1. FESTIVAL: Geeta Jayanti is celebrated
every year on Margshirsha Shukla Ekadashi, this year it falls on 6th
December. The "Bhagavad Gita" was revealed to Arjuna by Sri Krishna
himself in the battlefield of Kurukshetra (in present day Haryana, Bharat) a
little over 5000 years ago. The text is written in third person, narrated by
Sanjaya to King Dhritarashtra as it transpired between Sri Krishna and Arjuna.
Sanjaya, the secretary of the blind King Dhritarashtra, had been blessed by his
Guru, Vyasadev, with the power to remotely view the events taking place on the
battlefield as they transpired. On this occasion, reciting of Geeta and
discourses based on it are propagated all over world by eminent scholars. Some
organizations also distribute copies of the Gita for free to promote the
message of this Holy Scripture.
2. ‘RSS TO CELEBRATE 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
OF VIVEKANANDA’ – H. DATTATREYA: Sri
Dattatreya Hosabale, Joint General Secretary of RSS addressed Press Persons on
October 22nd, at Bangalore.
“It will be the 150th birth anniversary of
Swami Vivekananda on January 12 of 2013. Sangh has decided to launch large
scale nationwide celebrations on Vivekananda during this year. This task will
be headed by Swami Vivekananda Kendra of Kanyakumari. “Even after 150 years, Vivekananda
is still an inspiration for social workers” says Dattaji. The issues focused
will be Vivekanda and his thoughts on Women, Youth and Rural Bharat.
Vivekananda was very much keen on Rural development specifically the upliftment
of poor and backwards. His quotes like ‘Daridra Devobhava’ symbolises his
deeper concerns on common man,” Dattaji opined.
While informing about the deliberations at
the Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal baithak held at Gorakhpur, Datta ji said that RSS is to
launch campaign from November 1st till November 20th against the proposed
Communal and Targeted Violence Prevention Bill-2011 which is fabricated to appease minority. RSS already
condemned and clarified the stand on the bill saying that it is an anti-Hindu
Bill.
3. DADHICHI
BLOOD DONATION: A GRAND SUCCESS: A very unique scheme DADHICHI BLOOD DONATION was organized
by Hindu Help Line on October 30, 2011 all over Bharat at over 1000 locations.
In all states Over 5000 places DADHICHI BLOOD DONATION had taken place &
around 1,00,000 blood donors were
expected to donate blood on the same day!
Renowned Cancer Surgeon & VHP International Secretary General
inaugurated Dadhichi blood donation in Delhi.
In U.P. Devaria the DM himself inaugurated the
blood donation and in Patiala
the SSP inaugurated and donated blood himself. Cutting castes, creed, gender,
posts & social stratum, all have come ahead to make a difference under
Hindu Help Line’s blood donation to give life to the needy through blood!
DADHICHI
BLOOD DONATION scheme has been tied up with Blood Banks & Hospitals at over
Bharat. The blood received in this will be made available to the hospitals
& blood banks as listed with Hindu Help Line centrally & also with the
Hindu Help Line Conveners at various locations.
4. NAVY
TO DEPLOY AIRCRAFT, SHIPS IN MALDIVES ZONE: As part of its plan to increase its presence in the Bharatiya Ocean
and help the littoral countries on its rim, the Bharatiya Navy will deploy
aircraft and ships in Maldives
starting October 19. The Navy is already undertaking patrolling and
reconnaissance missions in Seychelles
and Mauritius; while a
Dornier aircraft of the Bharatiya Navy will be deployed for three weeks in Male
for anti-piracy maritime reconnaissance and patrolling and protecting the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Maldives, sources said.
Bharatiya Ocean has
assumed strategic importance for Bharat as most important sea lanes including Malacca Strait pass through it. Moreover, piracy off Somalia in the Gulf of Aden is posing a serious
challenge to sea trade and Bharat along with navies of the world including the US, UK,
France and China is
patrolling the 500 nautical mile piracy infested channel.
5. EKAL
FOUNDATION TO PLANT 10 LAKH SAPLINGS WITHIN A YEAR: Keeping the importance of trees in mind, Ekal
Vidyalaya Foundation has undertaken sapling plantation programme under its
Swabhimaan Jaagran Abhiyaan. Central office-bearer of Swabhimaan Jaagran
Abhiyaan Lalan Kumar Sharma informed that the foundation has vowed to plant 10
lakh saplings in the coming year.
