Culture & Nationalism
Haridwar and after: Silences, past and present, have enabled genocides https://scroll.in/article/1014076/haridwar-and-after-silences-past-and-present-have-enabled-genocides By failing to act decisively against the calls for Muslims to be killed, the Indian government has signalled its assent. Reese Ister 10/1/2022
From December 17 to 19, a gathering that, unironically, called itself the “Dharam Sansad”, was organised in Haridwar. At this gathering, open calls and violent speeches for the genocide of Muslims were given by the speakers and organisers.
“Without taking up arms, no community on earth can save themselves or others…,” said Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, the mahant of a temple. “Economic boycott won’t work. Hindu groups need to update themselves. Swords look good only for presentation on stage. This battle will be won by those with better weapons than their enemies. All of you good young people should have good weapons.”
Annapurna Maa, mahamandleshwar of the Niranjini Akhada and general secretary of the Hindu Mahasabha, said, “If you want to finish off their [Muslims] population, then we are ready to kill them and go to jail... If 100 of you become soldiers then we kill 20 lakh of them; we will be victorious and ready to do to jail. Keep your books/studies aside and pick up weapons, this is my suggestion to the Dharam Sansad.”
Anand Swaroop , of the Shankaracharya Parishad, said, “If the governments do not listen to our demands that emerge from this Dharam Sansad, we will wage a war far scarier than the 1857 revolt.” The demands to which was referring were the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra through violence against minorities as demanded by the Hindu Mahasabha in 1915.
Swami Prabodhanand, the president of the Hindu Raksha Sena, said, “Get ready to kill or get killed, there is no other option now. Just like in Myanmar, every Hindu, including Police, Army, Politician should pick up their weapons start the cleaning campaign like it happened in Myanmar [referring to the Rohingya genocide]. Get prepared for that.”
This is what is most frightening. The leader of the country has remained silent. Silence, in the face of this, is assent. Silence, by the country’s leader, is permission. Silence is agreement. This is not a fringe group with their calls for genocide. This silence says the government is willing, the government of India wills it.
Elie Wiesel, during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 1986, said, “Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented”. Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Holocaust, knows of which he speaks.
They are watching. They hear the silence. The government’s silence. Our silence. They know they can do more. They will rachet this up. They will stop just speaking and they will start doing.
BREAKING : Supreme Court Agrees To Hear PIL Seeking Action Against Haridwar Dharm Sansad Anti-Muslim Hate Speeches LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK 10 Jan 2022 https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-pil-seeking-action-against-haridwar-dharm-sansad-anti-muslim-hate-speeches-189129
Supreme Court Agrees To Hear PIL Seeking Action Against Haridwar Dharm Sansad Anti-Muslim Hate Speeches
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-pil-seeking-action-against-haridwar-dharm-sansad-anti-muslim-hate-speeches-189129 10 Jan 2022
The petitioners argue that the speeches would pass the 'spark in a powder keg' test as the Supreme Court had held in Ragarajan v. P. Jagjeevan Ram and Ors. (1989) 2 SCC 574 - "...The anticipated danger should not be remote, conjectural or far fetched. It should have proximate and direct nexus with the expression. The expression of thought should be intrinsically dangerous to the public interest. In other words, the expression should be inseparably locked up with the action contemplated like the equivalent of a "spark in a powder keg"."
Genocide: The Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to which Indian is a signatory. Article I of the Convention reads "The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish."
Role of Police: The Petitioners emphasised that the guidelines laid down by the Apex Court in Tehseen Poonawalla (supra) are also not followed by the State functionaries - "42. We may emphatically note that it is axiomatic that it is the duty of the State to ensure that the machinery of law and order functions efficiently and effectively in maintaining peace so as to preserve our quintessentially secular ethos and pluralistic social fabric in a democratic set-up governed by rule of law. In times of chaos and anarchy, the State has to act positively and responsibly to safeguard and secure the constitutional promises to its citizens. The horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be permitted to inundate the law of the land. Earnest action and concrete steps have to be taken to protect the citizens from the recurrent pattern of violence which cannot be allowed to become "the new normal"."
