlaq was lynched by a mob that claimed that he had killed a calf and stored its meat at home.
Even as the Police appeared to take action, Hindu supporters damaged vehicles. Akhlaq’s family fled, even as senior BJP leaders backed the suspects.
Under the BJP rule, the cow has acquired a special status. Statements are routinely issued to hammer the need to protect cows. Worse still, these have bordered on threats of violence in case of violations.
Before he took over as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi spoke of a “pink revolution” wherein he decried the Congress for encouraging cow slaughter: “When you slaughter an animal, the colour of its meat is pink. This is what they call a Pink Revolution…Our animals are getting slaughtered. Our livestock is getting stolen from our villages and taken to Bangladesh. The Delhi Sarkar will…give out subsidies to people who slaughter cows…”
Way back in 2012 as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi spoke of his heart bleeding at the Centre’s dream of bringing about a Pink revolution.
As Prime Minister, Narendra Modi may be looking the other way but his tacit approval to cow vigilante groups cannot be ignored. Therefore, if the wayward and the self-styled rakshaks, protectors, are giving the ‘save the cow’ cry, they are only echoing what Narendra Modi and the senior leadership of the BJP have been articulating.
However as Prime Minister, Modi did decry gau-rakshaks or the vigilante groups and said what a country’s Prime Minister should.
Having said that, one cannot take away the fact that the cow is a revered animal for the majority of Indians.
In Hindu mythology it is showcased with several gods including Shiva and Krishna who is actually depicted as the cowherd God. Going by sacred texts, the cow appears as divine wherein its horns symbolize the Gods.
As for governments, Uttarakhand was among the first states to take legislative steps to declare the cow as the national mother or rashtra-mata. Many others followed suit and soon politics saffronized the cow that was traditionally white and pure.
However, much has changed with politics entering the cow-debate.
The BJP seems to be in sync with vigilante groups, some out of faith and others for political gain.
If a BJP state leader wanted Akhlaq’s family to be booked for cow slaughter notwithstanding his alleged murder, a Union Minister dismissed the killing as an accident. Others have justified mob lynching which, with the BJP at the helm, is a norm.
Therefore, the question one needs to ask is: Should cow worship be politicized? Should its sanctity be sullied? Should politicians play havoc with the entity of an animal and use and misuse it for political gain? And how correct is it to saffronize an individual sentiment?
Even while there are no prizes for guessing, the BJP needs to sit up and take stock of the goings on. It must put killings above political gain and ensure that the gentle cow does not become an instrument of violence. It needs to reposition itself and come across as a Party which values human lives rather than appear as a mute spectator to a communal divide.
It may ride on a cow but it certainly cannot use it to besmear innocents. And more importantly, the senior leadership of the BJP needs to visibly leash the lumpen elements within its setup. And to do that it must first shed off some of its skin because the cow politics and its blatant misuse starts at the top be it the pink revolution or patting criminals on their back.
The BJP-AAP political battle in Delhi has turned ugly with the arrest of Dy CM Manish Sisodia with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleging politics behind the arrest. It will be a tough challenge for Arvind Kejriwal to fill Sisodia’s spot in the Delhi government, reports Sunny Sharma
In a sudden development, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, a Cabinet Minister in Delhi resigned from the Cabinet on February 28 and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accepted their resignations. The resignations came after the Supreme Court declined to interfere in the case against Sisodia. “Our doors are open, but we are not ready to entertain. This will be a very bad precedent,” Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said.
While Jain is already in Tihar Jail on alleged money laundering charges, the arrest of Sisodia came after months-long ongoing investigation into the Delhi liquor scam by several Central government agencies. The Aam Aadmi Party leader is accused of irregularities in the framing and implementation of the now-withdrawn excise policy 2021-22 in which several officials, businesspersons and politicians too are under probe.
However, the AAP has denied all allegations of a scam in the excise policy. Calling the investigation politically motivated, it has launched huge protests against the BJP. In July last year, Lieutenant governor VK Saxena had recommended a CBI investigation into Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 after a report by Delhi chief secretary established prima facie violations of various acts and rules in addition to “deliberate and gross procedural lapses” to provide “undue benefits” to liquor licenses. The excise department is headed by Sisodia.
The Excise Department allegedly allowed a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore singularly to the liquor cartel on the tendered license fee under the excuse of Covid-19 pandemic. The department also refunded earnest money of Rs 30 crore to the lowest bidder of the licence of Airport Zone, when it failed to obtain NOC from the airport authorities.
Another allegation was that the excise department in its 8 November 2021 order revised the formula of the calculation of rates of foreign liquor and removed the levy of import pass fee on beer without approval of the L-G and the Cabinet, thus making it cheaper for retailers causing loss of revenue to the state exchequer. Some of the decisions, it was alleged, were taken by Sisodia without due approval.
The party has threatened protest demonstrations against the arrests and several leaders of AAP including MP Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai MLA, Rohit Kumar Mehraulia, MLA Dinesh Mohnia, MLA Kuldeep Singh and ex-MLA Sarita Singh have been arrested by Delhi Police to prevent any massive demonstration.
BJP is now targeting Arvind Kejriwal terming him the ‘real kingpin’ of the excise scam in connection of which Manish Sisodia was arrested on February 26 and their several leaders have said that ‘he may be the next’ to be taken action against.
In Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal had said that during the last seven years, 167 cases have been against AAP leaders. But more than politics, it will be a tough challenge for Arvind Kejriwal to fill Sisodia’s spot in the Delhi government. Sisodia has been single-handedly looking after as many as 18 key departments. One of the most important and immediate challenges will be to present the Budget for the coming financial year. Sisodia has tabled eight consecutive budgets of the Arvind Kejriwal government since 2015.
The education department has schemes like Schools of Excellence, Parent Teacher Meetings for government schools, Buniyad scheme to strengthen the learning process of children. The Mohalla Clinic project is one of the flagship schemes of Arvind Kejriwal. The project was conceived by Satyendra Jain and later handed over to Sisodia. The education department and health department will certainly feel the pinch.
With the Congress spelling out its political and socio-economic vision at the 85th Plenary Session held at Raipur, many of the regional satraps seem to be inclined to come under the umbrella of the grand old party to take on the BJP
The 85th Plenary Session of the Indian National Congress, which recently concluded in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, was held at a time when the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) had reached its destination, and the baton of Congress presidency was formally passed on to Malika Arjun Kharge from the Gandhi family after a hiatus of 25 years.
The 1998 Panchmari Session of the Congress had adopted the strategy of Ekla Chalo’(walk alone), while the BJP was gaining popularity in the Hindi Heartland, and Congress at that juncture didn’t deem the rising BJP as a potential threat and also ruled out the politics of coalition. However, after suffering an electoral drubbing in 1999 which brought the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) headed by the BJP at the helm, Congress had to do rethinking at the Shimla session of Congress in 2003 where it mooted the idea of forming a coalition of like-minded parties and the resultant outcome was the formation of a coalition government under the aegis of Congress and known as the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) which remained at the helm at the Centre and in many states as well.
The sudden rise of the BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi and its handsome victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections brought NDA at the helm of affairs at the Centre and in many states while Congress was humbled at the hustings and reduced to a limited number of seats in Lok Sabha and even had failed to garner enough seats to be acknowledged as the leading Opposition Party. The 2019 elections to the Lok Sabha witnessed the BJP securing a landslide victory with Congress registering a minuscule gain in its total tally but still lagging behind to be acknowledged as the leading Opposition Party in the House.
The period from 2014 to 2022 witnessed an incessant blitzkrieg campaign launched by the BJP against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi raising slogans like ‘Congress-Mukt-Bharat’ and alluring the elected representatives of Congress in Congress-ruled states to the BJP fold to form the BJP-led governments in those states and using the national media to denigrate the image of Rahul Gandhi. Measures like demonetization and electoral bonds proved instrumental in drying up the financial resources of the Opposition parties, especially the Congress. Recurring incidents of humiliating drubbings at the assembly elections and desertions of many local/regional leaders to the BJP fold in some states and no hope of political revival in the immediate future left the party and organization in disarray.
In the wake of these discouraging developments, the top brass of the party had to embark upon some revolutionary programme that could prove instrumental in revitalising the party, boosting the morale of party workers at the grassroots level and winning the confidence of the people in the party’s programmes and policies, and the Udaipur session of Congress charted a programme for the party emphasising embarking on a nationwide padayatra to commence from 2 October 2022.
Consequently, Rahul Gandhi took the initiative of launching the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) from Kanyakumari to Srinagar, and the BJY started on 7 September 2022 from Kanyakumari and culminated on 30 January 2023 at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir covering over 4000 km. During the course of over 150 days of the BJY, Rahul Gandhi often reiterated at press conferences that the BJY was not an electoral exercise, not even for the Congress, the BJY was an exercise to invent India and to protest the politics of “fear, bigotry and prejudice”, and the growing economic inequality. In his final speech at Srinagar on 31 January 2023, Rahul Gandhi talked of “Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb”, of the sages of ancient India and the language of love, and held the BJP-RSS combo responsible for the “violence, communal disturbances and the hatred” in the country as well as the destruction of the economy.
While commenting on the outcome of the BJY, some political observers ask what Rahul Gandhi expected to gain from the BJY if not electoral victory or organisational resurgence. However, some experts believe that Rahul Gandhi does not appear to be in a rush to win elections and that he is instead focusing on long-term benefits for Congress’s rehabilitation in the eyes of the public. Another group of experts argue that much depends on the performance of the Congress in the forthcoming nine state assembly polls and if the Congress performs well in these polls, it will be a by-product of the BJY. For these experts, the avowed objective of the walkathon – the BJY – is to build the discourse and momentum for Congress in the long run.
Rahul Gandhi’s BJY has the potential to accomplish for the Congress and the country what L.K. Advani’s Rath Yatra did for the BJP and the country in the 1990s, but with the exact opposite result. Contending that if Advani’s Rath Yatra could sow the seeds of Hindu nationalism in India, some experts opine that Rahul Gandhi’s BJY entails the potential of strengthening inclusivity and project the Congress as the only force capable of doing that. While Rahul Gandhi has pointed out multiple flaws in the BJP’s socio-economic, defence and foreign policies, the Raipur Session of the Congress has also offered an alternative model and vision to administer the country.
Undoubtedly, the Congress has spelt out its socio-economic and political vision at the Raipur session; nonetheless, the real test lies ahead in how far the party workers can carry out the message of this vision to the grassroots level to win the trust of the masses. The better way to judge this would be the outcome of forthcoming elections to state assemblies of Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and for this Congress has to gear up its organisation wherewithal at the state, district and village level.