Student
who plants the sapling will also tag his name with the sapling so that his
emotional relation will be maintained with that plant. When the sapling will
turn into a tree, it will give a great satisfaction to that student. A variety
of saplings such as medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc will be
included in the drive. Saplings that will give furniture wood will also be
included. This will help in the propagation of a variety of plants at various
places in the country.
The
drive was initiated on the occasion of World Environment Day at Shri Santram
Mandir, Nadiyad (Gujarat). Pujya Swamiji
planted a neem sapling in the temple premises in presence of Central
Incharge of Ekal Movement Shyam Guptaji and others.
Paryavaran
Sanrakshan Sankalp Yatra was also organized to mark the occasion. Kendriya
karyakartas and Pollution Control Board officials participated in the
procession with great enthusiasm.
6. SHRI
EKADASHA RUDRA JAPAM BY VHP AUSTRALIA will be organized for world
peace on 13 November,
2011 between 7:00 am – 1:30 pm at Shri Shiva Mandir – 201 Eagleview Road Minto, NSW 2566. VHP
Australia is doing various projects to "Preserve the authenticity of the
teachings of Hindu Dharma and pass that heritage on to future
generations". All proceedings will go to Vishva Hindu Parishad of
Australia for promoting “Hindu Dharma” classes in NSW Public Schools,
Sydney Veda Patasala, Sanskrit Classes for children, youth and adult.
7. 102-YEAR-OLD
WOMAN ELECTED AS WARD MEMBER IN TN: At an age when most would happily retire to
the company of their loved ones and recount tales of the days gone by, a
102-year-old woman has been elected as their ward member by the residents of
Pudukulam village in Madurai district of Tamilnadu district in the recent civic
polls held in the State. Hundred and two year-old Thadahathi has dispensed medical
care to the village for decades and won the elections due to her positive
attitude, according to P Muthuramalingam, President of the village. "She
would go and help any person in distress voluntarily," he said when asked
how they expected a candidate as old as Thadahathi to be an active worker for
them. "Even at the age of 102 she works in the field and is a beneficiary
of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. She is an expert
'Maruthuvatchi' (village doctor who is conversant with traditional medicine)
also, and has helped the local women deliver nearly 1,000 babies." The
centenarian is also the oldest elected member in the local bodies in the State.
8. TRADITION
SHOULD BE MAINTAINED ABOUT TEMPLE TREASURE: ADVANI: BJP leader L K Advani on October 29 said tradition
should be maintained with regard to the huge treasures found in the vaults of
the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and praised the Travancore Royal family for
keeping such an enormous wealth intact for centuries.
Advani,
in Kerala as part of his Jan Chetana yatra, said it was all the more
significant that the royal family had shown great responsibility, honesty and
uprightness in looking after such a huge wealth, estimated to be worth Rs one
lakh crore, in the atmosphere of corruption in the country. "The royal
family must be complimented and praised", he added.
On
suggestion from certain quarters that part of the wealth should be utilised for
public welfare, Advani said that the tradition of the state and the temple
should be maintained in the matter.
9. HINDU
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS GOES MAINSTREAM: Happy Diwali! Happy Di what? : It's a Hindu holiday -- and an important one --
celebrated this week by Hindus all over the world, including an estimated 2
million in the United States. But do most Americans even know what Diwali is
all about? Many Hindu Americans say no, and they're working to change that, but
not with educational billboards or "A Charlie Brown Diwali" special
on network television.
Instead,
they're encouraging fellow Hindus to be a little more open about their
celebrations -- to tell friends, colleagues and their children's teachers that
Diwali is a big deal within Hinduism, the world's third largest religion.
"Someday
it's my hope that you'll say, `It's Diwali,' and the boss will say, `Oh, OK,
you'll take the day off,"' said Suhag Shukla, managing director of the
Hindu American Foundation. "That's progress -- the feeling that as a
Hindu, you don't have to explain."
Dr.
Rasik Shah, a pediatric lung specialist in New York City, said he used to be a little
shy about taking Diwali off. "But over time," he said, "I have
been a little more bold, a little more vocal. We have to say what we
want." Often, he said, he'll have to explain it.