Guidelines: guidelines set out in Tehseen Poonawalla (supra) to be followed by the police authorities, which include -
The appointment of a designated nodal officer, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police for taking measures to prevent prejudice-motivated crimes like mob violence and lynching.
If an incident of lynching or mob violence comes to the notice of the local police, the jurisdictional police station shall immediately lodge and FIR, without any undue delay, under the relevant provisions of law.
It shall be the duty of the Station House Officer, in whose police station such FIR is registered, to forthwith intimate the Nodal Officer in the district who shall, in turn, ensure that there is no further harassment of the family members of the victim(s).
Investigation in such offences shall be personally monitored by the Nodal Officer who shall be duty bound to ensure that the investigation is carried out effectively and the charge- sheet in such cases is filed within the statutory period from the date of registration of the FIR or arrest of the accused, as the case may be.
There should be a scheme to compensate victims of such prejudice-motivated violence.
Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 20(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 20(2) specifically condemns hate speech as under -
"Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law."
IIT-Kharagpur calendar calls Aryan invasion a myth https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/iit-calendar-on-aryan-invasion-myth-is-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-professor/article38065010.ece
Damini Nath , DECEMBER 29, 2021
The calendar, titled “Recovery of the Foundations of Indian Knowledge Systems”, covers the topics of “recognition of the secret of the Vedas” and “reinterpretation of the Indus Valley Civilisation”, apart from the portion on the ‘Aryan invasion’.
The claims made in the calendar came in for severe criticism on social media from writers and those who have been engaged with the issue. Author of the book Early Indians Tony Joseph commented on Twitter on December 26 about “the distressing transformation of centres of excellence”. He cited the 2019 genetic study ‘The Formation of Human Populations in South & Central Asia’ which, he stated, was an example of the “strong, multi-disciplinary evidence for migration of Central Asian Steppe pastoralists into the Indian subcontinent between 2,000 and 1,500 BCE”.
According to Professor Sen, the wrong information in textbooks had “destroyed pillars of national confidence”. “The people with a real scientific bent of mind have appreciated the calendar. There will always be an uncle in the family who is conditioned in the old ways who will have a problem,” he observed.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/iit-calendar-on-aryan-invasion-myth-is-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-professor/article38065010.ece/amp/ The claims made in the calendar came in for severe criticism on social media from writers and those who have been engaged with the issue. Author of the book Early Indians Tony Joseph commented on Twitter on December 26 about “the distressing transformation of centres of excellence”. He cited the 2019 genetic study ‘The Formation of Human Populations in South & Central Asia’ which, he stated, was an example of the “strong, multi-disciplinary evidence for migration of Central Asian Steppe pastoralists into the Indian subcontinent between 2,000 and 1,500 BCE”.
THE ARYAN INVASION MYTH THAT NEVER WAS – Part 1 by Prof. Joy Sen, IIT Kharagpur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_EZOgvZZQs Aug 26, 2019 Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9XGcX0QBeI
THE ARYAN INVASION MYTH THAT NEVER WAS – Part 1 (Body of 7 evidences): Prof. Joy Sen in conversation with Research Scholars Ms. Tanima Bhattacharya and Mouli Majumdar and Technical research assistant Mr. Utsab Putatunda
The Aryan Invasion Myth can be disapproved in terms of seven evidences, mainly,
1) The existence of a double ladder of historical chronology (both involution and evolution-driven and following a cyclic pattern of Golden-to-Iron ages in the Vedic literature as against the Darwinian or linear mode of western paradigm of evolution only);
2) The primacy / presence of the supreme God as the Mother, i.e., Aditi, Matariswan, Vak, Illa, Saraswati, Mahi and many others, as against the male chauvinistic predominance in Western and Semitic religions;
3) The realization (gnosis or becoming to being) of Original divinity by the Vedic seers (every soul is potentially divine/ the latent presence of Chaitya Purusha) as against the separation of mind and body based on the idea of ‘Original sin’ in Western and Semitic religions;