Rahul Gandhi leading the BJY from the front has enabled the Congress to showcase that the party is capable of a sustained public outreach programme on the ground, and the BJY has successfully completed after travelling through 13 states and one Union Territory, demonstrating the logistical and organizational skills of the Congress state units, even in states where the party is not in power. Rahul Gandhi’s reputation has successfully changed as a result of the BJY from a reluctant and part-time politician to one who can take to the streets when necessary and has the stamina to walk the distance.
Some experts opine that the grassroots workers and the Congress organization have been greatly motivated by the BJY and they now have renewed faith in Rahul Gandhi, the tallest of their leaders, who had started to lose it after two straight defeats in the Lok Sabha and numerous state failures. Some experts also feel that Rahul and Congress must work to maintain the momentum created by the BJY.
The BJY has enabled Congress to reposition itself as the only national opposition force opposing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP. Despite the Congress’ invitation, other prominent Opposition figures like Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Sharad Pawar declined to attend the BJY’s conclusion in Srinagar. Nevertheless, during the yatra, the civil society groups that are opposed to the BJP-RSS system joined forces under the leadership of Congress.
In the post-BJY period, when the Congress has spelt out its political and socio-economic vision at its Raipur session recently, many of the regional satraps seem to be inclined to come under the umbrella of the Congress to forge a united Opposition front to defeat the mighty BJP in the ensuing state assembly polls in 2023 and 2024 general elections. Bihar-style Mahagathbandhan comprising seven non-BJP parties offers a role model for the national level alliance of non-BJP opposition parties, including the Congress. The Congress has positively responded to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s call for such national alliance of non-BJP opposition parties.
The Congress in its new avatar entails the potential of uniting the regional satraps under its umbrella and much depends on the party’s electoral performance in the ensuing assembly polls due this year.
( By DR Anil Singh, Executive Editor, India Ahead News Channel, was recently in Raipur)
At 85th Plenary Session held in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur , the grand old party said that it was ready to work for pre-poll alliances for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Plenary also approved changes to the party constitution to pave the way for organizational reforms, writes Amit Agnihotri
The Congress set the tone for the 2024 national elections by saying it was ready to work with like-minded parties to defeat the BJP and reforming the organization to prepare for future challenges, during its 85th Plenary Session held in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur from February 24 to 26.
The Plenary, which came weeks after Rahul Gandhi’s successful Bharat Jodo Yatra, took the message of unity against hatred and the need to protect the Constitution ahead. The mega conclave, based on the theme “Hath se hath jodo” was an extension of the nation-wide yatra, which was against BJP’s alleged divisive politics. Accordingly, the Raipur conclave gave a call to the workers to strengthen the party, keep raising people’s issues and defeat the ruling party unitedly.
Sonia Gandhi, INC Leader
The Plenary approved changes to the party constitution to pave the way for organizational reforms and articulated the party’s stand on economic, political and foreign policy challenges before the country.
In a significant move, the party decided not to hold elections for the Congress Working Committee and instead authorized party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to nominate the members.
However, the party decided to increase the number of seats in the CWC from 23 to 35 and approved a proposal giving permanent membership to former party chiefs, ex-prime ministers, and party leaders in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The party also passed a proposal to reserve 50 percent seats in the CWC for SC, ST, women, minorities and OBCs and said that 50 percent of its members will be under 50 years of age. Across the states, the party also revised the party structure at the block level where new mandal panels will be set up.
In a way, the Plenary was a bigger version of the Chintan Shivir the Congress had held in May 2022 in Udaipur, Rajasthan to prepare a roadmap for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While the Chintan Shivir had around 400 leaders, the Plenary was attended by around 15,000 party workers from across the country.
The Udaipur Declaration, adopted at the end of the Chintan Shivir, had stipulated some far-reaching changes in the organization, which were approved during the Raipur conclave, which also passed key political and economic resolutions ahead of the 2024 national elections. The grand old party also passed resolutions related to international affairs, social justice and empowerment, farmers and agriculture and youth, education and employment during the mega conclave.
The economic resolution mentioned the Congress would reset the economic policies to lift people out of poverty like it did during the UPA government, focus on social welfare, protect the weaker sections, create jobs, and pursue a mixed economy in which the public and the private sector would both prosper.
2024 alliances
Though the party discussed assembly elections like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana that will take place in 2023, the most important issue was to go in for pre-poll alliances for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Both Kharge and the party’s political resolution made this point clear.
The Congress was upbeat that Rahul’s five month-long yatra saw participation from several opposition parties, who were also together with the Congress in demanding a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue during the Parliament’s Budget Session. “The yatra was a turning point in Indian politics and showed that the Congress will never compromise with the BJP. No opposition unity is possible without a strong Congress,” said veteran Jairam Ramesh.
Already, the grand old party has pre-poll alliances in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand and some northeastern states. The Congress was ready to play an opposition anchor role, senior leader K.C. Venugopal said.
Reforms
One of the key highlights of the Plenary was the endorsement of Mallikarjun Kharge, who was elected as the new Congress president last year. While the 9,000 PCC delegates had voted for the presidential polls, the new 1,338 AICC members endorsed Kharge’s election to the top party post as mandated by the party constitution.
However, the party could not take forward the proposal to hold CWC elections. When Kharge was campaigning for the post of Congress president last year, he had promised to hold the CWC elections.
The CWC takes all the important decisions but members of the top body have not been elected over the past two decades as former party chief Sonia Gandhi resorted to the practice of nominating the members since she took charge in 1998.