For
starters, it's the celebration of (one of the many dates for) the Hindu New
Year, not all that different from Judaism's Rosh Hashanah, with equal parts of
Hanukkah's festival of lights and Fourth of July sparklers thrown in. On a
deeper level, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Celebrated by Hindus
and some Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains Diwali draws on the legends of each
religion.
Most
of Bharat, where 80 percent of its 1.2 billion people are Hindu, is off for
Diwali. Families pray at Hindu temples, and deliver their best dishes to
friends. At Diwali parties, there's dancing, variety shows and fireworks.
In
the United States,
the celebrations are more subdued, given the relatively small Hindu population
and -- as many Hindu Americans point out -- stringent laws on fireworks.
Many
U.S. Hindus don't take the holiday off, even the key day, which falls on
Wednesday (Oct. 26) this year. And that's just fine with most Hindu
"pandits" or priests, including Muralidhara Bhatta, the spiritual
leader of Durga Mandir, a Hindutemple in Fairfax,
Va. Bhatta expects a crowd at the
temple on Wednesday night, but in his and many other American Hindu temples,
the biggest celebrations will occur over the weekend, when he expects more than
1,000 people. "What we want is people's involvement," said Bhatta.
"So we'll celebrate in a different way."
Vivek
Dwivedi, a NASA engineer who lives in Maryland,
said he will observe Diwali American-style by taking a half-day off, going to
temple for prayers, decorating his house with Christmas-style lights, and
visiting friends and family.
NASA
and the federal government are good about allowing people to use earned
personal days to celebrate religious holidays, Dwivedi said. Still, he added,
it would be nice if more Americans knew a little about his religion and
culture.
Part
of the problem may be that non-Hindus haven't bothered to learn, but it's also
Hindus themselves, he said. "I don't want to blame the Hindu community,
but maybe Diwali should be advertised better." To that end, he praises
Mindy Kaling, who stars as Kelly Kapoor, a Hindu employee on NBC's hit series
"The Office." An episode called "Diwali," written by
Kaling, centers on the boss's clueless attempts to get his employees to
appreciate Bharatiya culture. The episode, which first aired in 2006,
represents perhaps the brightest spotlight ever shone on Diwali in the United States.
The White House first celebrated the holiday in 2003, and President Obama in
2009 became the first U.S.
president to attend the festivities. Shukla called the gesture significant.
"It
sends a message that Americans of all faiths and of no faith are being
acknowledged," Shukla said.
Raised
in India and New York, Padma Kuppa sees Hindus winning greater recognition and
acceptance in the U.S., but said she has to keep working at it in her adopted
home of Troy, Mich. In Troy, where Hindus make
up a majority of the student body in at least one public school, district
officials readily agreed to avoid scheduling parent-teacher conferences on
Diwali. But then, at her older daughter’s high school, where about 10 percent
of the students are Hindu, they scheduled homecoming on Diwali.
Her
daughter didn’t go to homecoming that year.
“It’s a question of acculturating and
accommodating,” Kuppa said.
(By Lauren Markoe for Religion News Services) 10.
CITIES HAVE MORE WOMEN TODAY THAN EVER: CENSUS: Women constitute a
larger proportion of the population of Bharatiya towns and cities today than
has ever been recorded in Bharatiya history. This startling fact is despite the
child sex ratio (the number of girls for every 1,000 boys in the 0-6 age group)
having fallen alarmingly in recent decades.
Data
from the 2011 census reveals that the population of urban women grew at a brisk
34% in the decade spanning 2001 to 2011. In the same period, their rural
population grew by just over 12%. As a result, the sex ratio for urban areas
jumped from 900 women per 1,000 men in 2001 to 926 in 2011, the highest decadal
increase since Independence.
In rural areas, the sex ratio increased nominally from 946 to 947.
According
to research by the Centre for Women's Development Studies, a Delhi-based
research institution, the answer to this mystery may be in increased migration
of women from rural to urban areas.
11. ITBP
TO RAISE HIGH SPEED BOATS FOR BHARAT -CHINA BORDER PATROL: The ITBP is procuring high speed boats to guard the
water bodies in the Himalayan region.
“We had asked the Government to give us a
water wing so that we can patrol along the large water bodies on the border.