4) The antiquity of the 2nd portion of the Atharva Veda (Bhargabi or Samhita of Kavya Ushana/ Sukracharya) as the very Gatha of Prophet Zarathusthra, who has been dated by a large handful of 500 – 200 BCE Green historians like Diogenes, Plutarch, Plato and others, to a time that is 5000 BCE prior to the Battle of Troy (1187 BCE) – which is also a date that defies Western tradition of Aryan invasion (1700 BCE);
5) the eastern primacy of languages (syntax, semantics and semiotics) and civilization in regions east of Chandraketugarh, Chandipur, Chandpur and Chandranath (undivided Bengal or West Bengal, Bangladesh and Tripura), which have been traced as the seat of the lunar dynasty (Chandravamsi kings of Ilas/ Ailas); and this is quite in opposition or reciprocal to the Western predominance of the role of Indus Valley civilization in Indian history;
6) A key role of the twin intender (absolute and positional) of India’s mathematical system and number system consisting of a) sunya (cipher (zero or 0)) and b) adwaitam (unity and 1) that inspired Voltaire, Laplace, Kepler and Galileo; as Muhammad bin-Al-Khwarashmi first translated the Indian books on mathematics in Sanskrit to Arabic, and then by others to Latin in Iberia ; proves the dasam and dasagwa of the 10th system of the Rig Veda is the foundation of binary and decimal systems; and
7) the impact of the descent of Sri Aurobindo’s Hierarchy of Minds and Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs on the role of evolution (catharsis, therapeutics, purgation) in Indian music is original and pioneering – leading to a departure from Melody (Omkar to Ragas) to Harmony in early Greek Music (Lydian, Lycian, Locrian and others), which was much before later Western Musical structure on dispersed harmonic system was formed.
Additionally, the presentation upholds the fact that the semantics and semiotics of the symbol of Vedic Swastika, which is also a key seal in the Indus Valley civilization, makes the two time periods complementary and synonymous, along with other symbols like the unicorn, nava-graha-mandala (nine square matrix) and others.
New approaches of decoding symbols of the past has been forwarded by the Science and Heritage initiative (SandHI), Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. Even though races have in-migrated and out-migrated to and from the greater Indian sub-continent, it does not matter. Evidences by virtue of racial supremacy and genetics are therefore no good to establish the sovereign ideals of altruism, universal assimilation, acceptance and philanthropy based on the complete Vedic spiritual realization of the Rishis (seers and sages).
The seven evidences collectively disapprove the forgery and manipulation of the Aryan invasion Myth leveraged by the Colonial rulers, and still finding a place in our history and allied text books in India. Once the mistakes and the forgery are erased, a spirit of true national confidence shall be restored. But more important is an opening of all humanity to the greatest of ideals that the Aryan Rishis had realized and practiced.
Slide presentation in the previous video - with commentary by Prof Sen.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6HDSInpUhU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcxJlGXe7wA Prof Romila Thapar on how History should be approached and the Aryans- Part 5 Feb 13, 2015
Professor Romila Thapar in Conversation with Teesta Setalvad ( Full Interview) Mar 10, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCDnX2DMu8M In an exhaustive and incisive interview Professor Romila Thapar, Emeritus Professor of History at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Hon D.Litt in both the University of Oxford and University of Chicago speaks to Teesta Setalvad in her special show on Communalism Combat.
Missionaries of Charity FCRA Denial Due to 'Audit Irregularities': Report https://www.thequint.com/news/india/missionaries-of-charity-fcra-denial-audit-irregularities-report FCRA registration of MoC not renewed because of "audit irregularities", a govt official said, as per The Hindu. The Quint 29 Dec 2021
Prior reports had claimed that the MoC's bank accounts were frozen, and taking to Twitter, West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee had expressed shock over the same. Later, several international media houses of repute, such as The Guardian, BBC, Time, also highlighted the issue. This is not the first time a charitable organisation or rights group had lost its license to receive funding for its activities from overseas donors. Last year, the Indian government froze the accounts of Greenpeace and Amnesty International.
Various Posts on what apps
MC sisters have.clarified that their FCRA has not been renewed. Their acs have not been frozen, but their accountant or lawyer has told them that by way of abundant caution, they should not operate their account or even utilise any of their balanced.. with accountants like these who needs the bjp?