When Kharge took charge as party chief on October 26, 2022, he dissolved the CWC and replaced it with a Steering Committee to oversee the day-to-day functioning of the party. Most CWC members had made it to the Steering Committee.
Since then, there has been much speculation in the grand old party whether the new party president would opt for elections to the powerful CWC or not as conducting the polls would have sent a positive signal among the rank and file of the Congress.
The Steering Committee debated the issue and finally decided to authorize Kharge to nominate the CWC members. The reason cited by the party was that as the main opposition party, the Congress faced many political challenges.
Also, as the party was making changes to the CWC to make it more inclusive the polls were not needed at the moment. Interestingly, the Gandhis, including Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka were not present in the Steering Committee meeting.
In the previous Plenary held in 2018, the party had endorsed the election of Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief in December 2017. Then too, the party had then passed a one-line resolution authorizing the new party chief to appoint the CWC members.
In fact, it was Rahul who had insisted that proper elections for the Congress president be held in the party and that a non-Gandhi should take charge of the organization.
To prepare for the Plenary, the party recently finalised the list of 1,338 AICC delegates and 487 co-opted members, who were selected by the respective state units from amongst the 9,000 PCC delegates. As per norms, one AICC delegate was selected for every 8 PCC members. The AICC members would have voted in the CWC polls, if the party had so decided .
Gandhis
During the Plenary, special focus was on the speeches of former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi besides sitting president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who gave direction to the workers.
“I had the honour of taking office as President for the first time in 1998. Over these twenty-five years, our party has seen times of high achievement as well as deep disappointment. The support, goodwill and understanding of each one of you and all the Congress party workers throughout the country has given us all strength. Our victories in 2004 and 2009, along with the able leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh ji, gave me personal satisfaction, but what gratifies me most is that my innings could conclude with the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” said Sonia Gandhi, who led the party for 25 years.
“In many ways, the situation today reminds me of the time when I first entered politics. Then, as now, we faced a difficult struggle ahead. At this crucial time, each one of us bears a special responsibility towards our party and towards our country. The Congress is not just a political party. We are the vehicle through which the people of India fight for liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all. We reflect the voices of people of all states, religions, languages, castes and genders. We work to uphold dignity and fulfil the dreams of each and every Indian,” she said.
Rahul slammed the PM over his alleged links with businessman Gautam Adani saying any one critical of the company was termed a traitor. He even compared the group to the East India Company and said that the Congress was now fighting an ideological battle with the BJP.
Priyanka appreciated the role of party workers and urged the like-minded parties to sink their differences for opposition unity against the BJP in 2024.
Keeping in mind 2024 general elections for Lok Sabha, the core focus in the UP Budget 2023-24 is on cultural nationalism providing funds for ‘Mahakumbh’ at Prayagraj and development of religious tourism infrastructure in Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi, writes Mudit Mathur
The resolve of Yogi Adityanath-led government to showcase Uttar Pradesh on global platform as ‘growth engine’of India – with India’s most populous state aiming to become one trillion-US Dollar economy by 2027. The committed policies virtually reflected in its recently tabled budget proposals of Rs 6,90,242.43 crore for 2023-2024 to set the growth of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at the estimated 19 percent. Infrastructure projects and development of pilgrimage centres to be the main thrust areas of the government to materialise the investment proposals at the UP Global Investment Summit. An amount of Rs 32,000 crore has been earmarked for new schemes besides about Rs 7,500 crore have been allocated to the social security sector.
Keeping in mind the 2024 general elections for the Lok Sabha, the core focus in the Budget was on cultural nationalism providing funds for ‘Mahakumbh’ at Prayagraj and development of religious tourism infrastructure in Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi. In view of the possible increase in the number of tourists as a result of the construction of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, the work of widening and beautification of three access roads has also been financed. Ayodhya will be developed as a “Model solar city”.
The UP Budget 2023-24 includes a significant statement about the upcoming ‘Maha Kumbh’ in 2025. CM Yogi noted that a provision of Rs 400 crores has been made in the budget for 1,000 new buses of the Transport Corporation, with an additional allocation of 100 crores for the bus station, in light of the biggest cultural religious congregation of the world. The budget proposed Rs 1,000 crore for the development of ‘Dharmarth Marg’ (roads to religious places).
Yogi government has made huge allocation of Rs 21,159 crore for infrastructural development for the construction of roads and bridges, and Rs 6,209 crore for their maintenance have also been provided. It may pave the way to materialise proposals of investments as committed in the recently held Global Investors Summit 2023 in Lucknow wherein UP garnered investment proposals of Rs 33.50 trillion from 19,000 domestic and foreign investors including corporate business groups across sectors, including roads.
Budgetary provisions of Rs 585 crore and Rs 465 crore have been made for the Kanpur and Agra metro rail projects, respectively. Over Rs 1,306 crore has been allocated for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor Regional Rapid Transit System project in the coming financial year. The government will also spend Rs 100 crore for the implementation of metro rail projects in Varanasi, Gorakhpur and some other cities.
A provision of Rs 235 crore has been made in the state Budget for the initial phase of new expressway projects: Jhansi Link Expressway and Chitrakoot Link Expressway. The state will invest Rs 3,000 crore for the development of new cities and urban centres in 2023-24 as well.