Government has accepted it. We are now raising it. It is not operational yet.
We will be buying high speed boats. Personnel will also be trained for it,”
Director General of ITBP Ranjit Sinha told reporters here on Oct 22.
About
55,000 personnel strong mountain range force guards the 3488 km long Bharat -China border
from Karakoram pass in Ladakh region to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh.
Besides,
it is involved in internal security related duties like anti-Naxal operations,
security of vital installations and VVIPs, election duties and disaster management
among others.
12. BHARAT
SEEKS FAIR TREATMENT OF TRI-VALLEY STUDENTS: Bharatiya ambassador Nirupama Rao has asked US authorities to
view the cases of hundreds of Bharatiya students affected by the closure of
"sham" Tri-Valley University in a "fair and reasonable
manner". The Bharatiya students of Tri-Valley University
have undergone hardship since the closure of the university and their cases
must be viewed in their totality with understanding and in a fair and
reasonable manner, she told US authorities, according to a note put out by the Bharatiya
embassy.
US
authorities have approved the transfer of 435 Bharatiya students of the
California-based Tri-Valley
University to other
institutions, the embassy was informed Friday. While 145 Bharatiya students were
denied transfers and about an equal number were issued with Notices of
Intention to Deny (NOIDs), the remaining cases of transfer are still under
examination.
13. DIWALI ACROSS THE GLOBE: 10 DOWNING STREET
& WHITE HOUSE: Diwali,
a Hindu festival is now being celebrated across the globe as Hindus abroad are
joined in the celebrations by locals, artists, influential businessmen and
heads of states. British Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon David Cameron MP lit
up Diwali celebrations on Thursday 20th
October 2011 when he invited prominent members of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain
communities along with Parliamentarians. The Prime Minister praised the
contribution of Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities in enriching Britain. He
acknowledged their contribution in business, sport and in the Armed Forces. He
felt happy as on that day the Libyan people who had deposed their dictator like
Lord Rama did of Ravana a few thousand years back. He further said the
departure of the Libyan dictator marked the beginning of a new dawn for the
Libyan people. He also said Diwali represented light and knowledge which
conquers darkness as well as ignorance.
Continuing
his Diwali celebrations in White House in 2009, US President Barrack Obama highlighted
the universal message of Diwali of "victory of light over darkness, hope
over despair", while lighting a traditional diya to celebrate Diwali at
the White House complex.
Recalling
his visit in Bharat on the eve of Diwali last year he said,” "Diwali is
the time to celebrate victory of light over darkness, hope over despair.
Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists consider the day sacred. The message of this
day is truly universal,".
Obama
acknowledged the contributions of the Bharatiya -American community in every
field in the country, from New York
taxi drivers to the teenager who won the Google science fair this year.
14. MA.LAKSHMANRAO BHIDE – ADHUNIK
DADHICHI RELEASED: “Shri
Lakshmanrao ji Bhide was the backbone of Sangh work outside Bharat”, said
Vandaniya Pramilatai Medhe while releasing the book on Lakshmanraoji Bhide,
first Sangh pracharak who worked outside Bharat. The book is a Marathi
translation of the Hindi biography written by Shri Yadavrao Deshmukh.
Describing him as flagpost of the work, she narrated how Lakshmanrao ji
insisted on participation of matrishakti in the work. The function was held at
Baljagat, Nagpur
on 29th October 2011. Others present on the dais were Dr.Sadanand
Sapre, sah samyojak Vishwa Vibhag, Dr.Shankarrao Tatwawadi, former samyojak
Vishwa Vibhag, Shri Prabhakarrao Mundle and sister of Lakshmanraoji Durgatai
Phatak.
15. VJ VAGHASIA IS NEW NATIONAL
PRESIDENT OF LAGHU UDYOG BHARATI: Shri VJ Vaghasia was unanimously elected new national
president of Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB). Shri Omprakash Mittal was elected
general secretary, while Shri Ghanshyam Ojha was elected treasurer. The
election took place at the annual general body meeting of LUB held at Aurangabad, Maharashtra,
on September 24.