The way I see it, the right wing has been raising the bar to absurd levels, so that people get outraged and then they get assuaged when it is shown that is was an exaggeration. In any case most bureaucrats always bend backwards, and so they go overboard. The top brass of the BJP does not want to clarify, beause it suits their purpose.. ie creating fear, anxiety and a situation which get people to comply.. So the truth is that Christians will have to show their spine..
STATEMENT
Vicar General, Archdiocese of Calcutta, Fr. Dominic Gomes
In freezing the bank accounts of Missionaries of Charity Sisters and Brothers congregations, Government agencies have given a cruel Christmas gift to the poorest of the poor. Besides over 22000 direct dependants and beneficiaries at their centres across the country, MC Sisters and Brothers reach out to uplift thousands and are often the only friends of the lepers and social outcast no one will even venture near. Overlooking the fact MCs of St. Mother Teresa give up all worldly goods, sleep on the floor and, and earn no money – giving whatever they have in service to the poorest in every corner of the earth, especially our poorest of Indians - this latest attack on the Christian Community and their social outreach is even more a dastardly attack on the poorest of India’s poor, who the MC congregation serves.
We condemn the Government action against the MC and are appalled by the timing and lack of empathy to consider the humanitarian disaster this decision will cause.
_Note: The bogey of “Conversion” always been raised as justification, is more than patently false, boggles the mind with its incredulity – had any Christian organisation seriously tried to “convert” with the efficiency they run their educational, medical and social intuitions; there would indeed be many more Christians converted in the 2000 years Christianity has been on Indian soil that the 2.3% minority today. Christianity, across the globe – is not defined by conversion, but by their unappalled love for their neighbour in action through their social outreach and social justice in society.
Anti-Christian Hysteria Has Grown: Foreign Media on Missionaries of Charity Row "Christian pastors
have been attacked & church services disrupted in recent months," The Guardian report read. https://www.thequint.com/news/india/international-media-reaction-india-denying-fcra-renewal-missionaries-of-charity
The Quint 28 Dec 2021,
he Washington Post quoted Bishop M Jagjivan, moderator of the National Christian Council, highlighting that what were once routine foreign-funding approvals are now increasingly being rejected forcing institutions, including church-run orphanages to be shut down. Jagjivan was quoted as saying, “They are thinking that opposing Christianity is patriotism."
CRA nod for Missionaries of Charity restored https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fcra-nod-for-missionaries-of-charity-restored/article38179117.ece Vijaita Singh JANUARY 08, 2022
The move comes just days after the Ministry issued a statement that the FCRA registration of the MoC was not renewed as “some adverse inputs were noticed”.
The registration was renewed, making MoC eligible to receive and utilise foreign funds in its bank accounts even as the U.K Parliament debated the issue, seeking to know if the British government had raised the issue of blocking of overseas funds of the MoC and other NGOs with India.
How Modi’s BJP Ensures that the Two-Nation Theory Flourishes in India Ramachandra Guha
December 26, 2021 https://janataweekly.org/how-modis-bjp-ensures-that-the-two-nation-theory-flourishes-in-india/
After Amit Shah became home minister in May 2019, the stigmatisation and humiliation of Muslims have become active ingredients in the policies of the Union government. This has been manifest in, among other things, the abolition of India’s only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir, in the proposal for a National Register of Citizens, and in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act whose leaving out of Muslims from the list of potential refugees was calculated as well as spiteful.
Fundamentalists of different faiths always feed off one another, but for the home minister of India to be playing this game is a dangerous thing indeed.
Back in the 1940s, Jinnah and the Muslim League claimed that Indian Muslims needed a separate country of their own to live safely and with honour. Now, in the 2020s, the Bharatiya Janata Party of Modi and Shah believes that Hindus in India must continually assert their economic, political, and ideological dominance over Muslims. This places them strikingly at odds with the legacy of Gandhi and Nehru, who sought to build a nation where Hindus and Muslims could live together in friendship and solidarity.