“In line with the vision of prime minister Narendra Modi, it is the biggest outlay in the state’s history. This budget was for ‘Atmanirbhar’ Uttar Pradesh. It will prove to be a landmark for making the state’s economy USD 1 trillion in the next five years,” Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, adding that in the past six years, the government ensured ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas’ (Together, for everyone’s development with trust and effort). “Today we have presented the first budget of ‘Amrit Kaal’. This budget will help us achieve overall development and take the state towards becoming self-reliant,” he hoped.
“We have presented a budget of more than 6 lakh 90 thousand crore rupees. The budget has doubled in the last six years and the per capita income which has doubled shows the commitment of the double-engine government to expand the economy,” Yogi said,briefing the mediapersons soon after tabling of budget in the state Assembly by Finance Minister Suresh Khanna.
“UP is a revenue surplus state since we have not only increased the tax net but taken effective steps to curb tax evasion. Without imposing any additional tax on the public, we reduced the excise duty tax on petrol and diesel. Giving relief to the public from inflation, we did not increase VAT. Petrol-diesel within the state is cheaper than any other state of the country,” CM Yogi claimed, adding that his government had adhered to the fiscal discipline while drafting the budget and conforming to the norms of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act by taming fiscal deficit to Rs 84,883 crore, which is 3.48 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), a healthy sign of financial management.
State Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, in his speech, pegged the total Budget size at Rs 6.90 lakh crore. The total expenditure of Rs 6.90 trillion comprises revenue and capital component of Rs 5.02 lakh crores and Rs 1.87 lakh crores, respectively. In 2022-23, the state’s Budget estimate was at Rs 6.15 lakh crore. State GDP increased by 16.8% during Yogi Adityanath’s second term, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.2%. For the financial year 2023-24, the nominal rate of increase in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is estimated at 19 percent, said Khanna, adding that the state’s growth rate is encouraging in an era of probable global recession.
Among major budgetary allocations, the state allocated Rs 25,350 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission, hoping that all households would be covered with tap drinking water. Last year’s allocation was Rs 19,500 crore. The UP Tourism Policy envisaged Rs 10 lakh crores investment target for the next 5 years with expectation of creation of about 20,000 jobs in the next 5 years.
The National Rural Health Mission has been allocated Rs 12631 crores to take care of rural health network. Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme has been allocated Rs. 3600 to provide tablets/smartphones to eligible students. Pension schemes for old age people and farmers will get Rs 7248 crores whereas Divyang Pension scheme got allocation of Rs 1120 crores. Chief Minister Kanya Sumangala Yojana has been allocated Rs 1050 crores.
On the infrastructure front, the finance minister made a proposal of over Rs 21,159 crore for the construction of roads and bridges, and Rs 6,209 crore for their maintenance. Khanna said that Rs 3,473 crore is proposed for the work of bridges and roads for agricultural marketing facilities and Rs 1,525 crore for roads in rural areas.
Enthusiastic over the success of proactive initiatives of his government making road shows in 16 countries and 21 cities showcasing investment -friendly liberal policies and overall atmosphere of law and order, the chief minister Yogi Adityanath geared up to pave the way for ground breaking ceremonies by the August 2023.
The Global Investors Summit 2023 inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10th February that fetched MOU of about 33.50 lakh crores, out of which projects worth Rs 21.25 trillion across private, public, and public private partnership (PPP) domains are lined up for an early launch. The chief minister has directed officials to host a mega ground-breaking ceremony in the next six months to launch the first tranche of GIS projects. The remaining projects would be launched in the successive rounds of the ceremony.
Indian conglomerates, who have committed to invest in UP as part of the GIS, include Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, Chairman N Chandrasekaran of Tata Group, Chairman Kumarmangalam Birla of Aditya Birla Group, JK Group, etc, while global corporations betting on the state are Zurich Airport Asia, Lulu Group, Seiko Advance, One World Corporation, Boson Energy, Embraer, Geothermal Core among others. Gautam Adani did not attended the Summit but the group has committed to setting up four cement plants in the state, with the ground work on a proposed cement plant in Sonbhadra district already under way of commissioning.
From a security point of view, Kashmir is now a considerably more peaceful place, which the government boasts about as its singular achievement following the withdrawal of the region’s special status. This should normally pave the way for the polls. A report by Riaz Wani
On February 20, the Centre decided to embark on a phased withdrawal of the Army from Kashmir. This is the first time since the separatist struggle broke out in Kashmir around 33 years ago, that New Delhi has taken the step. But does this make it significant? It doesn’t. The Army will be replaced by paramilitary forces that are equally trained in counter-insurgency operations. So, on ground, this would mean little difference.
The withdrawal has a symbolic value though: It projects that normalcy has returned to the Valley following the withdrawal of the special status of the union territory in August 2019.
The Rashtriya Rifles, which was deployed in Kashmir, was drawn from various infantry units in 1990 will be reportedly withdrawn in three phases. There will be a trial withdrawal of troops from South Kashmir districts such as Anantnag and Kulgam. The subsequent pullback will take place after assessing the situation.
Jammu and Kashmir, according to an estimate, has 1.3 lakh soldiers – 80,000 of them deployed along the border and rest of them in charge of anti-militancy operations. Similarly, of the 60,000 CRPF personnel in the union territory, 45,000 are deployed to Kashmir alone. Jammu and Kashmir Police has 83,000 personnel, most of whom are engaged in fighting militancy.
What about AFSPA?