16. DR VIRENDRA HEGDE RELEASES BOOK ON
SADANAND KAKADE: A
book on veteran VHP leader, late Sadanand Kakade, was released in Bengaluru on
October 15. Dr Virendra Hegde of Dharmasthala
Temple released the book
at Keshavashilpa Hall of Rashtrotthana Parishat. Dr M Rama Jois, former
Governor and Chief Justice of Punjab-Haryana High Court, presided over the
function. Senior RSS Pracharak Shri Chandrashekhara Bhandary spoke on the life
and contribution of Sadanand Kakade, and recalled his contribution for the
growth of VHP work in Karnataka and southern Bharat.
Dr M
Shivakumar Swamy, editor of the book, Sri Babu Rao Desai, VHP central committee
member, Sri Raghav Reddy, treasurer of VHP and several other leaders were also
present at the function. The late Sadanand Kakade was a senior VHP functionary
and dedicated his whole life for the Hindu society. He passed away on July 12,
2010. He hailed from Belgaum
and had joined the RSS at the age of 20. .
17. DIVALI
NAGAR, A HINDU THEME
PARK: The Divali holiday in Trinidad and Tobago coincides with
the 25th anniversary of the Divali Nagar, the first Hindu theme park in the
world.
In
the week leading to Divali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, over ten million
deyas [clay lamps] are lit in homes, temples, offices, streets and parks. This
festival has become the second-largest, open-air, national festival in multi-ethnic
Trinidad and Tobago,
after Carnival.
The
hub of all Divali celebrations in the island is the Divali Nagar site in Central Trinidad, which was established in 1986. Indeed,
the Nagar is the most-frequently visited entertainment centre in the country
during Divali, second only to the Grand Stand in the Queen's Park Savannah
during Carnival.
The
Nagar provides a public stage for local, regional and international performing
artistes. These models, singers, dancers, musicians, choirs and orchestras entertain
locals, as well as visitors from the rest of the world. The Nagar has grown to
epic proportions, attracting many artistes and tourists to this international
spiritual tourist destination. They come from Belize,
Jamaica, St.
Vincent, Grenada,
St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana
and Suriname in the Caribbean. Others come from French Guiana, U.S.A, U.K.,
Holland and Bharat.
For
nine nights, the Nagar is transformed into a blend of the sacred and secular,
where the bustle of commerce mingles with the melody of prayer. Booths showcase
and sell products and services to approximately 150,000 visitors. Commercial
booths sell mainly Bharatiya clothes, footwear, jewellery, accessories, music,
movies, furniture, appliances, and religious and household items. In recent
years, the Nagar has also accommodated an Bharatiya Trade Fair. This is a flea
market operated by about 25 businessmen from Bharat.
18. THOUSANDS
TURN OUT TO WITNESS THE GUYANA
DIWALI MOTORCADE: Thousands
of Guyanese lined up outside the Campbellsville Mandir and along the kitty
seawall to witness the well-lit and designed vehicles with various depictions
of Hindu gods and goddesses which formed part of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic
Sabha’s annual Diwali motorcade last evening.
Some
20 floats participated in the event which started in 1974 by the Sabha’s
president, Reepu Daman Persaud,. Thousands of Guyanese gathered at the la Bonne
intention community centre ground to enjoy the cultural presentations by
various Bharaiya groups and witness the highlight of the festival of Diwali,
the motorcade.
President
of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud said the event
has brought people of all races and religion into a single unit.
He
notes that Diwali is one of the festivals that attract so many persons from all
walks of life in and outside of Guyana.The Pandit said the motorcade showcases
people’s creativity and vision through their depictions.
Youngsters
from the Dharmic Sabha’s cultural youth arm mesmerized the audience with their
performance, while the Dharmic Nritya Sangh captivated the audience with their
superb dances. President Bharrat Jagdeo also took time out to visit the booths
and mingle with the crowd.
19. PAKISTANI HIGH COURT VERDICT:
HISTORICAL HINDU TEMPLE
TO REOPEN DOORS: A
160-year-old Hindu temple in Peshawar
is preparing to welcome worshippers after 60 years.
The Goraknath Temple, situated in the city's
archaeological complex Gor Kattri, opens for worship on the Hindu festival of
Diwali.