Much like the withdrawal of the Army, which has been a sign of normalcy, the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has also been a metric of the return to peace. But the centre has so far stubbornly refused to withdraw the law, more so, the current BJP government.
The AFSPA was enforced in the Kashmir Valley in 1990 – a year after the outbreak of militancy – and was extended to Jammu a decade later. The Act gives the armed forces immunity from prosecution while operating in the internal conflict zones.
In 2013, the then J&K Chief Minister Omer Abdullah almost got the then UPA government to agree to a phased diminishing of the AFSPA from the then state, starting with the areas with zero militant presence and, consequently, zero army footprint. But, zero footprint or no, the army consistently stonewalled any determined bid to remove the AFSPA by invoking worst-case security scenarios should the Act be lifted, even if partially.
Earlier in 2011, with militancy-related fatalities down to 183, the then General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 15 Corps in Srinagar, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain, had even highlighted the unlikely possibility of Kashmir becoming an independent nation by 2014 should the AFSPA be withdrawn. The army typically becomes more fearful anytime it perceives a threat from the potential power vacuum that the repeal of the AFSPA would create. Lt General Hasnain, in fact, raised the bogey when many in the UPA government, including the then home minister P Chidambaram, were inclined to review the Act.
Does planned Army pullback mean peace?
Contemplated withdrawal of Army from Anantnag and Kulgam is telling. Both are districts in South Kashmir which has been a stronghold of militancy since 2014 when the then Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani revived a flagging militancy by using social media. Ever since the withdrawal of J&K autonomy, more than 500 militants have been killed, most of them local youth and hailing from South Kashmir. This has considerably thinned the footprint of militancy in the area helping restore some peace.
A recent report by the Ministry of Home Affairs underlines the transformation in Kashmir over the last four years on economic and security fronts. The change has happened incrementally over the period with violence declining sharply, reaching its lowest last year.
In 2022, the MHA review said that the union territory witnessed “a 54 percent reduction in terrorist incidents, a 22 percent drop in recruitment of militants and 84 percent decline in the deaths of security forces.” In real terms, the militancy-related violence has decreased from 417 incidents in 2018 to 229 in 2021 while the number of slain security personnel had reduced from 91 in 2018 to 42 in 2021.
On the development front, the report says that the BJP government at the centre has brought an investment of Rs 56,000 crores in just three years. Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package in Jammu, the report mentions, J&K got about 63 projects in hydroelectricity at a cost of Rs 80,000 crore.
One biggest indicator of the new normalcy, as highlighted by the home minister, has been the growth of tourism, And last year is said to have broken all previous records. According to the tourism department officials, the number of tourists Kashmir received this year is the highest so far – over one crore – beating by far even the pre-turmoil period record. This has generated employment for the thousands of people who had lost their jobs during Covid pandemic. Going forward, the situation looks set to only improve further, hopefully with all other political and social drivers of the place remaining unchanged.
But this still hasn’t brought the government around to holding elections in the union territory. In January, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that the assembly elections in the union territory will be held with various factors in mind, including “weather and security concerns.” The CEC said that the delimitation process and the revision of electoral rolls in the union territory has been completed. Similarly, returning officers and additional electoral registration officers have also been appointed.
At the time the CEC spoke, Kashmir was in the middle of winter, and now it is the onset of spring but there is still no word on the holding of Assembly election in the union territory. And as for the security, Kashmir is now a considerably more peaceful place, a surprising turn of events which the government boasts about as its singular achievement following the withdrawal of the region’s special status. So, now, in a sense, is the ideal time for the Assembly polls.
J&K has not had an elected government since June 2018, when the Governor’s rule was imposed after the PDP-led coalition government lost its majority following the withdrawal of support by the BJP. The last four years have witnessed a drastic political makeover of the state-turned-union territory, so much so that in many aspects, the current J&K bears little resemblance to what it was pre-August 2019.
This should normally pave the way for the polls but this doesn’t seem to be the case. For some reason, the elections keep getting deferred. More so, at a time when there is a palpable desire for polls in the region. If deferred further, there will be little scope for the polls considering general elections are due to be held in May 2024. So, the decision to withdraw the Army means little if it doesn’t lead to redeeming changes on the ground in Kashmir.
There is a need for all stakeholders, particularly men, to shoulder responsibility to bridge the gender gap. Men should be prepared to use their privilege to support gender equality.
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8 to focus on the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and crime against women. The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is ‘Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender equal future’.
Notwithstanding the celebrations over Women’s Day year after year in India, gender pay gap is a persistent issue with women often earning significantly less than men for performing the same work. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, women in India earn just 71% of what men earn. This disparity is not only unfair, but it also has a significant impact on the economic stability and growth of the country.
Miffed over the report, the Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani had led an Indian delegation to Davos and the World Economic Forum (WEF) agreed take into account the participation of women at panchayat level to rank countries in its future Global Gender Gap reports, which will enhance India’s position at the global level. The international body is re-examining and changing the indices for the ranking according to a written assurance given to Smriti Irani. She had questioned the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index assessment which ranked India at 135th place in terms of gender parity. Irani had said the Index failed to take into account the political empowerment and financial inclusion of women at the grassroots level.
However, the WEF report is not alone in indicting us. According to a report by the International Labour Organisation, the gender pay gap in India stands at 27% as of 2023. This means that, on average, women in India earn 73% of what men earn for doing the same job. This gap is even wider in certain industries, such as the technology sector, where women earn just 60% of what men earn.