"In
accordance with the September 15 verdict of the Peshawar High Court, the
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Department of Archaeology handed over the temple's keys to
Phoolvati and her son Kaka Ram last week," their attorney Pervez Iqbal
told The Express Tribune. A provincial minister joins the reopening ceremony of
the temple, said Iqbal who spent almost a decade pursuing protracted litigation
to win custody of the temple on behalf of Phoolvati. Although Phoolvati and her
son are now custodians of the temple, authorities have barred them from renovating
the building, saying it is 'protected' property and changes cannot be made to
it.
20. ASHA
BHOSLE ENTERS GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS: Asha Bhosle has achieved a Guinness World Record for
recording the largest number of songs. The 78-year-old was awarded the honour
at an awards function held in London
on October 20.
"Now
I feel I am a recognised singer in the world. I thank my fans and hope they
will continue to love me," Bhosle said. The legendary Bollywood playback
singer has recorded up to 11,000 solo, duet and chorus-backed songs in over 20 Bharatiya
languages since 1947.
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Visitors:
Ajay Agrawal – Nairobi Pravas: Shri Ravikumar, sahsamyojak Vishwa Vibhag left Bharat on a
tour to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Anything that brings spiritual, mental or physical
weakness, touch it not with the toes of your feet. Religion is the
manifestation of natural strength that is in man. A spring of infinite power is
coiled up and is inside this little body, and that spring is spreading
itself...This is the history of man, of religion, civilization or progress. –
Swami Vivekananda
JAI SHREE RAM
REVIVING LOST
VEDIC TRADITION
Maitreyi
gurukulam
Woman is the nucleus of Indian culture. She plays
various roles such as mother, daughter, sister, wife, etc and in each role she
plays, lies the welfare of the nation. Mother is regarded as the first Guru of
the child. She grooms the child so as to make him a responsible citizen.
Maitreyi Gurukulam has revived the tradition of Vedic education for women that
was lost in the passage of time.
The
Gurukulam for women has been started so as to induce ideal womanhood and make
girl child service oriented. It is obviously through her that the ideal society
of the future is going to be shaped. The project is run under the aegis of a
local Trust that is a part of Hindu Sewa Pratisthan, Karnataka.
The
Gurukulam is situated in a serene atmosphere in Moorukaje village, 4 km off
Vittla, Bantwal taluka, Dakshin Kannada district, Karnataka. Hindu tradition
does not approve commercialization of education, medicine and food; the three
essentials in life. Maitreyi Gurukulam being true to tradition does not charge
fees from the students. Education including lodging and boarding is provided
free of cost in the Gurukulam that is run on public contribution. The education
being free of cost, being supported by a philanthropic society in the vicinity
of the project, was looked down by many as the Gurukulam sprouted initially.
However the society has recognized this endeavour and now the entrance test
qualifiers only get the admission.
Gurus
sit on the platforms and the shishyas sit on the floor, right beneath the huge
‘cool’ green trees. No blackboards, chalk pieces and dusters; the oral
tradition being practiced flawlessly in a modern world where no one understands
a concept unless it is presented through visuals. Most of the girls come from
rural areas. The admission is open to all Hindu girls above 10 years of age
without any consideration for caste and class with only 20 students per batch.
The first phase consists of six-year course and the admission to the higher
course is given on the successful completion of the first phase. The evolution
of a personality is being experimented in this lab of human performances.
Two
decades ago, an old couple , the owner of over 100 acres of land costing some
crores, used to live happily on that land with some 200 dogs and they served
the dogs as the service to the Almighty. However, after the demise of the
husband, the old lady wished to donate this land to some voluntary organization
working for welfare of women and approached a Sangh karyakarta. The karyakarya
rejected her offer with a premise that he does not have enough manpower to take
care of the huge plot.
The
noble lady had her road map drawn clear in her mind. One day, she handed over
the papers to that karyakarta and walked away triumphantly! She left for
heavenly abode in a week with the satisfaction in her heart that she has handed
over the property to a correct person. A team of karyakartas started working
day and night to turn the dream of the noble lady into reality. Now the dream
has come true as Maitreyi Gurukulam.
Salient
feature of the Gurukulam:
1)
Learning through the medium of the mother tongue-Kannada.
2)
Working knowledge of conversation Sanskrit.
3) A
perfect blend of traditional knowledge and modern information. Hence Vedas,
Yoga, agriculture, native medicines and modern science form the core subjects
of this multidimensional curriculum. Revival of the tradition of women learning
Vedas is also an important aspect of the Gurukulam.