Ironically even in the technology sector, there is a gender gap. Despite the fact that women make up nearly 30% of the Indian technology workforce, they are often paid less than their male counterparts. A study by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) found that women in technology roles earn 29% less than men, with the gap being even wider at the senior management level. This disparity is not only unfair, but it also limits the potential for economic growth in the sector, as it discourages women from entering the sunrise technology sector in India.
Another example of the gender pay gap in India is the disparity in the retail sector. A study by the Retailers Association of India found that women make up for 70% of its retail workforce in India, but they are often paid less than men for performing the same work. The study found that women earn just 67% of what men earn in the retail sector, with the gap being even wider at the upper management level. This disparity not only limits the potential for economic growth in the retail sector, but it also has a significant impact on the economic stability of women and their families.
One of the main reasons for the gender pay gap in India is the lack of women in leadership position in India. According to a report by McKinsey, just 14% of senior-level positions in India are held by women. This lack of representation at the top levels of organizations leads to a lack of role models for women and a lack of policies and practices that support gender equality. The gender pay gap in India is not only an economic issue but also a societal one, as it is deeply rooted in cultural and societal biases.
The struggle to achieve gender equality and bridge the gap between men and women is a long and difficult one. The last Global Gender Gap Index for 2022 placed India at 135th spot out of 146 countries. India’s ranking in 2021 was 140 out of 156 countries. The Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four dimensions: economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival, and political empowerment. India ranks poorly among its neighbours and is behind Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bhutan. Only Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan perform worse than India in the region.
There have been enough numbers from the ground to indicate that India, with a female population of approximately 66 crore, has faltered on the road to gender parity. The best way to improve India’s abysmal ranking is to do it right by women. For that, it is imperative to increase representation of women in leadership positions at all levels so that women get greater access to jobs and resources. It is up to the Government to move beyond tokenisms and help women overcome staggering economic and social barriers.
It’s a time to celebrate the achievements of women, whether social, political, economic or cultural. On International Women’s Day we have to remember that as long as one woman faces discrimination, harassment, inequality or oppression, there will be no purpose in celebrating the Day.
Every child deserves to reach her or his full potential, but gender inequalities in their lives and in the lives of those who care for them hinder this reality. Wherever they live girls and boys see gender inequality in their homes and communities every day – in textbooks, in movies, in the media and among the men and women who provide their care and support. Across India, gender inequality results in unequal opportunities, and while it impacts on the lives of both genders, statistically it is girls that are the most disadvantaged.
In India, girls and boys experience adolescence differently. While boys tend to experience greater freedom, girls tend to face extensive limitations on their ability to move freely and to make decisions affecting their work, education, marriage and social relationships. As girls and boys age, the gender barriers continue to expand and continue into adulthood where we see only a quarter of women in the formal workplace.
The tasks are cut to reduce excess female mortality under five, improving nutrition of women and girls, gender responsive support to enable out-of-school girls to learn and enabling more gender-responsive curricula and pedagogy, ending child marriage and ensuring girls’ access to menstrual hygiene. On its part, the government has launched schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to ensure the protection, survival and education of the girl child. To bring women in the mainstream of political leadership at the grass root level, the government has reserved 33% of the seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions for women. Capacity Building of Panchayat Stakeholders including Elected Women Representatives is conducted with a view to empowering women to participate effectively in the governance processes.
There is a need for all stakeholders particularly men to shoulder this responsibility to bridge the gender gap. It’s time for everyone, regardless of gender or gender identity, to celebrate the progress that women have made towards equality. Men should be prepared to use their privilege to support gender equality. Feminism isn’t just about improving the lives of women, it’s about dismantling all damaging gender stereotypes and roles. Achieving gender equality should be as important for men as it is for women.
The UK government’s response came after the MPs, mainly from the Opposition benches, condemned the hitherto silence of the Conservative government and asked what diplomatic steps had been taken to convey the country’s opposition to the raids, writes Mudit Mathur
The British government has strongly shielded the BBC and its editorial freedom in the House of Commons over the Income-Tax department’s three-day long survey operations at the UK-headquartered media corporation’s New Delhi and Mumbai offices following the release of the BBC documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The UK government has for the first time publicly defended the BBC since the turmoil over its controversial two-part documentary–“India: The Modi Question.”
David Rutley, parliamentary under-secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office, said in a House of Commons debate, “We stand up for the BBC. We fund the BBC. We think the BBC World Service is vital. We want the BBC to have that editorial freedom. It criticises us, it criticises the Labour party, and it has that freedom that we believe is so important. That freedom is key, and we want to be able to communicate its importance to our friends across the world, including the Government in India.” He added, “The UK has wide-ranging conversations with the Indian government. These issues have absolutely been raised as part of those conversations”.
The UK government’s response came after the Members of Parliament, mainly from the Opposition benches, condemned the hitherto silence of the Conservative government and asked what diplomatic steps had been taken to convey the UK government’s opposition to the “raids” and what steps were being taken to “protect the BBC World Service from intimidation?”
“As everyone in this House will be aware, the BBC is quite rightly operationally and editorially independent from His Majesty’s Government. While I cannot comment on the allegations made by India’s Income Tax Department, the BBC has said that it is supporting its staff in its Indian offices and co-operating with the Indian authorities to resolve this matter as soon as possible,” Rutley informed.