4)
Motherly care of in-charge matrons.
5)
Learning with a spiritual outlook.
6)
Extra facilities to study literature, music and other fine arts.
(Source:
www.newsbharati.com)
WHY AFSPA SHOULD CONTINUE
ARUN JAITLEY
The
Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, has recently suggested
that the provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 could be
made inapplicable to some parts of the State.
This has triggered a controversy since the security forces and the
Ministry of Defence have consistently maintained that enforcement of the
provisions of the Act in the State of J&K is necessary. It is therefore necessary to examine the
provisions of the law and the need for their enforcement and applicability to
the State.
Jammu
& Kashmir has been a disturbed area for more than two decades. It has been the victim of cross-border
terrorism. Certain domestic groups have also disputed the status of the State
as an integral part of India.
It is
an effort of the entire country and the State administration that peace and
normalcy in the State should be restored and that the people of the State
should be protected from any form of violence or subversion. Terrorism and
separatist violence needs both a political and security response. The security
response may adversely impact the day-to-day civilian life. It is harsh but
necessary. In case there is laxity in
terms of security, the inevitable consequences would be that deterrence of
those indulging in violence and separatist activities would disappear.
Beside
the State Police, the ‘armed forces’ of the Union
also assist the administration. The
‘armed forces’ is not merely the army and certain other military forces but
they also include other armed forces of the Union, namely, Border Security
Force, CRPF, Assam Rifles and ITBP. Once
the whole State or a part of the State is declared as a ‘disturbed area’, the
armed forces are called in aid of the civil powers in order to maintain peace
and tranquility in the State.
Armed
forces do not investigate crime. Their personnel are entitled to take necessary
steps for maintenance of public order and use force after giving due warning to
those who threaten law and order. They can enter into a premise and search
them. They can destroy any dumps or fortified shelters from which armed attacks
are made. They are entitled to arrest without warrant and even take the
arrested person to the nearest police station without delay along with a report
of such arrests.
Thus,
with regard to declaration of an area as a disturbed area it is an assessment
and opinion formed by the Government that the civilian administration and local
State police are not enough to maintain the law and order in the State. If the
local police alone can maintain law and order, the declaration of that area as
a disturbed area would not be necessary.
The
decision thus to continue the State or a part of the State as a disturbed area
or otherwise has to be taken on security considerations and not political
considerations. Even in districts where
the Army is withdrawn, the CRPF and other armed forces are still deployed. The
local State police would be inadequate in most of these districts also.
The
powers given to the armed forces of the Union
are not substantially different from the powers which the local police have.
The local police can also make arrests, searches for the purpose of maintaining
law and order. They can also use reasonable force required to maintain peace
and tranquility. They can also destroy any arm dumps or fortified positions or
shelters from where armed attacks are made by violent groups.
The
only protection provided to the armed forces of the union is that before any
prosecution, suit or legal proceedings is initiated against any personnel of
the armed forces for acting under this Act, prior sanction of the Central
Government would be necessary.
When
I visited the State last year as a part of the all party delegation I was
informed by the officers of the paramilitary forces that more than 2500
applications for prosecuting personnel of armed forces were pending with the
Central Government.
The
Act, therefore, gives protection to the personnel of armed forces that they
cannot be prosecuted without the sanction of the Central Government. In case
this protection is withdrawn it would empower various vested interests to
prosecute officials of the armed forces and other paramilitary forces
indiscriminately.
Obviously,
this would disincentivise personnel of these forces from taking adequate steps
against the separatist groups. When the security forces are in favour of
retention of this law, it would be highly imprudent to allow anyone to
seriously argue that political considerations require that this law be
withdrawn or its enforcement be restricted only to certain areas.
We
seriously hope that a situation does emerge in future that the applicability of
this law is either not necessary or is restricted only to some areas. That
situation does not seem to have arrived as yet. The withdrawal of this law
would leave the administration of the unprotected districts only in the hands
of the local police and thus incentivising the separatist and violent groups to
increase their activities in these areas.
It
would, therefore, be politically more prudent for the Chief Minister of Jammu
& Kashmir not to initiate a debate at a stage when circumstances still
warrant the continuation of the operation of the law.
(Writer
is Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha) The Pioneer, Friday, 28 October
2011