“Respect for the rule of law is an essential element of an effective democracy, as are an independent media and freedom of speech. They make countries stronger and more resilient. That is why we regularly engage with and support different parts of India’s media,” he contended, citing an example of the annual south Asia journalism fellowship programme, under the flagship Chevening brand, which includes over 60 Indian alumni.
Rutley further dwelled on significant UK-Indo diplomatic ties. “The UK regards India as an important international partner, and His Majesty’s Government is investing heavily in strengthening our ties,” he said.
Raising supplementary query on the response of the Minister, Jim Shannon said, “Let us be clear that this was a deliberate act of intimidation following the release of an unflattering documentary about the country’s leader. Since its release, there has been a concerted effort to prevent the documentary from being screened in India. Take-down notices issued to Twitter and YouTube have resulted in an India-wide ban of the documentary on those platforms. There has been suppression of the freedom of expression of the media and journalists. When students from universities across the country have tried to organise screenings of the documentary on university campuses, dozens have been arrested, while others face internet blackouts through power cuts.”
“As the raids on the BBC offices commenced, the Bharatiya Janata party spokesperson issued a statement that said: The BBC indulges in anti-India propaganda. India is a country which gives an opportunity to every organisation as long as you do not spew venom,” Shannon added.
“These raids have all the appearance of a reprisal against the BBC…They have come at a time when independent media are being hounded more and more, and when pluralism is shrinking in India,” Shannon said.
“The raids happened seven days ago. Since then—I say this respectfully—there has been silence from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. No Government statements have been issued, and it has taken an urgent question to encourage the Government to condemn this blatant attack on press freedoms. Alarmingly, the raids happened hours after the Government signed a trade deal with India. That has led to allegations that the silence from the Government is due to the proximity of the raids to that deal. In conclusion, can the Minister tell me and the House whether the Government intends to summon the Indian high commissioner, so that his counterparts can raise the issue with him?” asked Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member for Strangford, Jim Shannon.
In reply, David Rutley said, “I noted a bit of coughing going on, which will give him a clue to a few things. The UK’s support for media freedom is well known. Media freedom and freedom of speech are essential elements of robust democracies. As I said in my opening remarks, I cannot comment on the specifics of the allegations, because the BBC is cooperating with the Indian authorities on the matter, and as the BBC has said, this is an ongoing investigation and it would be inappropriate for it to comment further.”
Sir Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, redrawing the attention of the House, said, “The very important work done by the BBC Monitoring service. Does not this extremely worrying raid on the BBC, in a country as advanced and potentially well disposed towards this country as India, once again illustrates the importance of not placing too much reliance on sources in countries on which we are reporting, because there is always the potential for action to be taken against local sources? Services such as Monitoring should have strong representation in this country, to guard against disturbing events of the sort that we have seen.”
Rutley, while addressing Sir Julian Lewis’s concerns, said, “I highlight that we believe that the BBC plays an important role. The FCDO funds services in 12 languages, including four Indian languages: Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi and Telugu. It will continue to do so, because it is important to ensure that our voice—and an independent voice, through the BBC—is heard throughout the world.”
Fabian Hamilton, the Labour MP for Leeds North East,while expressing his concern over the issue saying, “India has a rich heritage and is rightly proud of its place as the world’s largest democracy. However, in a democracy with true media freedoms, criticism cannot be shut down unnecessarily and freedom of expression must be protected at all costs. Last week’s raids on the BBC in India are therefore deeply worrying, regardless of the official narrative on why they took place. The BBC is a globally respected broadcaster, rightly renowned for its high-quality, trustworthy reporting. It should be free to report and operate without intimidation. We Opposition Members are particularly worried about reports that BBC staff were forced to stay in their offices overnight, and have faced lengthy questioning. In any democracy, the media must have the ability to criticise and scrutinise political leaders without fear of repercussions.”
David Rutley in reply said, “It is because of our broad and deep relationship with India that we are able to discuss a wide range of issues in a constructive manner with its government. As part of those conversations, this issue has been raised and we continue to monitor the situation.”
Participating in the debate, Drew Hendry, MP of the Scottish National Party (SNP) for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said, “The SNP condemns this alarming attack on the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. The BBC World Service is a renowned and respected news outlet. For decades it has shone a light on global affairs, including human rights abuses and undemocratic practices.”
“Human rights abuses, discrimination and governmental scapegoating against India’s religious minorities are well documented. Political transparency and freedom of press are essential, but the BJP seems content to violate those principles. Does the Minister agree that additional funding is now necessary to ensure that the BBC World Service’s independent and unbiased radio broadcasts in Hindi are not cut? Given these appalling raids, will the FCDO reconsider its approach to negotiations on the release of Jagtar Singh Johal, for whom the softly-softly approach does not seem to be working?” Hendry remarked.
Responding to the observations and queries raised by Scottish parliamentarian, Rutley said, “As I said in answer to a previous question, the Government have put a package of funding together for the World Service, and the FCDO has provided funding particularly for those four languages I highlighted earlier, because we believe it is vital for the BBC to have that independent voice and to have the reassurance that it can carry on its work.”
Other parliamentarians who participated in the debate include Hilary Benn, Labour MP for Leeds Central, Martin Docherty-Hughes, the Scottish National Party MP for West Dunbartonshire, Afzal Khan, the Labour MP for Manchester, Gorton, Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the Labour MP for Slough.
Madam Deputy Speaker, Dame Rosie Winterton chaired the proceedings concluded with thanks to Minister Rutley for answering urgent questions.
